The first day of the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship sponsored by EFG is in the books…but the pages are a bit soggy. As the sailors gathered for the opening competitors meeting, the first line of rain showers swept across Hamilton, Bermuda. Being run in conjunction with the Viper 640 North American Championship and hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, 42 Viper 640 sportboats from around the world headed out to the Great Sound for the first day of racing. The westerly they faced sailing out soon turned to a southerly with gusts into the 20-knot range only to have winds dissipated by repeated lines of rain crossing the Sound.
Zeke Horowitz’s Jenny
PRO Hank Stuart and his team started the first race of the regatta on time with a mile course that saw Zeke Horowitz (Annapolis, MD), sailing with Brendan Healey and Ian Coleman, take the lead at the first mark; a position they would hold throughout the day. Two races were run before the wind (and rain) died out. In second, with eight points, is Justin Scott (Great Britain via Darien, CT) sailing with Rob Crane and Trevor Burd with a 2-6 scoreline. Tied for third with 13 points are Geoff Fargo (Santa Barbara, CA), sailing with Jeff Grange and Spencer Steffan, and Bruce Mattinson (Albany, WA, Australia) with Arlyn Mattinson, Ben Marler, and Keith Swinton as crew. Full Results
Perhaps, the real story of the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship is this: what has been said time and time again is how incredible the people in the Viper fleet are. Today that was certainly showcased with lots of laughter between racing despite the continuous bands of rain. The weather was shifty; the direction was anywhere from 145-300, ranged from 3-12 knots during racing and was held in flat water just to the southeast of Pearl Island.
The most consistent part of the day was the team of Zeke Horowitz’s Jenny winning both races. A look at Yacht Scoring shows just how up and down a majority of the fleet was. Sarasota sailor Mike Meighan explained, “Today is not what we expected weather-wise.” His teammate Travis Yates added, “It was hard to see, the rain slicks out the water.” When asked further about the experience of being at the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship, Yates continued, “Everybody was playing nice, it’s a great class for that. I think we just try and keep it on the water, everybody is here for the right reason.”
Day 2 of the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship is scheduled for tomorrow. Early winds are predicted to be in excess of 30 knots and will moderate later with…wait for it…more rain.
Follow all racing in real time and see regatta photos at https://www.facebook.com/2016Viper640InternationalChampionship/?fref=ts with daily recaps at www.viper640.corg.
Contact: Edward Padin, Viper 640 Class Administrator, epadin@padesta.com
About Aspen Reinsurance
Aspen Re is a diversified, well-capitalized and strongly rated company that provides carefully tailored underwriting solutions in select markets where we can add a high level of value. Aspen Re’s progress is built on the ability to identify and respond swiftly to emerging opportunities and to operate across a wide range of countries and specialist business lines. Aspen Re is founded on a thorough understanding of client needs, as well as exceptional expertise in assessing and managing risk. The company focuses on building long-term relationships with clients who have track records for sound underwriting, along with exposures that make risk transfer a vital aspect of their business needs.
Aspen Insurance, 141 Front Street, Hamilton HM19, Bermuda
About EFG International
EFG International is a global private banking group offering private banking and asset management services, headquartered in Zurich. EFG International’s group of private banking businesses operates in around 30 locations worldwide, with circa 2,000 employees. EFG International’s registered shares (EFGN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
EFG International has been the primary supporting sponsor of the Viper 640 Class since 2011. Every year, Viper sailors around the world competing in quailifying events leading up to the EFG Viper Pan-American Championship sailed each March in Miami, FL, as part of Bacardi Miami Sailing Week presented by EFG.
EFG International AG, Bleicherweg 8, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
www.efginternational.com
About the Viper 640
The Viper 640 is a high-performance one-design sport boat. At 21 ft (6.40 m) and only 750 lb. (340 kg) it combines the stiffness of a keelboat with the acceleration and planing abilities of a dinghy. The Viper has a precise and exhilarating feel on the helm, a spacious cockpit for three or more people, strict one-design class rules, and ease of launching by ramp or hoist. With fleets and regattas around the world, there is certainly Viper racing near you.
For more information contact Viper 640 Class Association Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin (epadin@padesta.com) or Rondar Raceboats’ Dan Tucker (Dan@rondarboats.com). For more information about the Aspen Viper 640 International Championship presented by EFG contact event chair Doug De Couto (decouto@alum.mit.edu) or Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Somers Kempe (somers@mahoganyreef.com).
www.viper640.org
