Clouds No Concern for Inaugural Candy Store Cup: Gallery

Mother Nature decided to drop half an inch of rain on day one of the former Newport Bucket. But skies cleared and conditions improved in Rhode Island to encourage a dozen competitors to enjoy the renamed Candy Store Cup.

Held July 29 to 31, the Candy Store Cup combines the superyacht spirit of the Bucket with the fun of a regatta dating back decades called the Candy Store Cup. “Initially, the Candy Store Cup was a quick race around Newport Harbor with 12 Metres and any other boats that wanted to join in,” explains Charlie Dana, the owner of Newport Shipyard, which co-hosted the event with Bannister’s Wharf. Meanwhile, he adds, “the Bucket was more of a party for the biggest sailing yachts that had no races to enter.”

Several of the Candy Store Cup yachts this past weekend have seen a number of races. They included Adix, Meteor, Ranger, and Wild Horses. The crews across the board kept things competitive, too, in mostly light air. The top three in the smaller class of yachts finished within three minutes of each other on corrected time on day two, for example. On day three, the top five in that same class finished within seven minutes of each other on corrected time.

Crews praised the Candy Store Cup race committee for using a three-minute staggered start versus typical pursuit start for superyacht racing. It was due to winds and the diversity of the yachts. It let each class start under the same conditions. Tom Whidden, captain and tactician for Bequia, calls it “perfect,” letting “owners and their crews that wouldn’t race otherwise—because of the nature of their boats—to have a regatta experience.”

Bequia certainly had quite the experience. She was the overall Candy Store Cup winner, with the lowest total points. She took her class, too, while Adix took the bigger-boat class.

Land-lubbers enjoyed an equally exciting experience. The Candy Store Cup coincided with the annual Newport Jazz Festival. Visitors taking in the music at Fort Adams State Park got up-close looks at the stunning superyachts.

Take your own look at some of the weekend’s action.