Nasty Medicine, helmed by Dr Stephen Sherwin, had all but clinched local bragging rights in the 49th Newport Bermuda Race at press time last night.

Online tracking showed Sherwin’s Corby 41.5 within six miles of the finish line off St David’s Lighthouse, seventh in line honours and 50th in IRC overall standings.

Nasty Medicine is among the more than 120 yachts expected to complete the 635-mile race by this morning.

The yacht is competing in the St David’s Lighthouse Division and is sailing with a crew of eight that also includes navigator Jeremy Burnham and watch leaders Alan Frith and Richard Crossley.

The second local yacht expected to finish the race is Brian Hillier’s J-125, Crossfire.

At press time Crossfire, which is competing in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, and her crew of seven was located 43 miles from the finish 31st in line honours and 81st in IRC overall standings.

Further up the racetrack was the Spirit of Bermuda some 124 miles from the finish 152nd in line honours. The triple masted sloop is the sole entry in the Spirit of Tradition Division and has been chartered by local businessman Jim Butterfield for the race.

Larry Rosenfeld, Spirit’s navigator, sai yesterday: “The weather forecasts have been consistently variable.

“This morning’s early forecast showed a widen low with two centres [a double yolk low] and that means a longer time in light northerlies while waiting to transition from the Easterlies to the SW winds.

“The midday forecast shows a wide area from Bermuda to Newport to Hatteras without a single isobar.

“That means light air all around from any direction. So we sit and we wait, looking for the next squall and the wind on the edges.”

Meanwhile, claiming St David’s Lighthouse Division line honours yesterday was Llwyd Ecclestone’s Custom Sloop, Kodiac, that completed the race in an elapsed time of 83hr 57min 40sec. Finishing second behind Kodiac in the St David’s Lighthouse Division more than five hours later was James Madden’s Swan 601, Stark Raving Mad, in an elapsed time of 88:59.

Yesterday also saw three additional yachts withdraw from the race that commenced in Newport last Friday. Canadian entry Wandrain retired due to mechanical problems while Shine, of the UK, and Terrapin, from USA, both withdrew because of scheduling obligations.

This brings the total of boats that have withdrawn as of yesterday to six. Mark Ellman’s Morris 45, Next Boat, and Michael Dreese’s Akilaria RC3, Toothface 2, both retired through mechanical problems, while the C & C 48, Happy Valley, withdrew at the discretion of captain Richard Maddock.

Claiming Newport Bermuda Race line hours on Monday was George Sakellaris’ 72-foot Mini-Maxi, Shockwave, in an elapsed time of 63:4.11. Regular race updates can be found at bermudarace.com.