The 15th Vineyard Cup Regatta set sail last weekend, with 40 boats competing over two days of exciting racing on the waters of Vineyard and Nantucket sounds.
Tropical Storm Elsa passed through the area during the day on Friday, but winds were light both Saturday and Sunday mornings, causing the start times to be delayed.
The larger boats (Classics, PHRF-Non Spinnaker I and II, and PHRF Spinnaker) started between 12:10 and 12:30 pm on Saturday, and 12:40 pm on Sunday, heading away from Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard toward the Cape and back, while the smaller catboats and Herreshoff 12.5s started at 1:15 pm on Saturday and 11:40 am on Sunday, sailing in the inner harbor between West Chop and East Chop.
Once the boats got underway, the conditions improved. Winds increased to 10 to 15 knots under predominantly gray skies, making for excellent sailing and happy sailors.
The race weekend culminated with an awards ceremony at host Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard, which, along with Our Market, MV Whaleco, and Sperry Sails, were among the area businesses sponsoring the event benefiting Sail Martha’s Vineyard and its programs, including youth summer classes which have up to 400 participants each year, and are free to Islanders.
The results in the various classes and divisions are as follows:
Classic Division, the Dana Family Cup
A perpetual trophy for the boat with the best cumulative, corrected finishing place.
- Santana, Wendy Schmidt
- Juno, Scott DiBiaso
- Malabar II, James Lobdell
PHRF Non-Spinnaker Division, the Vineyard Cup Trophy
The boat with the best cumulative, corrected finishing places for Saturday’s and Sunday’s races.
Winner: Après, Stephen Besse
PHRF Non-Spinnaker Class 1
- Tamu, Thomas Wescott
- Penelope, Mo and Pam Flam
- Gloria, Roger Becker
PHRF Non-Spinnaker Class 2
- Après, Stephen Besse
- Ruffian, Bob Cunningham
- Silhouette, Wendell Colson
PHRF Spinnaker Division, the Vineyard Challenge Trophy
For the boat with the best cumulative, corrected finishing places based on corrected times for Saturday’s and Sunday’s races.
Winner: Soma Holiday, Frank Sutula
Catboat Division
Winner: Julia Lee, Charles Bowman
Herreshoff 12.5 Division
Winner: Whirlwind, Phil Hale
PHRF Non-Spinnaker Division, the Donald S. Cohan Trophy — “the Methuselah”
For the boat with the oldest skipper with the best combined corrected finishing places.
Winner: Soma Holiday, Frank Sutula
For complete results, visit sailmv.org.
