The Royal Yacht Squadron, New York Yacht Club, Royal Ocean Racing Club and Storm Trysail Club have announced the winners of the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series for 2011. George David’s Rambler 100 took overall honors winning the New York Yacht Club Commodore Gerry Cup with a fleet first in the RORC Caribbean 600 and fleet seconds in the Annapolis to Newport Race and the Transatlantic Race 2011 itself. Rambler 100 set course records in the Caribbean 600 and the TR 2011 and averaged a remarkable 16.83 knots in her Atlantic crossing. This average speed is the highest ever for a monohull in an established ocean race, eclipsing Alfa Romeo’s 16.46 knots in the 2009 Transpac Race.
Second in the AORS and the winner of the New York Yacht Club Comet Trophy was Clark Murphy’s Leopard with a fleet second in the Rolex Fastnet and fleet thirds in the Annapolis to Newport Race and the TR 2011. Third and the winner of the New York Yacht Club Aloha Cup was Chris Bull’s Jazz with a fleet fourth in the Rolex Caribbean 600 and fleet fifths in the Annapolis to Newport Race and the TR 2011.
These AORS awards wrapped up a remarkable year for Atlantic Ocean racing. For the Transatlantic Race 2011 itself, Ken Read’s PUMA Mar Mostro won overall and was the recipient of the RYS Queen’s Cup, Rambler 100 was second and Leopard third. Twenty-six yachts in six classes started and finished the TR 2011, and 11 yachts qualified for the AORS.
Looking ahead to 2015, George David and Steve Frank, co-chairs of the TR 2011, said, “There have been early discussions among the four Organizing Clubs for a TR 2015 to coincide with the Royal Yacht Squadron’s bicentennial celebrations in that year. The group anticipates a companion AORS as well. Atlantic Ocean racing in 2011 has been at a high level with substantial fleets, and there’s lots of enthusiasm to continue into 2015.”
Sponsors of the TR 2011 were Rolex, Thomson Reuters, Newport Shipyard, Perini Navi and Peters & May with additional support from Sperry Top-Sider and Atlantis WeatherGear.