Newport Bermuda Race kicks off at new location

NEWPORT, R.I. (WLNE) — For this first time in its 118-year history, the Newport Bermuda race set sail from Fort Adams in Newport.

The race kicks off at 2 p.m. Friday.

One of the oldest ocean races in the world, the organizers tried something new for its 53rd race.

This event shows off a new location, new racers, and a new chance to make history.

“You know we realized that that never really involved the community of Newport. And so, by moving the starting line in here, now we’re more of a Newport to Bermuda race. Where we’ve always been very welcomed in Bermuda, but we’ve never really embraced out community, so we really wanted to do that,” says Kate Somers, the spokesperson for the Newport to Bermuda race.

The race is a 636 nautical mile long race from Newport, through the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream, down to Hamilton, Bermuda.

“I think you find out really quickly who your friends are, and you figure out very quickly who knows how to sail and who needs a little bit more work. So, this is actually a much better sail than it would be for just racing an easy race, a downwind race because you find out who is really there and who’s going to be the best possible sailors out there,” says Cole Brauer, one of the commentators and a former racer.

Doors opened at Fort Adams around noon, bringing hundreds of people in for music, swag, and a chance to take in the sights.

“I had heard of it, but I had no idea we were creeping up on it, so this is pretty exciting!” says Renee Minton who was visiting from Mississippi.

“You were five months old in Bermuda in 2014 when we won that one,” says Rob Emery, a 6th time racer talking to his daughter Tory.

“Outside of Pittsburgh we were lake racers, so being offshore has been incredible for Zack,” says Lori Doerr, whose son is racing for the second time.

The race normally runs from Friday to Sunday.

But the record time, set in 2022, had the first ever Saturday night finish, something officials say will be hard to do again.

“I think once you get past the stream you’re going to get into a little bit of an upwind battle getting to the finish. So, because it’s an upwind battle, I really don’t think we’re going to be seeing what we would like to be seeing, and there might even be a little bit of a tough conditions out there for the sailors,” says Brauer.

There are dozens of awards to win, but the overall time winner gets the David’s Lighthouse Trophy.