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Big Bear pulls out as Island's race hopes are blown away

And then there were none.That was the sobering reality for Bermuda's hopes of salvaging pride in this year's Marion to Bermuda Race after Big Bear, the last local entry in the fleet, retired within touching distance of completing the 645-nautical mile ocean crossing.Skipper Jonathan Brewin contacted Harbour Radio at 12.38 p.m. yesterday afternoon to declare he had retired from the race due to technical difficulties and was making his way to Bermuda under mechanical power.

And then there were none.

That was the sobering reality for Bermuda's hopes of salvaging pride in this year's Marion to Bermuda Race after Big Bear, the last local entry in the fleet, retired within touching distance of completing the 645-nautical mile ocean crossing.

Skipper Jonathan Brewin contacted Harbour Radio at 12.38 p.m. yesterday afternoon to declare he had retired from the race due to technical difficulties and was making his way to Bermuda under mechanical power.

The Class A J160 had hardened up for the final beat towards the St.David's Lighthouse finish line when unforgiving –20-25mph headwinds blew the clew out of the number three jib and ripped the top of the mainsail which put paid to any hopes of a local entry taking line honours this year.

Indeed it was a cruel twist of fate for Brewin and crew (Somers Kempe, Kieron O'Connell, Peter Shrubb, Buddy Rego, Allan Williams, Mike Carey, and Mark Henneberger) whose let down evoked memories of the 1993 Marion to Bermuda Race when Restless blew a clew near the finish to hand eventual winner Ron Noonan's Wildflower the spoils on a plattar.

Big Bear's fall from grace also epitomised the misfortune that has dogged the local fleet in this year's race and follows close on the keel of Bermuda Oyster and Pond Prowler.

Paul Hubbard's Bermuda Oyster, that won the Cruising Division during last year's Newport to Bermuda Race, failed to make it to the Buzzard's Bay, Marion start line after experiencing mechanical problems while Jonathan Baxter's Pond Prowler opted for "safety first" and fired up her motor to avoid a lull early in the race.

Pond Prowler is the current Corporation of Hamilton Trophy holder while Hubbard's Oyster 435 had been in contention for the SAIL Bermuda Ocean Cruising Yacht Trophy, awarded to the boat with the best combined performances in consecutive Marion and Newport to Bermuda Races.

Big Bear was due to dock at Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (RHADC) late last night.

Meanwhile, also retiring from the race yesterday was James Barnes' LH60, Lynley III, that has returned to port in Marion.

More than anything else, this year's Marion to Bermuda Race has proven to be an exercise in "survival of the fittest" with as many as 14 boats bowing out of the race, four of which did not even make it to the final starting sequence in Buzzard's Bay last Friday.

Of the 52 entries that signed up for the biennial race, inaugurated in 1977, 44 did actually start.

At press time last night Class B entry and previous race leader, Crescendo, led her respective division and the overall fleet and was located 44.7 miles north west of the Island with the wind pounding right on her nose.

Crescendo, skippered by Martin Jacobson, was expected to cross the finish line in the early hours of this morning.

Leading Class A was Andrzej Brzezinski's IY60, Pegasus, while Daniel Biemesderfer's Mason 43, Shearwater, led the Class D fleet.