Esprit de Corps IV, skippered by Gilles Barbot finished the Antigua Bermuda Race after seven days at sea. For the last day and a half of the race, the French Canadian Volvo 60 had six extra passengers, Les Crane and the crew of Monterey who had to abandon their sinking Farr 56 in the early hours of Wednesday, May 17, 200 miles from the finish in Bermuda.
After safely arriving in Bermuda, Monterey's skipper and Antigua Bermuda Race Chairman, Les Crane was full of emotion about the incident and described the rescue in detail. Esprit De Corp IV effected the rescue, but two other yachts also diverted to assist, Spirit of Bermuda skippered by Michael Moreland and Challenger, skippered by Chris Stanmore-Major. The rescue was also aided by RCC Bermuda Radio who relayed communications.
Meanwhile, the Ballyhoo schooner, Spirit of Bermuda finished the Antigua Bermuda Race around midday local time.
The Spirit of Bermuda is the flagship of the Antigua to Bermuda Race and there is more than meets the eye to the 112ft three-masted schooner. Spirit of Bermuda is owned by the Bermuda Sloop Foundation, the brain child of founder Malcolm Kirkland, with co-founders Jay Kempe and Alan Burland. Since her launch in 2006, 4,000 Bermudian teenagers have sailed on her free of charge and the vast majority from State Schools. Spirit of Bermuda will proudly serve VIP guests, watching the 35th America's Cup.
Crew on Spirit of Bermuda: Jeff Bennett, Blair Blakeney, Lindsey Cubbon, Dkembe Dill, James Doughty, Dylan Ferry, Jennifer Gibbons, David Goulbourne, Sandra Harries, Whitney Kirkland, Russell Medway, Myriam Mnasri, Mike Moreland, Patrick Perrett, Harriet Richold, Lamar Samuels, Edward Stovell, Charles Swan and Esmerelda Zanders.
