Block Island Race Week Perpetual Trophies The Storm Trysail Club (STC) was founded after an extremely rough Newport to Bermuda Race in 1936 by a group of hardy sailors who felt the best test of a boat was whether she could cross the Gulf Stream in adverse conditions, reaching Bermuda safely while providing comfortable lodging for her crew upon arrival. Based on these parameters, the Club was established to promote the sport of ocean racing. Membership in the STC is by invitation only, and according to the Club’s bylaws, “Candidates must have set a storm trysail under storm conditions, offshore, or have weathered a storm at sea under greatly reduced canvas. They must also be experienced bluewater sailors, capable of taking command of a sailing vessel offshore under any or all conditions.” The first “Block Island Week” was held in 1965. Past STC Commodore Jakob Isbrandtsen and yachting writer Everett B. Morris had seen the huge fleets at Cowes Week at the Isle of Wight, and they adopted the format of the English regatta to create America’s first Race Week. Several perpetual trophies are awarded at Block Island Race Week, mostly named and donated in memory of people who’ve made significant contributions to sailing. These trophies are awarded biannually “in the spirit of camaraderie, competition and respect for the unique character of the sport of sailing.” Everett B. Morris Memorial Trophy First awarded in 1967 and rededicated in 1991, this trophy is awarded to the boat that wins its class and, in the judgment of the BIRW Race Committee and the STC Commodore, has made the Best Overall Performance. The winner of the Morris Trophy at BIRW XXIII in 2009 was Power Play, a J/105 entered by Bruce Stone and Scott DeWeese (San Francisco, CA).
Emil “Bus” Mosbacher Sportsmanship Trophy Bus Mosbacher skippered two America’s Cup defenders. In 1962, he steered the four-year-old Weatherly to a four races to one win over the Australian challenger, Gretel II. Mosbacher’s greatest Cup triumph came in 1967, when he drove Intrepid to four straight victories over Australia’s Dame Pattie. The key to winning match races, Mosbacher said, “is to find your opponent’s Achilles heel…and sink your teeth into it.” Dedicated after Mosbacher’s passing in 1997, this trophy is awarded to the participant who, in the judgment of the Flag Officers and the Sportsmanship Committee, has displayed an outstanding example of good sportsmanship during Block Island Race Week. In 2009, the Mosbacher Trophy was awarded to Dr. John Solomon.
A. Justin Wasley Memorial Trophy This trophy, rededicated to Block Island Race Week in 1991, is presented to the overall winner of the One-Design class with the largest number of entries Power Play, the victor in the 20-boat J/105 class, claimed the Wasley Trophy in 2009. Island Sailing Club of Cowes Perpetual Trophy This trophy, awarded since the first Block Island Race Week in 1965, commemorates the link between Block Island Race Week and Cowes Week. It will be awarded to the first overall IRC-rated boat in the ‘Round the Island Race. The winner in 2009 was Roger Sturgeon’s STP 65 Rosebud/Team DYT (Fort Lauderdale, FL). In addition to having their name engraved on the ISCC Perpetual Trophy, the winner will take home a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner timepiece. Vintage Yacht Trophy Awarded in memory of Hugh Kilmer since 1971, this trophy is presented to the yacht, 15 years old or older, substantially unaltered, with the best performance for the week. Brad Porter’s Evelyn 32 XLR8 (Westbrook, CT), the winner of PHRF 1, earned this honor in 2009.
The Isbrandtsen Overall Perpetual Trophy Block Island Race Week exists, in large part, because of the efforts of Jakob Isbrandtsen, the Danish owner of the Isbrandtsen Line shipping company. First awarded in 1975, and rededicated in 1991, the Isbrandtsen Trophy is awarded to the yacht with the “Second Best Performance” during Race Week. The 2009 winner was Mort Weintraub’s Express 37 Troubador (Larchmont, NY).
John Alden Reed Perpetual Trophy The Reed Trophy is awarded to the best performance by a Service Academy yacht. The U.S. Naval Academy’s Navy 44 Swift was the 2009 winner.
Rolex Fleet Awards These awards will be presented to the yachts that, in the judgment of the Race Committee, have the best performance in the Red, White and Blue Fleets. The 2009 recipients were: Red - Troubador; White - Power Play; and Blue – John & Tony Esposito’s J/29 Hustler (Mohegan Lake, NY).
Governors Perpetual Trophy First awarded in 1983 to recognize the numerous international competitors at Block Island Race Week, the Governor’s Plate is presented to the foreign yacht with the best performance for the week. Steve Sherwin’s Corby 41Nasty Medicine (Hamilton, Bermuda) won this award in 2009.
Round the Island Race Starting Sequence CLASSES IRC 1 & 2 Farr OD & Swan 42 IRC 3 & 4 J-44 & PHRF 1 J-109 J-105 PHRF 2 & 3 PHRF 4, Cruising Non-Spin
WARNING SIGNAL NUMERAL PENNANT 1 NUMERAL PENNANT 2 NUMERAL PENNANT 3 NUMERAL PENNANT 4 NUMERAL PENNANT 5 NUMERAL PENNANT 6 NUMERAL PENNANT 7 NUMERAL PENNANT 8
NOTE: Backstay Class pennants, per Sailing Instruction 6.2 do not change for the Round Block Island Race 10 Storm Trysail Club 2011 Block Island Race Week News • Wednesday
The Abrams Family Trophy Dedicated by the Storm Trysail Club in 2003, this trophy is awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to Block Island Race Week. In 2009, it was presented to Kathy Farrell and Mount Gay Rum. US-IRC Trophy This trophy, presented by the Storm Trysail Club and the US-IRC Committee, will be awarded to the IRC-rated yacht that triumphs in the most competitive IRC class at Race Week. This will be determined by adding the corrected time differential between first and fifth place for each race. The class winner who competed in the class with the lowest average time differential between first and fifth place will be awarded this trophy. Troubador won in 2009. Shelter Island Team Trophy Teams, comprising three boats from two or more classes and representing a yacht club or sailing association, are eligible for this trophy. In 2009, this trophy was won by the Storm Trysail Club White Team: Jeff Willis’ J/44 Challenge IV (Huntington, NY), Rich du Moulin’s Express 37 Lora Ann (Larchmont, NY) and John Storck, Jr.’s J/80 Rumor (Huntington, NY)