Championship of luxury blue water yachts
Newport, RI, a city steeped in yachting tradition, with a legacy that includes hosting the America's Cup for over a century, was once again the backdrop for an exciting maritime spectacle.
On August 17th, 2024, the second edition of the Moody World Cup, hosted by Berthon USA at the Conanicut Yacht Club in Jamestown, brought together an impressive fleet and crews from around the globe.
This year's regatta drew participants from as far away as Switzerland and Germany, with crews traveling from Australia, Norway, and the UK, ensuring the event lived up to its grand name. The festivities began with an informal welcome reception at Jamestown’s BEECH restaurant, where race instructions and welcome bags were distributed to all competitors, setting the stage for the challenges ahead.
Race Day: Light Winds, Heavy Competition
Saturday dawned with the promise of light winds, posing a significant challenge to the race committee, led by Alan Baines, Jeanie, and Peter Houghton. They even considered a motorboat race with seagoing 'monopoly' as a contingency plan, featuring quirky instructions like “hit mark – do a 360” or “caught in a lobsterpot – idle for 1 minute.” However, the weather gods showed mercy as a gentle southeast breeze of 7-9 knots swept across the bay, just enough to let these sailing marvels strut their stuff.
The course was set south of Rose Island, across the bay to Clingstone, and back to the start, with the fleet expected to complete two laps. As the yachts maneuvered for position at the start line, the excitement was palpable. The tide was slack, and the fleet diverged, with some tacking towards Rose Island and others opting for a central bay course.
In a thrilling first lap, the Moody 45DS yachts demonstrated their prowess, particularly on the upwind leg, splitting the four larger Moody 54DSs as they rounded the windward mark. The Swiss entry, M54 Nautilia, skippered by Hans and Izabella Haueter, led the pack with a remarkable display of skill, despite towing a dinghy on the davits.
As the yachts unfurled their genoas on the reaching and downwind legs, the 54DSs began to close the gap. After completing one lap, the race committee decided to run two shorter races instead, each covering one three-mile lap, to ensure a full series could be completed.
The second race saw a course reversal, with yachts heading upwind to Clingstone, then reaching across to Rose Island before a downwind dash to the finish. Nautilia once again led the fleet, but it was the 45DSs, Liberty (Ryan and Jennifer Yost) and Cecilia (Jim and Karen Coyne), that corrected to first and second place on handicap, showcasing the versatility and competitive spirit of the smaller yachts.
Celebrations and Prizes
After an exhilarating day on the water, participants returned to the Conanicut Yacht Club for cocktails, a buffet dinner, and the much-anticipated prizegiving ceremony. In the spirit of camaraderie that defines one-design regattas, every competitor walked away with a prize, from a Torx screwdriver bit to Newport Sea Salt, and even a roll of electrical tape.
Hans and Izabella Haueter, aboard Nautilia, were crowned the overall winners of the 2024 Moody World Cup, earning a well-deserved trophy and a bar of Lindt chocolate to sweeten their victory.
For those inspired by this thrilling event and eager to explore the Moody yachts range, you can discover more about the current offerings here. For a recap of Moody World Cup 2023, be sure to check out the full story here.
As the sun set over Newport, the participants toasted to a memorable regatta and vowed to return next year for another round of high-spirited competition and shared passion for sailing.
See you all in 2025!