By Colin Thompson

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club’s Contest III retained the Heritage Trophy without having to take to the water on Saturday.

The traditional May 24 Heritage Day racing in the east end was cancelled due to strong winds.

The cancellation means that Contest III will keep the prestigious trophy, awarded to the winning team by the governor immediately after the race, for a twelfth consecutive year. The remaining races for the Leon D Fox Cup and Anniversary Cup are to be held later in the season on the designated alternate/make up day.

Given the threat of inclement weather in the forecast, Saturday’s cancellation came as no real surprise to the participants.

“We all watched the weather forecast and knew the wind forecast was probably too high,” Gary Brangman, the St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club secretary and Victory crewman, said. “When the race was officially cancelled there was no surprises.

“You hate to have the first day of the season washed out. But the weather is always going to be a part of sailing, that is just the way it is.”

Last year Contest III made a clean sweep of victories during the Heritage Day spectacle with teenage skipper Dimitri Stevens at the helm.

The fitted dinghy is unique to Bermuda and has been in existence for more than a century.

The first recorded race involving fitted dinghies was held on August 26, 1853 in St George’s Harbour.