Charter Yacht METEOR to Race at 2017 Candy Store Cup

By Rebecca Bradbury 26 July 2017

Royal Huisman’s award-winning 52m/169ft sailing yacht METEOR will compete at the 2017 Candy Store Cup, which gets underway tomorrow (27^th July) in Newport, New England.

A fierce racing competitor, METEOR forms part of the regatta’s new Corinthian Spirit class for yachts that prefer racing without a spinnaker and/or a smaller crew. The only charter yacht registered, she will go head-to-head with three other entries, including Perini Navi’s sailing yacht ZENJI.

Overall, 11 superyachts will be competing in three classes in what will be the second edition of the Candy Store Cup. Organised and hosted by Newport Shipyard and Bannister’s Wharf, it offers three day of spectacular racing alongside an exciting shore-side programme.

Newport Shipyard has become the epicentre of the superyacht industry in New England and is uniquely positioned on the Newport waterfront to allow the public to view the yachts berthed there.

superyachts take to the water at the Candy Store Cup in Newport, Rhode Island, USA

superyachts, including sailing yacht Wild Horses, line up in Newport Shipyard for the Candy Store Cup

sailing yacht competes at the Candy Store Cup in Newport, Rhode Island

Competitor at Candy Store Cup in Newport, Rhode Island, USA

The cup’s format calls for pursuit style racing on Rhode Island Sound, with one race planned for each of the three days. Racing begins at 1pm off Castle Hill and will provide a stunning visual for those watching from vantage points along the shore of Narragansett Bay’s East Passage.

Luxury yacht METEOR will make her return to the event after an impressive second-place finish at last year’s fixture. A 2007-launch from Royal Huisman, she was originally built for dedicated racers.

Her designers drew on the tradition of the Gloucester schooners, vessels that were strong, fast and seaworthy in even the most challenging of conditions. But, despite her classic looks, she boasts today’s advanced technologies to optimise her performance and seakeeping.

In 2008, the sailing yacht was the recipient of three World Superyacht Awards, and she is an ideal choice for yacht-goers wanting to combine performance with a beautiful John Munford interior, which includes a wood-burning fire in the main salon, on their private charter vacation.