Bella Mente Racing is continuing to ride its wave of success into the New Year, taking the Maxi 72 Class win at Quantum Key West Race Week, the first event of the team’s 2016 campaign. The team also won “Boat of the Week”. The regatta, which commenced on Monday, January 15, cancelled its final day of racing today, January 22, due to inclement weather.

Hap Fauth

Bella Mente, along with the entire fleet of Maxi 72s, was ready to race and off the dock at 10 a.m. but unfortunately sailing conditions worsened to 30 knots with driving rain and an ebb tide swell against the southerly wind. The Race Committee abandoned the race at 11:30.

Our victory for the week was a great way to start the 2016 season. The entire Bella crew was outstanding all week.”

Mike Sanderson

The thing that feels especially good about winning with Bella Mente is the fact that it isn’t one thing that has made the difference, it’s improvement across the board that has done it. It really feels like we as a team have developed in every aspect of the campaign over the last 12 months.

What’s even better is that it’s just a whole lot of fun also. We have a great bunch of guys, and there is no doubt that when Hap gives us the ‘hike her down boys,’ we all push that little bit harder, as he is just such a great owner and a wonderful guy. This year is going to be a very tough one in the Maxi 72 class; it was noticeable how much better the fleet was getting with each day this week.

We are already looking forward to the next event, which is the Caribbean 600 next month. We won it overall last year, and it would be amazing to do it again in 2016.”

Day one at Quantum Key West Race Week brought three races for the Maxi 72 Class, and Bella Mente Racing came in second overall for the day, two points behind Caol Ila R in first.

Terry Hutchinson

It was an up and down day on Bella Mente, but overall we are happy we finished the day strong. Key West provided champagne conditions, and it was just awesome racing around the track with the four Maxi 72s.  You cannot win the event on the first day but you can lose it. Coach James gave us great comments in tonight’s debrief, and as always we work to get better.  All in all, it was just an outstanding day of yachting!”

Mike Sanderson

We have four good teams lining up for the first time this year, which makes it interesting. Today, we had 20 knots of wind, short start lines and short courses for the Maxi 72s. Hap, Terry, Ian and Doogie did a very nice job with all three starts, which got us off the line in great shape, but the day was still tricky with wind shifts, streaky breeze, and if we are being honest, we had a couple of wobbly moments teamwise. However, we did enough to only be two points off the lead going into tomorrow, so it’s all good on the mighty Bella. All in all, it was just a fantastically close and tough day of racing in a beautiful venue. A big shout out to the Storm Trysail Club and Quantum for keeping Key West Race week alive!”

The Bella Mente delivery team passes Miami, Fla. last night (January 10) at sunset

Bella Mente is currently en route to Key West where it will prepare for Quantum Key West Race Week, which kicks off next Monday (January 18). Stay tuned for a full update from the team later this week!

Bella Mente was launched in West Palm Beach, Fla. yesterday (January 10)