Organisers for the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club’s Bermuda Gold Cup match racing regatta have postponed the celebratory 70th running of the event due to the outbreak of Covid-19 and travel restrictions imposed around the world.

As a result the Bermuda Gold Cup has been rescheduled from May to October with dates to be confirmed.

“This decision is based on the uncertainty and state of world travel and is made in the interest of the health and safety of the competitors, event organisers and the island of Bermuda,” said event chairperson Leatrice Oatley, a former Commodore of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. “We look forward to hosting the 70th anniversary event in October.

“The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club wishes to apologise to all who may be affected by this decision.”

Meanwhile, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has also been postponed until next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This decision has been in no way taken lightly,” said the Clipper Race Organising Committee.

“Our crew are currently under quarantine in Subic Bay, Philippines, where the Clipper Race fleet has been berthed since Sunday, March 15.

“The fleet was due to race across the North Pacific Ocean towards Seattle. However, with the city currently in a state of emergency and travel and medical insurance restrictions in the United States, we could not allow our teams to depart without a viable destination.”

Legs six, seven and eight outstanding in the epic 40,000-nautical-mile sailing race will be postponed for approximately ten months, when the remaining circumnavigation will be completed, the committee said.

The timing of the postponement allows the fleet of 11 Clipper 70 ocean-racing yachts to avoid adverse weather patterns on the remainder of its global route.

Bermuda is a Team Partner and Host Port for the race, which would have seen the fleet visit the island in July en route from New York to the finish in Britain.

Hamilton is one of 15 host ports, along with Portimão, Portugal; Cape Town, South Africa; Fremantle, Australia; and Qingdao, China.

“We support this decision, made for the health and safety of all involved amid the current coronavirus crisis,” Victoria Isley, BTA chief sales & marketing officer, said. “We will now work with Clipper Race and local partners to shift our activation plans so we can bring this exciting event to Bermuda in 2021.”