The cutter Jolie Brise under sail. FAR RIGHT: The crew visit Jolie Brise, the home of Russ (fourth right) and Daphne (fifth left) Stobo The crew of the winning Jolie Brise with their trophies THE Jolie Brise win on this leg of Tall Ships 2000 is not its only triumph in a Bermuda race.

This fast little cutter, Turn to P3, Col. 3 Jolie Brise is a cutter above the rest! Continued from page 1 which came first in its class on corrected time and won this leg, also came first in her class in a race from New York to Bermuda -- back in 1926, writes News Editor Rebecca Zuill .

At the same time, a well-known figure in Bermudian history and the Attorney General of the day, Thomas Melville Dill, gave his son, lawyer Tommy Dill, a house in Devonshire.

Its new owner elected to call it after the winning cutter. Today the house Jolie Brise is owned by his daughter Daphne Stobo, and she lives there with her husband Russ.

Mr. Stobo explained: "The Jolie Brise was launched in La Havre in 1913, and she was a gaff cutter in the pilot service before the change from sail to stream.

"Once converted to a yacht, she won the great Irish race around the Fastnet Rock three times, twice came near to winning the Bermuda Race and was the last boat to carry the Royal Mail under sail.

"She also staged a dramatic ocean rescue of the crew of a burning ship! It was during a return to Bermuda's waters in 1932 to take part in the Bermuda Race again. She didn't win that one!'' The Jolie Brise , which today is owed by a private English school, seems drawn to Bermudians, and in the last two years has found a good friend in Government Information Officer Bev Morfitt.

She said she met the ship first when she was travelling in France about two years ago.

"It was in St. Malo, during a European tall ships race. I had gone to see how the media side of things was handled,'' she explained.

"I met the captain and the first mate on the dock. We started to chat, and we became buddies. We've kept in touch,'' she said.

"Last month I went to Cadiz for Tall Ships 2000, where I saw them again, and looked forward to the ship coming to Bermuda. When discovered there was a house here with the same name as the boat, I called its owner, Daphne Stobo, as a courtesy, and she was thrilled and invited the crew for cocktails. Mr.

and Mrs. Stobo were so nice -- they rolled out the red carpet to welcome them! "Now the crew all feel there is a real Bermuda connection.'' She explained half the crew must be made up of students aged between 15 and 25 and the rest are experienced sailors.

Their overall visit to Bermuda was a great success, she said, and the crew have commented on how welcoming everyone was. "People were just giving them all sorts of things for the trip,'' she said. "Bermuda really took care of them. Everyone had a ball, and the hospitality was just superb.'' Mr. and Mrs. Stobo are thrilled with the entire experience as well.

Mr. Stobo said when the Jolie Brise was sailing in the New York to Bermuda race in 1926, a family friend, a man called Weston Martyr, was on board during the race.

A well-known author in his day, he later wrote a series of short stories which were included in a multi-volume set called Tales from the Outpost , published in 1934. His writings were fictional adventures, based on his experiences as skipper of the cutter. In one of his stories, Sparing Partners, he mentions he is skippering the Jolie Brise .

More recently, the Stobos were presented with a picture of the ship by a friend who found a print entitled Jolie Brise in a local shop. Mrs. Stobo said: "He didn't know the house was named after the cutter,'' adding that it now hangs over her mantlepiece.

Visiting the ship when it was alongside in Hamilton was a memorable experience, she said. "I never thought I'd get the opportunity, and all of a sudden things came together.

"Everything's worked out very well!'' More tall ships photos -- see page 5.