and the Bermuda rig, known the world over, originated in these islands hundreds of years ago.

In his book Bermudiana , R.J. Williams quotes from a manuscript in the Pepysian library at Cambridge University, England: "The Bermoodes saile is much the same with the shoulder of Mutton saile, but hath no boom at all and riseth with a higher peek being a perfect triangle .. .

"And there is a later reference in Governor Lefroy's famous Memorials of the Bermudas, 1671 : "... The Island boats we see deeply loaded with Tobacco, which they bring unto the side, from whence we take it in.

To give description of these same Boats With tripple corner'd Sayls they always float About the islands, in the world there are None in all points with them compare ...'' In his authoritative work Sailing in Bermuda -- Sail Racing in the 19th Century , Jack Arnell points out that different authorities have associated a Mr. Harvey of Somerset with the introduction of the Bermuda rig into competitive sailing in 1808.

"Two very interesting races were sailed in the Great Sound on Wednesday last, for purses made up by Gentlemen from different parts of these Islands ...

... Hundreds of boats were seen to be scattered over the Sound, being filled with spectators and sailing in all directions; whilst the green hills, far and near, were crowned with parties of Ladies and Gentlemen, attracted by curiosity to enjoy the sight of this indigenous pastime;'' Royal Gazette, May 23. 1818 The above Royal Gazette article describes the enormous spectator enthusiasm generated by yacht racing in Bermuda at that time, an enthusiasm which we still see today, especially when the "fitted dinghies" race as a fleet or for the prized Jubilee Cup, a match racing trophy that dates from 1887.

Yes, sailing is as much a part of the fabric of our existence as television and computers. The integration of sailing into our very way of life spawned a talent for and an inclination towards international competition, and Bermuda's role as an international sailing venue was a natural and inevitable evolution.

But if one were to look, in the tapestry of our rich and varied history, for a symbol of our international yachting tradition, there is one image that stands out above all the rest: in a glass showcase at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club sits a very large, ornate gold trophy known as the "Gold Cup''.

It was given in 1907 by His Majesty King Edward VII to the Tri-Centenary Regatta at Jamestown, Virginia in commemoration of the three hundredth anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in America.

In a letter of May 12, 1937 to the Commodore of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, he expressed that it was only proper that he return "... a British Royal trophy to the custody of your Club with its long record of clean sportsmanship and keenly contested races between your Bermuda yachts and ours of Long Island Sound and elsewhere ...

In accordance with the suggestions of Sherman Hoyt, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club offered up the Gold Cup as a match racing trophy for competition between a yacht representing the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and one representing the East Coast of the United States.

The first competition was sailed the year the gift was made, 1937. The winner was the celebrated Briggs Cunningham who, among other things, was the first man to win the America's Cup in a 12-Metre.

Bermuda's maritim heritage From Page 16 Given by His Majesty in 1907 and enjoying continuous competition since 1937, the King Edward VII Gold Cup is the oldest match racing trophy in the world still active in competition involving one-design yachts.

In 1985 the Gold Cup adopted a slightly different format in a continuing effort to foster international competition of the highest calibre. The creation of an international match racing tournament along the lines of the Congressional Cup brought to our island such world class helmsmen as Harold Cudmore, Terry McLaughlin, Marc Bouet, Flavio Scala and Peter Isler representing five America's Cup syndicates: from Great Britain (Royal Thames), Canada (True North), France (Marc Pajot Challenge), Italy (Yacht Club Italiano/Gucci syndicate) and the United States (Courageous syndicate).

These contestants faced each other in a round robin series from which the top four went through to a semi-final and final. In the crescendo leading up to the 1988 America's Cup in Perth, Australia, the tournament witnessed some of the first crossing of swords between rival 12 Metre syndicates in the one-on-one jousting that is the America's Cup! The tournament for 1986 evolved further and was known as the Bacardi Rum International Match Racing Series for the King Edward VII Trophy. The event is now firmly established as part of the international yachting calendar.

In 1985, Bermuda waters served as a training ground for two 12 Metres of the Courageous syndicate, thanks in large measure to the Hamilton Princess Hotel which housed the crews and the administrative team. The beautiful Princess again was the venue for the 1985 meeting of the 17 challenging 12 Metre syndicates to debate the ground-rules for the 1987 America's Cup Challenger Series.

Bermuda's prominence as an international sailing venue is well known and the level of expertise in race management, particularly within the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, has risen to a very high level.

The Finn Gold Cup was held here in 1969, the Laser World Championship in 1974, the 505 World Championship in 1975, the International One Design World Championship in 1981, the Heineken Windglider World Cup in 1983 and the Tornado North American Championship in 1983. In 1976 Bermuda hosted the Tall Ships on their way to New York for the Bicentennial Celebrations, and again in 1984 on their way to Quebec City. Then there is International Race Week which has been running since 1950, and of course our island is the finishing point for such classics as the Newport-Bermuda Race and the Marion-Bermuda Race.

1986 was a particularly memorable year with six major international yachting events: the Tornado World Championships; International Race Week; the Newport-Bermuda Race. the final leg of the Tallships race to New York for the centenary celebrations of the Statue of Liberty; the Bacardi Rum Match Racing Series for the King Edward VII Trophy; and the arrival of Dodge Morgan in American Promise to break the record for a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the world! Since the 1986 extravaganza, Bermuda has continued to host numerous world class events including the 1995 Youth Worlds and 1994 Sunfish Worlds (won by Bermudian Malcolm Smith) in addition to the "regulars''.

The island has indeed made its place in the world as an international sailing mecca! Alan Burland (above) and partner Chris Nash have been two of the Island's most successful tornado sailors, representing Bermuda at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Over the years Bermuda has hosted numerous world sailing championships, including the Tornado Worlds back in 1986.

SAME STORY APPEARED IN MID-OCEAN NEWS TV GUIDE 7.11.1997 SAILING SLG