The Bermuda Triangle has claimed another casualty – this year's Charleston to Bermuda Race!

Race organisers called the race off early on Wednesday afternoon after none of the remaining three boats under sail had reached the cut-off point located at 67 degrees west longitude.

This year's six-boat race fleet had set sail from Cooper River in Charleston on May 29. But three had pulled out before the event was abandoned.

Gentle breezes and calm seas forced the organisers to pull the plug on the 777-nautical mile race and declare Jay Cook's Beneteau 423, Tohidu, the winner on a corrected score of 260.

Second place honours went to Dave and Shelly Warters' Able Apogee 50, Cadence, on a corrected score of 279.3 followed in third by Ken Johnson's C&C 40, Grateful Red, on a corrected score of 299.8.

Closest to Bermuda when the race was abandoned was Cadence (having sailed 498 miles) and she was trailed by Grateful Red (485 miles) and the eventual winner Tohidu (462 miles).

Tohido was declared the winner on a formula based on ratings and distances travelled.

Race director Brad Van Liew explained: "We conducted the race using PHRF ratings and all of the competitors agreed before the start that should no one cross the 67th degree of longitude by Wednesday at noon, the race would be called and we'd score them as of where they were at the time. We think it's the most equitable way to address the situation."

Earlier this week Lee Edwards' Little Harbor 63, Spray, opted to motor the rest of the way to Bermuda after experiencing a refrigeration breakdown while Mark DiStefano's Nova did a u-turn and headed back to Charleston.

The race is jointly sponsored by the Department of Tourism, Gosling's and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) and is open to all seaworthy sailboats 30 feet and longer.

The prize-giving for the event will be held tonight at the RBYC.