The candy STore cup a newporT Sailing TradiTion reinvenTed

Meteor Bequia Ranger

Superyacht sailing regattas have been proliferating around the globe, and now there is a new one. The inaugural Candy Store Cup, which took place in Newport, Rhode Island, last summer, is the newest addition to the annual calendar of events intended for supersailing yachts. The regatta is an evolution of the former Newport Bucket, which itself was an evolution of the Nantucket Bucket. The Candy Store Cup was conceived and co-hosted by two power players of the Newport waterfront scene, Charlie Dana and David Ray. The Dana family and other partners own and manage Newport Shipyard, and David Ray owns Bannister’s Wharf and the Clarke Cooke House, which is also affectionately called The Candy Store. Back in 1977, Ray hosted the first Candy Store Cup, but the event did not last. “For our new regatta,” says Ray, “we kept the flavor of the early Buckets. We had a dinner at the Cooke House for owners and their guests, and everyone had time to mingle and chat with each other in an intimate setting. It’s all about the camaraderie of sailing.” The awards gala dinner was held on Ocean Drive under a big tent at Dan Meyers’ house—Meyers has 169-foot (59.5-meter) and is a regular on the large-sailboat regatta circuit. It was a stellar evening in an extraordinary setting.

Twelve yachts competed in the event in two classes. Classic schooners and the J-Class raced alongside the new generation of large modern sailing yachts. The 213-foot (65-meter) schooner Adix won Class A. The 92-foot (28-meter) Brooklin Boatyard-built yawl won Class B and was the overall winner.