The Classic Cal 40 Sinn Fein took home a ton of silver in 2008. And they'll be looking for more in the next few days.

One of Peter Rebovich's biggest trophies was the inaugural North Rock Beacon Trophy. The silver replica of the tower that once warned mariners away from Bermuda's treacherous North Rock reef was awarded to Rebovich and his crew for winning first place in IRC scoring.

The Newport Bermuda Race is dual scored in the Gibbs Hill and St. David's Divisions under ORR and IRC systems. The North Rock Beacon Trophy was designed and crafted by Bermuda artisan, Bill Wivel, at Walker Christopher. It was awarded for the first time in 2008 to Sinn Fein for finishing first on corrected time in the combined fleet.

Sinn Fein has won two St. David's Lighthouse trophies in a row for first place in the amateur St. David's Lighthouse Division under ORR scoring. The Beneteau First 36.7 Tennacious won the professional Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division under ORR scoring in 2008.

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club introduced the new major trophy for the 2008 race.

"We wanted to give the boats that chose to race under IRC in the Newport Bermuda Race something worthy of this classic event to race for," said Andrew Cox, past Commodore of the RBYC, when he announced the new keeper trophy for boats choosing to race under IRC in the 2008 race.

"The yacht club is donating the new trophy modelled after the 1960-1990 North Rock Light Tower."

This year all boats must have a 'fully measured" ORR (Offshore Rating Rule) certificate and meet the requirements for the race based on the ORR rule. Boats may also choose to race under IRC.

IRC scoring is only for the two Lighthouse Divisions to accommodate the Onion Patch Series that is scored under that system.