Bermuda Race Receives ‘The Colbert Bump’

With 10 days to go before the cannon fires to signify the start of the 777-mile Charleston Bermuda Race, the yachting event has received the fabled “Colbert Bump” in terms of heightened participation and public interest.

Some 12 boats will start the Charleston Bermuda Race, which begins on May 21 in Charleston Harbour, with Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert’s role as both a participant and Honorary Captain of the Fleet proving to be a public relations bonanza for organisers.

“We have double the number of entries that participated in 2009,” said Richard Speer, CEO of OnDeck Group US, the firm which is staging the race in concert with the South Carolina Maritime Foundation and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

Mr. Speer credits this surge of interest to both Mr. Colbert’s tongue-in-cheek ability to boost the popularity of political candidates and celebrities who appear on his nightly show — his so-called “Bump” — but also to the enduring appeals of both Charleston and Bermuda.

“We’ve seen a remarkable increase in interest regarding the race, both from the public and from potential participants,” he said. “Much of that interest is due to the fact that Stephen Colbert of ‘The Colbert Report’ will be competing, yet it’s also due to the fact that both Charleston and Bermuda are exceptionally beautiful places to visit.

“In addition, the race also offers a challenging course that takes the boats across the Gulf Stream, which for many sailors is a treasured right of passage.”

Last month Mr. Colbert joined Johan de Nysschen, president of  Audi of America, at the 2011 New York Auto Show to announce the formation of “Team Audi” in the biennial 2011 Charleston Bermuda Race [pictured below].

“If you’re going to win a race, you want to be in an Audi,” said the comedian.  ”I tried bolting a mast and sail to an S5 cabriolet and took her for spin on the harbor, and the results were, well…moist!  So I decided if I couldn’t sail an Audi, I would ask them to sponsor my boat.”

Mr. Colbert and crew will set sail on a 65-foot ocean-racing yacht dubbed, “The Audi”.  The spinnaker sail will feature the recognisable Audi rings.

The comedian, who plays a blowhard, far-right TV pundit on his talk show, had challenged Virgin billionaire and record-setting adventurer Sir Richard Branson — his nemesis in recent years — to race him to Bermuda in the upcoming event to “decide who is the greatest sailor in the world”. Sir Richard never responded.

For Charleston native Mr. Colbert, this will be his second time competing in the event. He and a cadre of friends participated in the 2005 edition of the Charleston Bermuda race — crossing the finish line dead last.

This biennial contest, which began in 1997, was born of humble origins – the dream of two South Carolina sailors bent on creating offshore adventure for themselves and their friends.

With seven previous editions now in its wake, the event has matured, evolving from grassroots beginnings to become a fixture on the international sailing calendar and a celebrated spectacle for the media.

Mr. Speer and his co-organisers have been diligent about attracting commercial support for the race, and their formula appears to be working well. The event’s principal sponsors include Bermuda’s Department of Tourism, Goslings Rum, Bauer International, Chelsea Clock and “Garden & Gun” magazine.

“We’re truly pleased to have the support of these companies and organisations, all of which are among the most successful and well regarded in their fields,” said Mr. Speer.

Following that theme of quality, Mr. Speer and his OnDeck colleagues have secured the services of a seasoned race manager to ensure that the event run seamlessly.

Bjorn Johnson is not only a veteran offshore racing sailor, he is also a highly respected management professional who served as Race Director for the 2010 Newport Bermuda Race [183 entries] and as the Chief Safety Officer for the 2008 edition of that same race [198 entries]. He has also competed in the Newport Bermuda Race 12 times.

For competitors and race followers alike, these enhancements are all good news.

It’s also good news for Rick Hennigar and David Browder, the two South Carolina sailors who co-founded this race over 16 years ago.

“We’re really gratified to see that OnDeck, the South Carolina Maritime Foundation and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club are keeping this dream alive,” said Mr. Browder. “Rick and I always wanted the race to grow and reach its full potential, and it clear, that’s where it’s headed.”

More than 15,000 people are expected to visit Charleston’s waterfront Maritime Center the week before and during the start of the 2011 Charleston Bermuda Race.

The arrival of the fleet in Bermuda will trigger a three-day celebration, with events sponsored by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the Bermuda Ministry of Tourism, Goslings Rum and OnDeck.

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