All sailors with a boat 22 feet and up were invited to race in the 2010 Vineyard Cup in Vineyard Haven, MA, July 16-18, but it was the locals who made it happen. The Holmes Hole Sailing Association (HHSA) which races in Vineyard Haven harbor and local cruisers, such as Gannon & Benjamin's Juno which won the gaff rig class, contributed nearly half of the 69 boats which raced for prizes in a variety of classes.
Visiting skippers and crews made their mark as well in the event which was held in Vineyard Sound. According to the posted results for corrected time, veteran racer Bob Lurie of Lexington skippered Mischief, an Alerion 26, to a first place finish in Class 1 in each of the three races, to win overall honors for the regatta.
Second overall was Serenity, a C&C 29 skippered by Benjamin Block of Barrington, R. I. Third was Latonka, a sleek, wooden one-design sailed by Geoff Gibson of Vineyard Haven.
In Class 2, Holmes Holer Stephen Besse, in his J/120 Apres, captured top honors. Jim Lengle of Portsmouth, R. I., with Top Cat, an Alerion Express 38 yawl was second. Tom Tetrault of Georgetown was second with Facet, a Bristol 355.
First place overall in Class 3 went to David Nesbitt, who skippered Epic, a Hinterholler 25, and made his trek from Melbourne, Florida, with his crew worth the effort.
The event is Sail Martha's Vineyard's big annual fund raiser for programs dedicated to teaching island youth how to sail and to inform them of their maritime heritage. Organizers were rewarded with competitive races held under warm, sunny skies, while consistent breezes powered the racers throughout most of the weekend. After each day's races, skippers and crew gathered under a big white tent at the public dock at Owen Park to eat, party to live music and recount the day's action.
For photos of the 2010 Vineyard Cup, visit photographer Louisa Gould's website which features more than 700 photos of the event.
