It’s been an exciting year for the Mount Gay Around Jamestown Record, with a number of different boats taking part and records for the Rhode Island classic falling right and left.
On June 11, Jonny Goldsberry’s Marstrom 32 catamaran Bronco started the season strong by setting a new multihull record and a new overall record of 1 hour, 2 minutes and 38 seconds. The following day Hap Fauth’s 72-foot mini-maxi Bella Mente set a new monohull record of 1 hour, 19 minutes and 35 seconds.
On July 5, foiling kiteboarder Zach Marks and the crew of Dave Lussier’s F31 Bazinga also decided to get into the mix, in an effort to take advantage of the strong winds brought on by the then receding Hurricane Arthur. Marks went on to set a new under-32-foot record of 1 hour, 3 minutes and 8 seconds, while the crew of Bazinga fell a heartbreaking 30 seconds short of the mark set by Bronco.
Established in 2012, the Mount Gay Around Jamestown record starts and finishes off Newport, Rhode Island’s Fort Adams, with the roughly 17-mile course going clockwise or counterclockwise around Conanicut Island, whichever way the competitor thinks is best.
The competition is open to any boat with a hankering after the overall prize—the skipper’s weight in Mount Gay rum. This year’s window of eligibility remains open until October 31, so there’s still time to take a stab at winning sufficient spirits to get you through the long, cold winter. For details, visit aroundjamestownrecord.com.
Photo courtesy of Manuka Sports Event Management
