A record 59 boats entered the Beringer Bowl Overnight Ocean Race in racing, cruising, double-handed and OCS divisions. They met challenging conditions which provided fodder for the many racing stories for more than 200 attendees at the post race party. Starting conditions ranged from a limping breeze of 5 knots to a ~30 knots squall, and several racing classes had the challenge of a down-wind start in ~18 knots. On the race-course the crew could admire the full moon yet experience rain showers between tacks; wind shifts kept the tacticians busy, and an ever-changing lighting show brightened the sky throughout most of the night. Beringer Bowl winner Tom Linkas on Indra laughs when he recalls 11+ knots of boat speed while John Hosking on Ares reported 60 knots at the masthead which helped propel him to an overall winner in the cruising class. Many limped along during portions of the race and some such as Bruce Baker on Blixten and Commodore John Doane on Stressed Out opted for diesels and DNF to get into Provincetown around sunrise. First-time Beringer racers Dewitt Brown on Lumen Solares kept smiling at the experience while Elizabeth Lamb on Averisera raced double-handed and has already started planning for next year’s Beringer. Let’s not forget the hardy finish line crew on station for 12 hours on the Elizabeth M: Geoff Smith, PC Mike Mentuck, Bill & Judy Cuzner. Ever changing conditions, tactics, racing skills, camaraderie, and exchanging sailing stories at a great party are all part of the Beringer Bowl experience. Come and enjoy with us next year!

Anne L Coulombe, Primary Race Officer - Beringer Bowl 2008