Newport, Rhode Island has a long history of sailing, and sailing events. Its waters host the next big sailing superyacht event from July 27 to 29, the annual Candy Store Cup.
The regatta was previously known as the Newport Bucket. The Bucket Regatta organizers sold it in 2015, though, for Newport-based ownership. Co-hosts Newport Shipyard and Bannister’s Wharf renamed it the Candy Store Cup, honoring a local race dating back to 1977. The race now combines the camaraderie of the Bucket with the racing spirit of the original Candy Store Cup.
With support from Perini Navi, Royal Huisman, Rybovich, and Vitters, the Candy Store Cup has 11 competitors confirmed as of this writing. They include the famed J-Class Ranger, global regatta racer Wild Horses, and fellow superyacht regatta racer Meteor. In fact, at 170 feet (52 meters), Meteor is among the biggest competitors this year. She also raced last year. “The 2016 Candy Store Cup knocked the ball out of the park,” says Dan Meyers, the yacht’s co-owner. “It was the perfect mixture of everything,” he continues. “Great venue, professional race management, and the social side was fun in all capitals.”
As big as Meteor is, though, the largest of them all is Zenji, at 184 feet (56 meters). Furthermore, the “smallest” is a tie. Both Freya and Audrey II each measure nearly 89 feet (27 meters).
Size isn’t the distinguishing factor for the race, however. The Candy Store Cup follows a pursuit-style format. This means there’s a staggered start. It also means that overall, the rules ensure the sailing superyachts stay safe distances from one another.
One race occurs each of the three days. The start line is just off of Newport’s famed Castle Hill (seen in the photo at top). Shoreside spectators have a few places to catch the action. These include along Narragansett Bay’s East Passage, located south of the Pell Bridge.
Can’t make it to Newport? No problem. Follow the Candy Store Cup racing through TracTrac.
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