Perseverance name of the game at Heritage Cup, CYCS to close out at Indian Harbor
by Classic Yacht Owners Association 11 Sep 17:03 UTC
6 September 2025
The penultimate 2025 CYCS regatta was certainly an interesting one, with a strong but brief storm cell blowing through in the middle of racing at the Heritage Cup at Sea Cliff Yacht Club. Nonetheless, Long Island Sound was a fantastic host for yet another weekend of gorgeous classics sailing.
One of the best stories to come out of the race was due to the storm, with Eric Hamm and his crew of teenage sailors taking on the 54 knot winds aboard Hamm's 35' Beneteau. A close friend of the late Jesse Terry, Hamm was approached by junior sailors from Sea Cliff to field a team in the Heritage Cup. The group of youngsters had their skills put to the test, but made it through and arrived to a cheerful welcome from the remainder of the fleet as they crossed the finish line.
"What began as a leisurely 10-15-knot sail toward Connecticut quickly turned into a fast-paced beat to weather, with gusts building into the high 20s," said Hamm. "My biggest concern was whether the kids were scared, or worse, scarred from ever wanting to sail big boats again." Those concerns were immediately allayed as his teenage crew asked when the next big boat regatta will be.
For their adventure, the crew was awarded the Heritage Cup's Perseverance Award, now named for Jesse Terry.
Results from the Heritage Cup are available on Yacht Scoring and standings for CYCS are on the CYOA website.
This weekend, the 2025 CYCS comes to a close with another Long Island Sound regatta—Indian Harbor Classic Yacht Regatta. "For the past 13 years, our IHYC Classic Yacht Regatta has flooded Great Captain Harbor with the gorgeous classics, both large and small," commented regatta organizer Chris Foley. "Surrounded by some of the old classic boat builders from City Island up the Connecticut Coast, many members and neighbors have painstakingly kept these boats in pristine condition."
At the end of this event, the winners of the series will be set and another incredible season of classics sailing. Standings going into this final weekend can be found on the CYCS results page. Stay tuned to see who rises to the top!