Bermuda’s Brian Hillier has retired from the 53rd Newport Bermuda Race.

The experienced St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club sailor was forced to abandon the 635-mile race from Narragansett Bay after suffering damage to the steering on his J-125, Crossfire.

Hillier and crew Ruairi Brown, Michael Wollmann, Peter Dill, Chris Adderley, William Thompson and Jason Owen are reported to be fine and are now making their way to the island with their boat’s engine switched on.

The 69-year-old Hillier was making what could potentially be the last appearance in the race he has competed in since 1990 and he was one of two local helmsman competing in the St David’s Lighthouse Division along with Stephen Sherwin.

Sherwin, who is joined on his Corby 41, Nasty Medicine, by crew Alex Adelsberg, Meghan Shewin, Ian Feathers, Jeremy Asson, Paul Reilly, Tiarnan Brown and Gary Ince, were last tracked fourth in the overall St David’s Lighthouse Division and 33rd in line honours among monohull yachts 71.3 miles from the finish.

Meanwhile, Roy Disney and the crew of Pyewacket 70 popped the champagne after clinching line honours on Monday.

Disney’s Volvo 70 Mod was the first boat to complete the race in 59hr 17min 35sec, crossing the finish off St David’s at 1.37am on Monday morning.

Claiming line honours in the multihull division was Allegra in 61hr 31min 30sec after crossing the finish line at 3.41am.

Pyewacket 70 and Allegra were among several boats to have completed the biennial race on Monday.