NYYC 175TH ANNIVERSARY REGATTA

Setting the Standard for New England Summer Racing

2019 marked the 175th year of the New York Yacht Club Anniversary Regatta, first run in 1844. A variety of yachts with an LOA of 30 feet or greater came to Newport, RI, and sixteen divisions of IRC, ORC, and classics had a week of racing with stiff competition, camaraderie, and the chance to earn bragging rights. Even the New England weather cooperated for once.

Participation in this grand event opened NYYC doors to four invited yacht clubs; Royal Thames Yacht Club, Royal Yacht Squadron, St. Francis Yacht Club, and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. United States service academies also took part. Racing took place both inside Narragansett Bay and out in Rhode Island Sound, with a building sea breeze each afternoon. The 12s were back in action after their World Championship, divided up into vintage, traditional, modern, and grand prix fleets.

The hot new one design Melges IC37 class boasted 21 teams, an intensely tight fleet that highlighted Corinthian sailing. Other divisions matched up classic yachts, offshore multihulls, and an assortment of J/Boats, Swans, and high-performance grand prix racers. Daily socials after racing brought teams together to share what they learned. What better place to make new friends than the New York Yacht Club lawn, with its stunning view of Narragansett Bay?

North Sails clients had a solid showing, claiming ten division wins across 16 fleets: Good Trade in PHRF-Spin Navigator, Flow in offshore multihull, Apparition in ORC 2, Beau Geste in IRC 1, Rougarou37 in IC37, Outlier in Classic Yacht/ Spirit of Tradition, Kookaburra II in 12m Grand Prix, Nyala in 12m Vintage, Columbia in 12m Traditional, and Challenge XI in 12m Modern. Big congrats to all!