No battle at Race Week is harder fought than the one for the John Alden Reed Perpetual Trophy, which is awarded to the best performance by a service academy yacht. The U.S. Naval Academy’s Navy 44 Swift won the Reed Trophy in 2009. This year, the contenders include the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s J/29 Renegade (Kings Point, NY; skippered by Midshipman Tim Weber in PHRF 3), the USMMA’s Swan 42 Tiburon (skippered by Midshipman Derrick Cherico), the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Sailing Club’s J/44 Glory (New London, CT; skippered by Jack Neades), and the U.S. Naval Academy’s two IRC 1 52-footers, the J/V 52 Anema & Core, skippered by Ennio Staffini, and Invictus, a TP 52 skippered by Louis Henry. The service academies have certainly had their hands full with the top talent they’ve been pitted against. With a very strong showing in the ultra-competitive Swan 42 class, the Midshipmen aboard Tiburon clinched a 3rd place podium position in the Round the Island Race. Way to go Tiburon! With a good showing today in the PHRF 2 class, the sailors aboard the Navy 44, Swift, skippered by Graham Tyson are strong contenders to take the
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Who will win the Reed Trophy?
prize, as they are currently ‘clinging’ to 3rd place. The competition, however, in the IRC 1, Swan 42 and PHRF 3 classes will certainly play a part in the committee’s decision. As the service academy rivalry is friendly but fierce, it’s nice to see that the cadets aboard Glory, even in Ultimate (Frisbee) defeat, still thought enough of their comrades to wrap Swift ‘to-go’ and help the Navy achieve their all-important 4th place PHRF 2 finish in the Round the Island Race yesterday! It’s this chumminess that makes Race Week so special. Whoever wins the Reed Trophy this year, 2011 will certainly definitely go down as one of the best yet for inter-service academy ribbing, competition and fun. Congratulations to every service academy sailor – you make us all proud!