An even-numbered year is once more upon us and therefore the yachts and crews of the Newport Bermuda Race will again descend upon the Island from the coast of the State of Rhode Island in a few days time. Started in 1906 and run since then in most such years, the event is the world’s oldest, and some say, classic, offshore yachting race, sometimes known as the “Thrash to the Onion Patch”.On the website for the 2012 thrash, or dash, to 32 degrees North by 64 degrees West, participant Sheila McCurdy gives an overview of this classic yachting extravaganza.‘The Newport Bermuda Race is a 635-mile ocean race, most of it out of sight of land, usually lasting three to six days. It crosses a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean known for challenging weather, especially in the Gulf Stream, where there are strong currents. Every two years in mid-June, over 180 boats start from the historic seaport of Newport, Rhode Island. The fleet has five divisions to allow seaworthy boats of many sizes and types to be raced fairly and aggressively for an array of trophies awarded in Bermuda at an elegant ceremony at Government House, the residence of the governor of this tropical island. In keeping with the 100-year traditions of amateur sailors and strong family spirit, 90 per cent of the boats in 2006 [the centenary] had amateur crews comprised of friends and family members. The race maintains its international prestige through competitive fairness, an exemplary safety record, and a responsive race organisation handled by the volunteer members of the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Sailors everywhere dream of adding the Newport Bermuda Race to their life list of adventures.”The happening, originally called the ‘Bermuda Race’, began in 1906 when a fleet of boats set sail for the island from Brooklyn, New York, where departures took place in 1907, 1909 and 1910. In 1908, the Race started from Marblehead in Massachusetts, following which there was a hiatus over the years of the Great War and its aftermath, when the competition was begun again, from starting from New London, Connecticut in 1923. Starts were also made from the latter town in 1924, 1926, 1928, 1930 and 1934, with the one in 1932 coming from Montauk, New York.Newport, Rhode Island, became the start of the Race in 1936 and thereafter every two years into this year, with the only cancellations being in the Second World War years of 1940, 1942 and 1944.Thus for a century and six years, Bermuda has been at the forefront of offshore racing and the race from Newport has become longest such sporting event in history. For fully a quarter of Bermuda’s own record of settlement of 400 years, also marked in 2012, the Race has been a part of the maritime heritage of the island, yet some might think its value to the tourism economy is severely undervalued.”The Newport Bermuda Race is hosted by the Cruising Club of America (founded 1922) and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (est. 1845). The CCA, along with Mystic Seaport (the largest maritime museum in the USA), published A Berth to Bermuda: 100 years of the world’s classic ocean race on the 2006 centenary of the Race, authored by maritime historian John Rousmaniere. Of course, the RBYC is intimately connected with the beginning of competitive racing of small boats at Bermuda in the middle of the 19th Century and its establishment arose out of an interest in such sport, an interest strongly maintained into present times, when not in the Club bar, or more precariously, the Snooker Room, or such institutions as the “Tuesday Lunch Club”. The Race is said to have inspired other such occurrences, such as the Fastnet Race, as Bermuda influences may well be said to have laid the foundation of most such competitions, through the local invention of the fore-and-aft “Bermuda Rig”.On the 2012 website for this heritage event, John Rousmaniere had noted the existence of the Bermuda Race Roll of Honour which “recognises and honors extraordinary achievement in or concerning the Newport Bermuda Race” and its predecessors, a hall of fame that begins with the founder of the Race and its first winning skipper, on Tamerlane, Thomas Fleming Day. Sir Eldon H Trimingham is next acknowledged for his support of the Race, while following in 1932, Clarence Kozlay, helmsman of the Adriana gave his life to save ten others, an honour also give to Robert Somerset, skipper of the Jolie Brise, who saved the ten sailors from the Adriana. Carleton Mitchell is noted for his most consecutive overall wins on Finisterre (1956-1960) and George Coumantaros in two boats called Boomerang being the elapsed time record holder, with most (4) elapsed time victories and sailed in 26 Bermuda Races! Not surprisingly, the great Olin J. Stephens II designed more of the winning yachts and thus is on the Honour Roll.Rousmaniere has also written of other interest facts, such as the first woman to compete was in the first Race on Gauntlet, the first Old World entry was Jolie Brise from Britain, while the only non-U.S. winner was also from that country, being Noryema in 1972. The youngest winning skipper was Kyle Weaver (22) in 1992, while DeCoursey Fales in 1962 became one of the oldest, a young-at-heart fellow of 74. In the 2006 Centennial Race, a record fleet of 264 vessels crossed the Gulf Stream to Bermuda, part of the total of 4,860 boats with some 51,000 sailors, with over three million miles raced and only two boats and one life lost over the 106 years of the Bermuda Race.In ending this racy article, one would like to tip the hat to the late Marvin Green, who set a new record for best time on the Newport Bermuda Race on Nirvana in 1982, a model of which, along with many trophies of his sailing exploits, is to be found in the exhibit he generously funded at the Commissioner’s House of the National Museum of Bermuda. He and all who have sailed on the world classic Bermuda Race have added immeasurable to the maritime heritage of the island, to say nothing of their contributions to the social and economic life of this place.Edward Cecil Harris, MBE, JP, PHD, FSA is Executive Director of the National Museum at Dockyard. Comments may be made to director@bmm.bm or 704-5480.