06/12/2025
Introducing the six class winners for the 2025 Annapolis-to-Newport Race
William Gunther is a veteran offshore sailor, but had never done the Annapolis to Newport Race. The Essex, Connecticut resident decided to check that iconic event off the bucket list and did so in serious style.
Gunther skippered Blue Skies to a convincing victory in ORC Performance Cruiser 1 class for the 40th biennial Annapolis to Newport Race. John Brooks served as the other watch captain aboard the Alden Skye 50-footer, which posted a corrected time of 4 days, 5 hours, 54 minutes and 59 seconds.
That was more than four hours better than class runner-up Legacy, a Beneteau First 40 skippered by Nick Carter of Lewes, Delaware.
“We’re absolutely thrilled with the result. To win our class in our first time doing this great race is very exciting,” said Gunther, who was encouraged to enter Annapolis to Newport by legendary sailmaker Butch Ulmer. “I was talking to Butch and he suggested it would be a good race for this boat and boy was he right.”
FULL ARTICLEhttps://www.annapolisyc.com/files/Annapolis-Newport%20Class%20Winners.pdf
VIEW COMPLETE TROPHY AND AWARDS LISThttps://www.annapolisyc.com/files/2025%20A2N%20winners%20v2.pdf