EYC Sailors Winners in the 40th Marblehead to Halifax Race

 
This race was one for the books, with the forty-five entries reaching up the 360-mile course in record-breaking times. There were 34 highly competitive boats in the ORR Division, broken into four classes. EYC was represented by three exceptional teams:

 
Blue Skies, an Alden Skye 51 (ORR4), skipped by Commodore Bill Gunter with EYC members Past Commodore Tom Klin and Norm Livingston as crew,
Black Watch, a SS Custom 68’ Yawl (ORR 2) skippered by Trevor Fetter, and 
Rhumb Runner, a NEO 430 (ORR2) skippered by Past Commodore Frank Flores with EYC members Bill Dow and Nick Barros as crew. Rhumb Runner was the 10th to cross the line in 40 hours 26 minutes, Black Watch was 12th in line honors finishing in 41 hours 17 minutes , and Blue Skies was 20th completing in 42 hours 39 minutes.
 
Awards:
ORR4 1st -  Blue Skies
ORR2 2nd - Black Watch
ORR Overall 3rd - Blue Skies
 
George F. Lawrey Memorial Cup in the Schooner, Ketch or Yawl class                                                                                           
1st - Blue Skies
2nd - Black Watch 
 
Hatch Memorial Trophy for team racing                                                                                                                                         
2nd - EYC (beating out CCA, Oakcliff and Eastern Yacht Club. The Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron came in first).
 
Rhumb Runner was the 10th to cross the line in 40 hours 26 minutes, Black Watch was 12th in line honors finishing in 41 hours 17 minutes , and  Blue Skies was 20th completing in 42 hours 39 minutes.

In their own words, their take on the Race:
Trevor Fetter said “We had a terrific crew, and our 87 year-old boat proved she’s still competitive against the modern machines. Remarkable, after nearly two days of racing, we finished only 34 second behind the winning boat in our class”. 
 
Past Commodore Flores added “It was another typical foggy and cold Marblehead to Halifax Race. We raced in think fog for hours and saw only the bow of the boat. It was our best finish time ever crossing the finish line early Tuesday morning. Which, by the way, we never saw because of yes, FOG”.  

Past Commodore Klin reported that “Blue Skies was primed and ready to compete, Skipper was dialed in, and the crew fought for every mile – which made all of the difference at the finish line.  Challenging sea state, impenetrable fog, and tenacious competitors made this win all the sweeter . . . reinforcing EYC’s ocean racing pedigree.  Onward to the next challenge!”

Congratulations all! Now a long beat home…..