SAN FRANCISCO, CA—The excitement was palpable as hundreds of sailors gathered this evening on the lawn of St. Francis Yacht Club for a Competitors’ Briefing and Commodore’s Reception, marking the official start of the 56th edition of Rolex Big Boat Series, the West Coast’s premiere regatta.
As halyards slapped against rigging and 79 race-ready boats tugged at their docklines, regatta organizers announced which of the eight classes will race for the six perpetual trophies and three Rolex Submariner Date timepieces, to be awarded this Sunday, September 19, following four days of highly competitive racing on San Francisco Bay.
This year, the legendary regatta features eight classes: ORR A, ORR B, ORR C, J/105, J/88, J/70, Express 37 and Classics, for boats older in vintage than 1955 and greater in length than 48 feet. The event concurrently serves as the J/88 North American Championship and the Pacific Coast Championship for Express 37s.
WHAT’S ON THE LINE FOR EACH CLASS?
The oldest trophy of the regatta, the St. Francis Perpetual Trophy, which has been awarded since 1964 with a deed of gift granting it to boats greater than 40 feet in length, will go to the ORR A division. The first-place winner among the nine boats racing ORR A will also receive a Rolex Submariner Date watch.
The Atlantic Perpetual Trophy, established in 1978 and featuring the ship’s bell of the yacht Atlantic, will go to the top boat in ORR B. The winner of the nine boats racing ORR B will also receive a Rolex Submariner Date watch.
Every year, the Commodore’s Cup is dedicated to the largest one-design class, with a preference for fleets based in San Francisco Bay. This year, the 22-strong J/105s will compete for this perpetual trophy, which comes with a Rolex Submariner Date watch.
“It’s an honor to have Rolex USA as the title sponsor for this event for the eighteenth year, and we are proud of our enduring relationship of excellence,” said Bill Dana, 2021 Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club, who will be competing aboard his Santa Cruz 52 Pinball Wizard, in the ORR A division.
The Keefe-Kilborn Trophy was established in 1976 to honor the memory of the late St. Francis Yacht Club members, Harold Keefe and Ray Kilborn. This year, it goes to the top competitor in the ORR C division.
The Richard Rheem Perpetual Trophy was established in 1972 to honor the memory of St. Francis Yacht Club member Richard Rheem, whose yacht Morning Star was the elapsed time winner in the 1949 Transpac race to Honolulu. The Express 37 class, celebrating 30 years as a one-design fleet at this regatta, will race for the Richard Rheem in 2021.
The J/88 class will race for the City of San Francisco Trophy, originally a golden spade used to break ground on the Golden Gate Bridge, which provides an iconic backdrop for spectators attending this iconic regatta.
RESETTING THE RACECOURSE AFTER 2020
After the global pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 edition, three of the 2019 winners couldn’t return in 2021, opening the field for new leaders to emerge. And after a year away, many competitors are bringing a heightened focus to the regatta, as are newcomers keen to test their skills at a new venue.
For the owner and crew of Bretwalda 3, Rolex Big Boat Series has been a bucket list regatta. “We actually had Big Boat Series shirts made in 2013 but we never made it here,” said Gary Warner, who has been racing with Bretwalda 3’s owner, Bob Pethick, since 2000. The Bretwalda 3 team has had a strong year, winning the Newport to Cabo race and breaking the Transpac course record for boats under 50 feet. They will be closely watching the other Rogers 46, Lucky Duck, which is new to owner Dave MacEwen, a past winner in his previous boat.
“The ORR fleets have a number of sister ships that will be battling each other around the racecourse, which will be fun to watch,” said Adam Corpuz-Lahne, Senior Sailing Director of St. Francis Yacht Club. When it comes to planning the racecourses this year, Corpuz-Lahne said the goal was for more windward-leeward racing. “We want the fairest racetrack possible, with two course areas, one to the north and one to the south. Fleets will sail the same course areas for both races each day. That way, what they learn in Race 1 they can use in Race 2.”
To assist with delivering well-managed racing that optimizes the challenging currents and wind of San Francisco Bay sailing, Corpuz-Lahne is joined by Principal Race Officers Tom Duggan, Peggy Lidster and Jeff Johnson, who is fresh off the Tokyo Olympics.
Racing will commence on Thursday, September 15 at 1100 hours PST, with two races scheduled daily for each division. The Classics, which will lend a vision of grace to the speed often on view at this regatta, will complete in one race per day.
Livestreams of the finishes will be broadcast daily at 1445 on the Rolex Big Boat Series Facebook page.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Tune in daily at 2:45pm PT for livestream finishes from the Race Deck of St. Francis Yacht Club. With an unparalleled view of the Golden Gate Bridge and a parade of spinnakers sending it for the finish line, commentators Genny Tulloch and Kimball Livingston will provide reports on who’s leading, share anecdotes about competitors and offer insights about sailing on San Francisco Bay.
Genny Tulloch
Over the last 15 years, Genny Tulloch has commentated for the America's Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, World Sailing Championships, Extreme Sailing Series, 52 Super Series, Star Sailors League and myriad other sailing events. Genny was College Sailor of the Year as a sophomore at Harvard University before graduating early to pursue a sailing career that included nine years on the US Sailing Team in the 49er FX, 470, and women's match racing. She has won over 15 National titles in boats ranging from 12 feet to 65 feet, in multiple disciplines from fleet racing to team racing, match racing and offshore racing.
Kimball Livingston
Kimball Livingston has been talking and writing about sailing “forever.” His assignments as a journalist have taken him to the South Pacific and Asia, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, the Gulf Coast and Fink, Texas. He likes San Francisco best. A 44-year member of St. Francis Yacht Club, he served as commodore in 2016 and is now Club Historian.
2021 VIEWERS' GUIDE
Download a copy of the Viewers Guide for the Schedule of Events, breakdown of classes, COVID safety and visitor protocols and handy QR codes to jump to the latest news, results and photos.
ABOUT ST. FRANCIS YACHT CLUB
The St. Francis Yacht Club was founded in 1927 and has been host to many of the most prestigious national and international championships in sailing. With over 40 regattas on its calendar annually, StFYC is widely regarded as having one of the top racing and race management programs in the country. In addition to enjoying a worldwide reputation for on-water excellence, Platinum Clubs of the World named the St. Francis Yacht Club the #1 Yacht Club in the United States for multiple years and Boardroom Magazine recognized it as the first yacht club to be a Distinguished Emerald Club of the World.
For more information, please visit St. Francis Yacht Club.
ABOUT ROLEX AND YACHTING
A Natural and Supportive Partner
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the St. Francis Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and Yacht Club Italiano among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
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