Photo Credit: Peter Henderson
Bella Mente Racing’s 72-foot custom mini maxi namesake has been in the shed at Cracker Boy Boat Works in Florida, undergoing some updates prior to the start of the 2015 season. The team will be finalizing all onshore projects after Thanksgiving in preparation for a testing session in early December.
Peter “Pirate” Henderson Photos
(Photo Credit: Morgan Coleman)
Bella Mente Racing’s owner/driver Hap Fauth received the John B Thomson Award during the 2014 Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club’s 44th Street Clubhouse this past Thursday (Nov. 13). The coveted trophy is awarded annually for Campaign Excellence and named in honor of the revered sailor John B. Thomson, Jr.
From Left: Peter Henderson, Tom McLaughlin, Rob Ouellette, Hap Fauth, Tom Rich, Thomas Allin (Photo Credit Morgan Coleman)
Bella Mente Racing’s fearless leader Hap Fauth is featured in the October/September 2014 Issue of Sailing World. “The Education of Hap Fauth” shines a light on his life path and Bella Mente’s ascent into the world of mini maxi racing.
For more articles on the team visit Bella Mente Racing’s In the News Section
Sailing World September/October 2014: “The Education of Hap Fauth”
Here is Bella Mente Racing’s 2014 Campaign in pictures. Tell us which photo is your favorite by liking the images below on our Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BellaMenteRacing). Happy #ThrowbackThursday!
Quantum Key West Race Week 2014 Premiere Racing (Photo Credit: Onne van der Wal)
2014 RORC Caribbean 600 Royal Ocean Racing Club (Photo Credit: Tim Wright)
2014 Les Voiles de St Barth (Photo Credit: Amory Ross)
The 160th NYYC Annual Regatta presented by Rolex (Photo Credit: Onne van der Wal)
2014 Newport Bermuda Race (Photo Credit: Onne van der Wal)
The 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE/ Regata Copa del Rey (Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo)
The 2014 Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship (Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo)
Bella Mente being hauled in West Palm Beach, Florida today, Thursday, October 10 (Photo Credit: Peter Henderson)
Hap Fauth’s 72-foot custom mini maxi Bella Mente was hauled today in West Palm Beach, Florida where it will spend the next few months preparing for next year’s racing calendar. The yacht was shipped from Palma Mallorca, Spain last month after completing its 2014 European racing circuit. Boatwork updates and 2015 campaign details will be coming soon. Stay tuned and follow the team on Facebook and Twitter.
Photo Gallery from Bella Mente’s Offload (Photo Credit: Peter Henderson)
Bella Mente being unloaded in Palma last week (Photo Credit Peter Henderson)
After wrapping up the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships earlier this month, the 72-foot custom mini maxi Bella Mente was shipped from Sardinia to Palma Mallorca. On Monday, the yacht will be loaded and start its journey to the U.S. to prepare for the 2015 campaign. Stay tuned for weekly updates throughout the fall.
Bella Mente being unloaded in Palma last week (Photo Credit Peter Henderson)
Bella Mente being unloaded in Palma last week (Photo Credit Peter Henderson)
After a week of epic battles off Porto Cervo (Sardinia), Bella Mente Racing concluded the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships on Saturday (Sept. 6) with fourth place overall. The team’s fearless leader, owner/driver Hap Fauth, was awarded the event’s Alberini Trophy for exemplary sportsmanship both on and off the water.
Owner/Driver Hap Fauth accepting the Alberini Trophy at the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship (Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo)
“Hap is always graceful in victory and defeat,” said Mike Sanderson who joined Fauth along with Terry Hutchinson, John Cutler and Ian Moore in the afterguard for all five days of racing. “He is most definitely the man of the moment, and it was great to see that our team wasn’t the only one that recognizes this. On the last day he was already enthusiastic, talking about how we can improve the boat and team for next time. We are looking forward to doing just that.”
Day 5 at the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships (Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo)
On the final day of the event, Bella Mente Racing was relieved to have some good breeze as the previous four days had brought light winds. Sanderson added, “This allowed us to stretch our legs and really see how we sat against the competition. The good news is that we were very much on pace, but unfortunately Saturday’s conditions weren’t enough to move us up in the rankings. If we had at least one or two more days where the wind speed got into the teens, it could have been quite a different regatta.
Day 5 at the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships (Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo)
“We can’t say we are leaving Sardinia happy; we had high expectations and anything short of a win was always going to be disappointing. However, we brought a strong team to the event and fought hard in every race. It just wasn’t our week.”
This summer’s Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship marks the end of Bella Mente Racing’s 2014 campaign, but the team is already strategizing improvements for next year. Stay tuned this fall for updates on the 2015 campaign.
For more updates, follow Bella Mente Racing on Facebook and Twitter
The Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships will be full of showdowns tomorrow, with Bella Mente Racing along with six other tough competitors going into the final day of racing, all vying for a podium finish. The fleet of seven has been racing since Monday, September 1 and wrapped up its second coastal race of the week today off Porto Cervo, Sardinia.
Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships Day 4 (Photo Credit Jesus Renedo)
“It was a tough day for a coastal race,” said Terry Hutchinson who joins owner/driver Hap Fauth along with Mike Sanderson, John Cutler and Ian Moore in the afterguard. “The first beat was 1.6 miles sailed in seven knots of true wind speed. From there it was follow the leader, Alegre. Bella Mente fought hard all day and it is hard to not be disappointed, as the effort was not reflected in our result. Tomorrow is a new day, we will get back up and fight!”
Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships Day 4 (Photo Credit Jesus Renedo)
Currently, the team is only two points from third place, which is currently occupied by Niklas Zennstrom’s Ran 5. Tomorrow’s racing will include two windward leeward races.
“The goal for tomorrow is to finish strong and make our way onto the podium. It will be no easy task, but I am confident Bella Mente is up for the challenge.”
Full Gallery from the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships Day 4 (Photo Credit Jesus Renedo)
Today marks the designated lay day for the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Here is a photo gallery from Monday through Wednesday of Bella Mente Racing competing in the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. The team will pick up racing again tomorrow, Friday (Sept. 4) and continue through Saturday (Sept. 5).
Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo
The original Bella Mente Racing campaign kicked off in 2006 with Key West Race Week, and since then owner and skipper Hap Fauth has had three additional racing yachts in the program.
Launched in September of 2018, the current Bella Mente is a Maxi 72 designed by Botin Partners in Spain and built by New England Boatworks in Rhode Island.
