Bermuda International Invitational - Rockal Evans wins Laser crown

5:49 AM Fri 30 Apr 2010 GMT

'Rockal Evans - Bermuda International Invitational Race Week 2010' Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo

Bermuda Olympic hopeful Rockal Evans knocked off traditional Bermuda winners Brett Wright and Malcolm Smith as the Laser fleet concluded its racing in Bermuda International Invitational Race Week. The fleet got in all eleven scheduled races. Evans had 17 points. Wright won a tiebreaker with Smith to come second with 21 points.

According to a recent article in the Bermuda Sun, Evans, who is the son of former Olympic sailor Howard Lee, will attend the Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) in Perth, Australia that consists of a series of comprehensive training programmes that place specific emphasis on the enhancement of fitness and technical skills.

The ENP is an exciting initiative designed by the Perth 2011 Organizing Committee to assist developing sailing nations, such as Bermuda, in qualifying for the Olympics.

In addition to sailing the Laser full rig, Evans competes in Etchells and Fitted Dinghies.

Eugene "Penny" Simmons wins IOD "A" Series

Eugene "Penny" Simmons - Bermuda International Invitational Race Week 2010 - Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo

After a stellar performance Bermuda's IOD world champion has won the IOD A Series, comprised of the first six races for the class with six points. Giles Peckham of Alton UK came second with 10 points. That series was completed on Tuesday.

Racing today in the IOD's, Simmons got a one, four, one to lead the "B" Series by a point over US sailor John Pulverman of Walpole New Hampshire. Simmons also leads in overall points for the Vrengen Gold Cup with 11 points over Peckham who has 17 points in second place.

Simmons is one of Bermuda's top sailors. He has competed in four Olympics, won the International One Design World Championships six times and also won the bronze medal in the Snipe class at the 1967 Pan Am Games.

Not Mine wins Bermuda Race Week J105 Class

Not Mine - Bermuda International Invitational Race Week 2010 - Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo

Not Mine skipper Allan Williams shared the glory of his fourth consecutive J105 Class first place finish with co-skipper Glenn Astwood. The duo won on a tiebreaker that put Chuck Millican's Elusive into second.

Both boats finished with eight points. After dropping a fourth place finish each. Not Mine had scores of one, one, two, one, three and Elusive scored two, two, one, two, one. Not Mine wins with three firsts over two for Elusive. James MacDonald took third in Passion with 13 points.

And more
A close finish is shaping up for the etchells class which has only one more race in the series. Thursday Tim Patton had a top flight performance taking two bullets. He now has 12 points, one ahead of fellow Bermudian Martin Vezina. Patton is the current Keelboat Bermuda National Champion.

In the J24 Class, Scott Snyder from Denver, Colorado continues to hole the lead he grabbed on the first day. Going into Thursday racing he had five first place finishes. Thursday he finished two, four, three so his total is 10 points. Peter Rich follows with 17 and Sean McDermott stands third with 22 points.

Racing starts at 1100hrs on Friday for the Alpha course J24, etchells and IOD Classes. The Prize Giving Party at RBYC concludes Race Week on Friday.

Inaugurated by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in 1927, Bermuda International Invitational Race Week has become an established international yachting fixture each spring - attracting top skippers from all over the world. Bermuda Premium Spirits Limited, local distributor for Bacardi rum, is the sponsor and has been for the past nine years. All classes with an active local racing program in Bermuda may invite international sailors to participate in the 2010 Bermuda International Invitational Race Week. International participation is required for a fleet to compete.

by Talbot Wilson