Following up on the recent announcement by Katura Horton-Perinchief – Chairman of the BOA Standards Committee, naming the participants in the 2019 Pan American Games, Gladwin Lambert, Race Organizer for the Edward Cross Long Distance Comet Race, sends congratulations to Cecilia Wollmann and Malcolm Benn Smith, who will be representing Bermuda in the sailing competition in this year's Pan American Games taking place in Lima, Peru on July 26th - August 11th.
Both Wollmann and Smith have participated in the local Annual Long Distance Comet Race. Lambert indicated that, "Cecillia crewed with her sister Ellie Wollmann in 2013 and 2014. They were the first, and so far only, sisters to crew a boat in the Edward Cross Long Distance Comet Race." Ellie Wollmann, Ceclliai's sister, was in fact only the 2nd woman to skipper a boat in the history of the Long Distance Comet Race. The first female skipper in the Long Distance Comet Race was Sherrita Steede in 1989.”
Malcolm Benn Smith, has also competed in the Edward Cross Long Distance Race. Lambert reminds us that Benn’s father won the Long Distance Race in 2018. Mr . Lambert remarked, "Last year Malcolm was able to break Stevie Dickinson's long string of first place finishers in the Long Distance Comet Race. Stevie had placed first every year from 2013 to 2017 and it looked he might win again in 2018. But Malcolm beat out Stevie to win the 2018 Race. It made for another exciting race!" It seems that Benn Smith, Malcolm’s son, is following in his father’s winning ways by qualifying to compete in this year’s Pan American games.
In addition to these sailors slated to represent Bermuda in the Pan Am games later this year, Lambert sends congratulations to two other Comet sailors who are representing Bermuda in this week's 69th Argo Group Gold Cup Races taking place in local waters. Stevie Dickinson and Heath Foggo, who both have been winning skippers in the Long Distance Race, are part of this year’s Bermuda team. Stevie and Heath are a part of the crew in Bermuda’s entry in the Gold Cup, along with Kelsey Durham, who is skipper and additional crew member Campbell Duffy.
It is with a sense of pride that Lambert recognizes and commends these sailors who have participated in the Edward Cross Long Distance Comet Race for their participation in the sport of sailing at this level. Mr. Lambert commented, "To see these men and women, who are also Comet sailors, participating and representing Bermuda in other classes of sailing, and at such a high level, is very positive for the sport in general. It sends the message that with hard work and dedication our young sailors can sail in just about any class of boat they wish! And at an international level!"
This year is the 75th Annual Edward Cross Long Distance Comet Race. The Race starts from West End Sailboat Club on Monday 17th June 2019 at 11.00am, goes along the North Shore and ends at East End Mini Yacht Club.
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