A total of 27 boats took part in the 27th annual Corinthian Classic this past weekend, competing in a pursuit race format across five classes ranging from vintage and classics to spirit of tradition and modern classics.
The event featured a winning boat from France — the gaff cutter Viola, owned by Kostia Belkin, in the vintage class — as well as a first-place finish in the modern classic division by Jud and Cindy Smith aboard the Farr 44 Africa B Squad.
The Corinthian Classic has long been known for its strong mix of vintage, classic, modern classic and one-design fleets, particularly the International One Design. In recent years, the spirit of tradition and modern classic yachts have helped round out what has become a marquee event in town.
In the modern classic division, the fleet included Marblehead sailors Ted Moore and Amy Drinker, who remained in second place behind Jud Smith for much of the weekend but crossed the finish line first Sunday aboard Intrepid. For Moore, primarily a 12-meter and team racing sailor, the Corinthian Classic is one of his favorite events. Smith, who finished second said the pursuit race format is increasingly becoming the way to go for weekend competitions.
“This type of racing is what people enjoy,” Smith said. “The Pursuit Race offers great competition, but it is normally just one race over the course of an afternoon giving people a few hours of racing. I personally really enjoy Pursuit racing, and I think it is what people want.”
In a pursuit race, starts are staggered according to handicap, with the goal of bringing the boats to the finish at roughly the same time. That format made for spectacular finishes this weekend for spectators watching from Chandler Hovey Park.
On both days, the fleet finished close together, bringing everything from a 12-meter and a Farr 44 to a 1908 Fife-designed yacht toward the line at nearly the same time — under spinnaker Saturday and upwind Sunday.
“Intrepid has been here three times and we always enjoy coming up for the Corinthian Classic,” said Moore, who hosted about 12 crew members at his home this weekend. “My son, Trevor, became a part of the crew this year and we are hosting 12 sailors at our house, so we are really enjoying this.”
Moore and Drinker not only shared hosting duties at their homes but also raced aboard Intrepid, with Drinker in the pit position and Moore in the afterguard. Although Intrepid is an exceptionally large boat, they agreed with others that the Classic Rating Formula, or CRF, does a respectable job of equalizing competition among traditional, full-keeled and historic vessels of varying sizes and designs.
On Saturday, Intrepid lost time at an upwind mark after experiencing a 90-degree wind shift. Instead of raising the spinnaker, the crew made a quick decision to hold its course and sail upwind until it could adjust to the dramatic shift.
Regatta director Tim Dittrich had the opportunity to sail aboard Viola with the French team. Representing the Yacht Club de Monaco, Viola is a 1908 Fife design built in Scotland and primarily raced in the Mediterranean.
“This is Viola’s first season in the USA, and the team came particularly to honor our 250th birthday,” Dittrich said. “It is magical being out there on Viola and I feel like the spinnaker run to the finish is just spectacular.”
The Viola team also had the opportunity to meet Marblehead’s Rich Wilson, a two-time competitor and finisher in the famed Vendée Globe, a race well known throughout France. Wilson, who speaks fluent French, was able to personally thank the team for coming to Marblehead.
Thomas King, owner of the Hinckley 48 Valkyrie from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has competed in the Corinthian Classic for more than 20 years. Valkyrie also races in the modern classic division. Although the team did not finish as well as it had hoped, King said the event stands out for one reason.
“I have done all the major classic regatta events in Maine from the Camden Classic to the Eggemoggin Reach event. But this is our favorite. We love this venue and the hospitality is amazing. This yacht club and the people that make it so great are why we feel it is the absolute best of all the classic yacht events,” King said.
The event remains a town favorite among sailors, in part because it offers participants an opportunity to honor the traditions of yachting while recognizing Marblehead’s legacy of yacht building and sailmaking. That legacy includes renowned boatbuilders Bruce Dyson and Quin Vaillancourt and yacht designer Jim Taylor, as well as companies such as event sponsor Doyle Sailmakers, which continues to build and design sails while training new generations of sailmakers.
Final Results of the Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta.
Vintage – VIOLA. first place,Kostia Belkin
Classic – Rozi, first place, Quin Vaillancourt
Modern Classic
1. Intrepid, 12-metre, Ted Moore, Jack Curtin
2. Africa B Squad, Farr 44, Jud Smith
3. Goldeneye, Jeanneau 37, Peter Engel
Spirit of Tradition
1. Mistoffolees, Alerion 33, Jennifer Aspinall
2. Glide, Alerion 28, Stuart Tubbs
3. Triology, Swan 53, Alan McKinnon
International One Design
1. Viking, Greg Mancusi-Ungaro
2. Javelin, Bill Widnall
3. Elektra, Carolyn Corbet
