It was a nose-to-the-grindstone week for Bella Mente Racing, but that hard work paid off with the team winning IRC 1 at Quantum Key West Race Week (Jan. 18-23). The regatta marks the first of seven high-profile events that owner/driver Hap Fauth and his team of international sailors will be competing in this year.
Bella Mente Racing after claiming class victory at Quantum Key West Race Week (Photo Credit: Rob Ouellette)
“This was a great start to what we anticipate to be our most competitive campaign to-date,” said Fauth adding the year culminates with the Maxi 72 Rolex World Championship in Sardinia this September. “Joining me in the afterguard are Terry [Hutchinson], Moose [Mike Sanderson] and Ian Moore, and they really hit it out of the park for this event. The entire crew performed impeccably.”
Bella Mente Racing had its share of ups and downs throughout the week, including colliding with a submerged object during Wednesday’s racing, but the team rose to the challenge.
“We rebounded from adversity and it showed Bella’s performance after the mid-week grounding. The last two days resulted in three victories in the four races,” said Fauth.
Tactician and Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Terry Hutchinson added, “We experienced the full gamut this week, but you need to go through those highs and lows collectively as a team in order to grow. Boat Captain Peter Henderson and the shore team were extremely prepared when the collision occurred and Bella Mente was back in the water, ready to race the next day.”
Today was the windiest day of event, coming in between 18 and 21 knots, and Bella Mente along with fellow mini maxis Numbers and Shockwave raced two short windward-leeward courses.
“There are a lot of subtleties to sailing these boats well,” added Hutchinson. “For starting and boat handling I give us really high marks. Our goal is to continue to turn our weaknesses into strengths as we move forward.”
“We have a lot of incredible sailors onboard and our goal this year is to streamline that talent so we race as a unit. That, combined with discipline and structure will help us develop the ability to consistently win.”
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