On Friday, April 18th, Bella Mente Racing was forced to withdraw from racing at Les Voiles de St. Barth after its 72-foot namesake was dismasted during the race four pre-start. The mast has been recovered and has returned to Hall Spars in Bristol, Rhode Island where more assessments and testing are being made to determine the method of failure. Prior to dismasting, the team held the lead in the event’s mini maxi division.
“The wind was gusting to the mid-twenties and the seas were rough but nothing terribly dramatic,” said team manager Rob Ouellette adding that the entire crew was safe and there were no injuries onboard. “The rig we lost was delivered with Bella Mente when she was new in 2012.”
Soon after the event in St. Barth’s finished, Bella Mente Racing’s Peter Henderson, Ryan Brown, Mark Newbrook, Matt Smith and Thomas Allin motored the boat from St. Barth to St. Thomas (not a comfortable trip without a mast). The hull is being loaded today in St. Thomas on a ship bound for Newport where some minor scrapes and scratches will be repaired and the second rig (built in 2013) stepped.
“Our racing schedule will remain largely unchanged and we look forward to getting back out there as soon as possible,”said Oulette adding that the team will reconvene on June 7th to practice for the New York Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta presented by Rolex and the Newport to Bermuda race later that month. “To all of Bella Mente supporters, thank you for all of the well wishes!”
From Bermuda, Bella Mente will be shipped to Palma de Mallorca, Spain for the Copa del Rey in August and then head to Porto Cervo, Italy for the Mini Maxi World Championship in September.
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