Kelsey Durham is feeling inspired after securing a podium finish in the final race at the IOD World Championship in Marblehead, Massachusetts, on Friday.

The Bermudian skipper overcame strong winds to cross the line in second and finish seventh in the 12-strong fleet.

“It was very windy today, sustained 25 knots with gusts around 30,” Durham told The Royal Gazette.

“Most boats didn’t put up kites, and if they did, they didn’t stay up long.”

Durham, who competed with crew Adam Barboza, Heath Foggo, Joanne Rogers and Michael Richold, gained valuable experience pitting his skills against some of the world’s best sailors in the challenging racing conditions.

“It was a big learning curve sailing in Marblehead, one of the most difficult places I’ve sailed,” he said.

“A very humbling experience and racing was very tight.”

Also representing Bermuda at this year’s IOD World Championship was three-times champion Peter Bromby.

Bromby held a share of the lead in the early stages of the regatta before falling out of contention and ultimately settling for eighth, two points adrift of Durham.

The former Bermuda Olympic sailor’s title hopes took a turn for the worse after retiring from the eighth race and not starting the ninth.

Bromby and crew Bill McNiven, Ron Stan, Rick Echard and Martin Siese rejoined the fleet for the final race, finishing ninth in the trying conditions.

The Royal Gazette has reached out for comment from Bromby.

The strong wind took its heaviest toll on leader Peter Wickwire, a four-times Bermuda International Invitational Race Week winner, whose IOD racing sloop was dismasted on the downwind leg in the final race.

However, despite his misfortune, Wickwire pipped nearest rival Charlie Van Voorhis for the title by two points, with Anton Karlsson rounding off the podium finishers a farther 3.8 points adrift.