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Vesper wins first-to-finish the 2011 Wirth M. Munroe Memorial Yacht Race

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, December 2, 2011 – Jim Swartz’s IRC-class Vesper won first-tofinish honors in The Sailfish Club of Florida/Cruising Club of America’s 2011 Wirth M. Munroe Memorial Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach Yacht Race, held 2 December 2011, with an elapsed time of 3h 42m 11s over the 50nm course. Carinthia, skippered by owner Frank Kern, won first on corrected time in the PHRF classes. Race conditions were challenging, with 20+ knot ENE winds gusting to 30 knots and sea conditions considered “sporty” as the northbound Gulf Stream built waves to 8’. Several
competitors abandoned racing and arrived at the Lake Worth Inlet under power, although no one reported injuries or damage.

IRC entrants included two IRC 52’s: Austin and Gwen Fragomen’s Interlodge and Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay; two TP 52’s: Hap Fauth’s TeamOrigin 1851/Team Bella Mente and Swartz’s Vesper; Michael D’Amelio’s Ker 55 Denali; as well as Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 52 Privateer, Russell Dunn’s Beneteau 36 Rim Shot, and James Bishop’s J44 White Gold.

Award winners amongst the 26 entrants were:
First to Finish - Vesper (Jim Swartz)
First CCA yacht to finish - White Gold (James D. Bishop)
First Sailfish Club yacht to finish - White Gold (James D. Bishop)
First Sailfish Club yacht, corrected time - Ringle (John Brim/ John Hokanson)

Wirth M. Munroe - IRC Course (IRC - 8 Boats)
1. Vesper, TP 52, Jim Swartz , Park City, UT, USA -- 1 / 1
2. PowerPlay, IRC 52, Peter Cunningham , George Town, Grand Cayman, CAY -- 2 / 2
3. Privateer, Cookson 50, Ron O'Hanley , Newport, RI, USA -- 3 / 3
4. Interlodge, IRC 52, Austin and Gwen Fragomen , Newport, RI, USA -- 4 / 4
5. Denali, KER 55, Michael D'Amelio , Longshot, MS, USA -- 5 / 5
6. White Gold, J 44, James D. Bishop , Jamestown, RI, USA -- 6 / 6
7. Rim Shot, Beneteau First 36.7, Russell Dunn , Hollywood, FL, USA -- 7 / 7
8. TeamOrigin 1851 / Team Bella Mente, TP 52, Hap Fauth , Minneapolis, MN, USA -- DNS

PHRF- Multihull (PHRF - 2 Boats)
1. 56 THIRD TRI, Corsair Sprint 750, Lawrence Geller , Lighthouse Point, FL, USA -- 1 / 1
2. USA 64 Flight Simulator, Corsair 28R, Tom Reese , Youngstown, NY, USA -- DNS

PHRF A (PHRF - 7 Boats)
1. USA 25497 Carinthia, J 120, Frank Kern , Grosse Pointe Park, MI, USA -- 1 / 1
2. USA 42725 Bandana, Oyster 48, David Wallace , Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA -- 2 / 2
3. USA 50803 Loki, J 105, David Bond , Miami, FL, USA -- 3 / 4

PHRF B (PHRF - 9 Boats)
1. USA 40344 Santarella, Doug Peterson, James P. Scalise , Indian Harbor Beach, FL, USA -- 1 / 3
2. USA 53944 Ragtime, Tartan 3500, Robert Gebbia , North Palm Beach, FL, USA -- 2 / 6
3. H 42 Sempre Amantes, Hunter Passage 42, Colin Whittaker , Margate, FL, USA -- 3 / 7

About the Wirth M. Munroe Memorial Yacht Race
The Wirth M. Munroe Memorial Yacht Race has been held each of the last 55 years on the first Friday in December, co-sponsored by The Sailfish Club of Florida and the Cruising Club of America. First raced in 1957, the invitational competition was organized by Richard Bertram to remember Miami-based yacht designer Wirth M. Munroe, whose renowned craft included Comanche, the Columbia 33, and the 30’ Sea Sailer class. Originally contested from Miami north to Palm Beach as a warmup to the SORC, the course has now been shortened to start from Fort Lauderdale. Over the years winners of the race have included Ted Turner, Llywd Ecclestone Jr., Bevin Koeppel, Joe Dockery, and Al Van Metre.

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