Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race

July 13, 2009: Three boats from New Brunswick competed in the 2009 edition of the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race. Under sunny skies and winds ranging from 10 to 18 out of the west-southwest, 97 yachts departed Marblehead for the 360-mile course ending in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Perfect conditions resulted in a downwind start enabling the spectator fleet to see colorful spinnakers heading east. Shortly after the start, the brisk winds ended and light winds slowed the fleet for much of the race. Rambler, a 90- ft. Reichel Pugh was the first yacht to cross the finish line in the Marblehead To Halifax Ocean Race Tuesday at 07.22.38, finishing first in the IRC 1 class. Rambler averaged 10 knots of boat speed with the highest being 14 knots and the lowest being 2.5 knots. Southwesterly a C&C 41 from RKYC finished 5th in PHRF Division 3 class, while Night Train a C&C 40 also from RKYC finished 8th in PHRF Division 4 class. Vela Veloce a new SC 52 from RKYC finished 5th in IRC division 1. In the club competition, New Brunswick’s three boats from RKYC ranked 2nd to Nova Scotia’s RNSYS.

The running of the 2009 Marblehead-to-Halifax Ocean Race (MHOR) is preceded by a long and prestigious history. The race began in 1905 as an informal competition among sailors from the Boston, Eastern, and New York Yacht Clubs. Since that time, the Marblehead-to-Halifax Ocean Race has run regularly on alternate years from the Newport Bermuda Race, as one of the pre-eminent ocean races of the North Atlantic.

For more information and results: www.marbleheadtohalifax.com

Telegraph Journal Article: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/726796