by Laurie Fullerton
New York City – As the fleet of 20 yachts gathered in Manhattan to
prepare for the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge race across the Atlantic Ocean,
the docking space along the great Hudson River bustled with an international
composition of sailors who all share a symbolic tie to New York City that
enhanced the few days they were a part of this city’s landscape.
During the week the yachts were tied up at Pier 86 – site of the Intrepid
Sea-Air-Space Museum –a gala reception was held aboard the Intrepid. The
decommissioned aircraft carrier was transformed into an elegant party space,
and the 500 guests enjoyed cocktails among the Museum’s exhibits before they
were seated for an elegant dinner. Peter Duchin and his orchestra entertained
an international list of competitors and some of the most prominent people in
sailing – who took to the dance floor between the dinner courses.
While visiting yachtsmen toured the unique Intrepid Museum, the sailing heritage
shared by all the competitors gave special significance to their presence here.
“Being docked in New York harbour brings home to me the historic link between
Holland and New York City as we recognize so many Dutch names here,” said Pieter
Brantjes, captain of the 252-foot three-masted clipper ship Stad Amsterdam. In
fact, for the first two days of its arrival in New York, the Stad Amsterdam was
docked at South Street Seaport, an historic wharf area during the days of the
clipper ships.
While sailors spent their limited free time visiting the city’s great offering
of art museums and exhibits, including Gregory Colbert’s “Ashes and Snow Exhibit”
along the Hudson River Park’s Pier 54, others turned towards the heart of New York
and visited famed Times Square and Broadway.
For the young Swiss sailor Alexis Lombard, who will race on the 178-foot Dubois
cruising sloop “Tiara,” the experience of “sailing home” to Europe from New York
City is part of the symbolic importance of being here, he said.
“While I have been busy the past two days preparing for our voyage, I am aware of
the mythical importance of New York City and how it influences all of us,” Lombard
said. “As a Swiss boat we are all touched by our countries recent emergence on the
international map as a sailing nation. We have always been tied to the maritime
traditions and as a European, I am strongly aware of this sense of ‘sailing home’ to
where I come from. Right now, sailing from New York across the Atlantic Ocean is the
best souvenir I can get.”
The old and new world cultures so present in New York are particularly symbolic to
New Zealand sailors, who are emerging as one of the most successful nation of sailors
in the 21st century.
“One hundred years ago when this race left New York, the English and the Americans
led the world in yacht racing. It is now 100 years later and we feel it is the
colonials who lead the pack,” said Charles Brown, a native of New Zealand and
co-owner of the 99-foot super-maxi Maximus designed by Greg Elliot and Clay Oliver.
“We are a crew made up almost entirely of New Zealanders, with one Australian and
one Scotsman. I couldn’t be happier sailing with the men I am sailing with and racing
with them to England.”
Greg Elliot, one of the two principal designers of Maximus, will also race aboard and
commented “it was absolutely fantastic for me to sail past the Statue of Liberty with
our New Zealand ensign flying off our stern. As a yachtsman, this is something you
aspire to do and it is a proud moment for all of us New Zealanders.”
Maximus will be racing against the 140-foot two-masted schooner Mari Cha IV skippered
by Robert Miller and helmed by New Zealander Mike Sanderson who is also the step-nephew
of Maximus owner Charles Brown.
‘Being here in New York and setting out on this race is a fantastic feeling for all of
us as this is such a classic route across the Atlantic,” Sanderson said. “I am honored
to get to sail a boat like this with such a great group of guys. It is a fantastic boat,
and a dream ride.”
Dr. Hans Albrecht, owner and skipper of Nordwind, the 88-foot Henry Gruber design is a
German sailor whose says that while yachting is not as big a tradition in Germany as
elsewhere, “we do have something left over from the days of the Kaiser who originally
challenged the competitors during the 1905 race. While the Kaiser was a very ambitious
man, he was unable to win this yacht race. However, his keen interest in yachting left
a legacy of naval architects and great yachts between Germany and New York. The designer
of Nordwind was German but he was mentored by American yacht designer Starling Burgess
who worked here in New York City.”
For the owner of the 116-foot Ted Fontaine-designed “Whisper,” American owner John
J. “Hap” Fauth says, “while we are all passionate about the sea and remain competitive
throughout the world, this is wonderful for New Yorkers to see this. In a city that was
once so dominant in yachting, there remains an historic and emotional link to this city
for all of us,” said Fauth.
Former America’s Cup veteran Ken Read of Newport, R.I. will be at the helm of the 81-foot
sloop “Carrera.” Read notes that “you can’t ignore the historic significance of this race.
We are racing for a record, we are racing against boats like Maximus and Mari-Cha IV and
we are thrilled to be here. It is an honor to be an American sailor in this historic race
and particularly to sail out of New York.”
The Rolex Transatlantic fleet in New York spent their short time here wrapped up in the
business of preparing to race across the Atlantic Ocean, but with each and every sailor,
personal and professional landmarks and the symbols of achievement and opportunity so
celebrated in New York, gave them added inspiration.
For Englishman Mike Slade, who will helm his 98-foot sloop Leopard designed by Reichel/Pugh,
the spirit of the Rolex Transatlantic race brought him to New York. “This is exciting because
it remains a great challenge. We are delighted to be here and to be amongst such great sailors.”
Additionally, Peter Harrison of England and skipper of “Sojana,” the 115-foot ketch, is proud
to be a part of a great yachting tradition. “It is a thrill for all of us,” he said. “This is
an international event set in one of the most international cities in the world. It couldn’t be
better to be sailing here with so many different nationalities involved with our shared maritime
traditions.”
For Adrian Cahalan of Australia, who remains one of the few sailors and the only woman in this
race who has been aboard a prior record-breaking transatlantic crossing, serving as navigator
aboard the 174-foot Dubois designed “Drumbeat” is significant for her.
“I have been a part of a team that initially broke an existing trans-Atlantic record in 1997,”
she said. “When you are from a new country like Australia it is great to be here in New York and
be a part of this kind of sailing tradition. As a woman and a navigator, it is really nice to have
this significant role on the boat and be a part of something that has so much spirit and tradition.”
Although the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge has brought together both professional and influential
individuals from throughout the world, the race has also enabled sailors to pay tribute to the
cities historic link to the cultures and countries represented in this great race.
“I am sailing aboard a classic yacht and I love the timeless, traditional feel of that,” said
Jeffrey Lewis, a crewmember aboard the classic yacht “Nordwind”. “Once aboard, you kind of fall
in love with the boat and right now I just love being in New York. Standing here in midtown
Manhattan with all these great boats tied up and ready to go across the Atlantic - I just love it.”
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