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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Slow record is still safe

While the 1998 is the slowest since 1978, it isn't the slowest on record -- as McIlhenny can tell you. The 78-year-old veteran of five Bermuda classics remembers the slowest all too well: He was navigator on Venturer ,

McIlhenny.

While the 1998 is the slowest since 1978, it isn't the slowest on record -- as McIlhenny can tell you. The 78-year-old veteran of five Bermuda classics remembers the slowest all too well: He was navigator on Venturer , which took line honours in 1960 with an agonising time of 121 hours, 13 minutes and 12 seconds.

That's the longest since the race moved to Newport in 1936 and, says McIlhenny, "As long as they keep these maxis in the race, I think our time is safe.'' And while crews in the latest 635-mile race may be running short of food, there was no chance of that happening on Venturer . "She had a fully fitted interior with a stateroom and even carpets,'' McIlhenny recalled. "We did very well for food in those days. Our cook was Ned Madeira and he presented us with a printed menu for the first dinner.'' But unlike the 1998 event, that race did have a sting in its tail. "In those days, there were no satellites to tell us about the weather or the Gulf Stream,'' he said. "And after about four days of calm, we were suddenly hit by a nasty lowe pressure system that swept in over Bermuda. For that last 18 hours, we had winds of up to 50 knots. We were not even in the leading group but followed the classic storm avoidance tactic in the Northern hemisphere by sailing on starboard tack to get away from the low.'' Alexia 's winning time this year of 90 hours, 56 minutes and 16 seconds is only the 12th slowest since the race moved to Newport.

You have to go back to 1946 to find the second slowest race: 119:50:30 by Baruna .

ALAN McILHENNY