Race.

Most notably, the skipper of Constellation is believed to be the youngest ever at the helm of a winning yacht, while the event has been completed for the first time by an all-female crew.

This year's race, which many believe to have been the wettest in recent history, was also the fastest in the last decade with the maxi boat Boomerang sweeping past the finish line in just 72 hours, 19 minutes and 29 seconds.

And if all the yachts finish by the end of today as race organisers expect, the race could go down in history as one of the fastest ever.

In the Racing Division, the US Naval Academy's 48-foot Constellation , skippered by 22-year-old Kyle Weaver, captured the St. David's Lighthouse Trophy as first boat overall on corrected time.

And Freestyle , a Little Harbour 52, clinched the Royal Mail Trophy as the overall winner in the Cruising Division.

Also in the Cruising Division, Mr. Eldon Trimingham's 65-foot Escape was the first Bermuda boat to cross the finish line.

But despite that accomplishment, Mr. Trimingham said he was "somewhat disappointed''.

"The boat was designed to go fast when the wind is after the beam, but it was ahead of us all the time -- we never got out of first gear,'' he said. "But all things considered, I think we did quite well.'' Mr. Trimingham, a veteran Newport to Bermuda skipper whose first race was in 1964, described the sail as "very bumpy and wet, but in no way dangerous''.

It was Escape's crossing in the event.

Publisher of New York's Newsday, Mr. Robert M. Johnson, the inventor of the Chandler plastic, Dr. Hugh Chandler, and 80-year-old Mr. Jim Mertz who is about to go down in the history books as having competed in the most Newport races -- 24 -- are some of the many well-known personalities aboard the 117 racing and cruising class yachts which entered.

Mr. Johnson is owner and skipper of the 44-foot Fete Accompli , Mr. Chandler is owner and skipper of the 40-foot Scherherazade and Mr. Mertz is aboard Gold Digger , also 44 feet.