RORC 600 Yields Top Results

Bella Mente pictured racing near Redonda (Photo Credit: Tim Wright/photoaction.com)

After 48 hours of nonstop on-the-water suspense, Bella Mente Racing slid through the finish line today (February 26th) in Antigua to take line honors in the RORC Caribbean 600. The team also won CSA Overall, and was awarded with the inaugural Bella Mente Trophy for being the first IRC yacht (that is 100% manually powered, without either variable or moveable ballast) to finish the distance race.

“Our target was for line honors with an eye on the Bella Mente Trophy so this year was a very sweet success,” said Bella Mente Racing’s owner/driver Hap Fauth, adding that every inch of the 600 mile course was chock-full of challenging conditions and fierce competitors, including Rambler and Shockwave both of which captured the lead from Bella Mente on numerous occasions during the distance race. “Overall, we experienced another thrilling RORC Caribbean 600, with variable wind and weather conditions, moderate to large swells, and lot of rain cells making their way across the course.”

Bella Mente celebrates dockside after racing (Photo Credit: Kevin Johnson/kevinjohnsonphotography.com)

Although Bella Mente finished the distance race 10 and 12 minutes ahead of Rambler and Shockwave, respectively, the team came in second place on corrected time in IRC. According to race organizers, it was the closest finish in the six year history of the race.

“I don’t think it would be possible to have a closer offshore race than this,” added Fauth. “Going into the last beat it was a classic match race between the three of us.”

Next on the calendar for Bella Mente Racing is Les Voiles de Saint Barth in April and then the team will head north to Newport, R.I. for the month of June to race at the 160th New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta presented by Rolex and start the 635-mile Newport Bermuda Race. Later that month, the team will race in the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Annual Regatta before shipping Bella Mente to Europe for the 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE in August, the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship in September and the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October.