An Argo crewman is spotted through the trampoline as the MOD70 starts the Newport Bermuda Race. More photos available on request. Credit: Sean McNeill

NEWPORT, RI (June 18, 2022)—At 1130 hours this morning, Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo was setting a blistering pace in the 52nd Newport Bermuda Race. The foil-assisted trimaran was making 18 knots on a heading due southeast just to the west of the rhumbline. The crew of eight had less than 190 nautical miles to the finish and was sailing in southwesterly winds of 20 knots.

In all likelihood, Argo should finish this evening. With just 187 nautical miles to the finish, the tri would make St. David’s Lighthouse at between 2000 and 2100 hours by averaging 20 knots boatspeed the rest of the way.

Behind Argo, Charlie Enright’s IMOCA 60 Mālama from 11th Hour Racing is next boat on the racecourse, with 352 miles to the finish. And about 100 miles behind Mālama is a string of boats that includes Dawn Riley aboard the maxi yacht OC86, the Mills 68 Prospector, owned by Lawrence Landry, Paul McDowell and Martin Roesch, Fred Detwiler’s and Bruce Aikens’ R/P 74 Wizard, and Christopher Sheehan’s Warrior Won. That group is sailing in northwesterly breezes that are forecast to build throughout the day.

Two more boats joined the retirement list overnight. At approximately 1900 hours last night, Antoine Rabaste’s VPLP 80-foot trimaran Ultim’Emotion2 withdrew. Also retiring were Arthur Santry’s (Arlington, Virginia) Ker 50 Temptation (gooseneck) and Sheila McCurdy’s (Newport, Rhode Island) McCurdy & Rhodes 38 Selkie. Both were safely in Newport this morning.

Two other boats, Frederick Stelle’s J/121 Ace and G.J. Bradish’s Morris 32 Selkie withdrew before the start.