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This is the first multihull division in Marion to Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race history and it is one of the important innovations in the event this year. SVENSSON is a famous heart surgeon in the USA who is also in charge of the Heartsease Foundation.

The quick tri looks like its seagull namesake gliding across the water and has a wingspan, hull to hull, of about sixteen paces like the bird named 'Roc' by Marco POLO. She started 24 hours after the monohulls and passed them one day later in the Gulf Stream. Heartsease Larus Roc finished off St David's Lighthouse in Bermuda an estimated twelve hours ahead of the next finisher.

Once the race committee calculates the official elapse time, their performance will set a new benchmark for multihulls in this 645 mile biennial race. With the light air experienced in the bottom half of this year's race the mark should be a good target in the future.

As the full moon set over the headland of Bermuda's south shore and the dawn was just rising, Heartsease Larus Roc ghosted across the finish in a 3-5knt southwesterly breeze. She was making 6knts and was able to round the shoal marks on the approach to Bermuda and squeeze up and use her momentum to cross the line without tacking for the finish.

The finish line volunteers in the lighthouse then welcomed them to Bermuda and advised them to stand by for refreshments from Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club Commodore Donald JOLLIFFE. The response from Heartsease Larus Roc was, 'That would be most appreciated. Do you have any ice?'

As the line boat with Commodore JOLLIFFE aboard approached he welcomed them formally to Bermuda. When asked how the trip was navigator Ian MARTIN said, 'It was exceptional.'

'We had a hard fought three hour beat out of Buzzards Bay,' said SVENSSON. 'We had hoped to complete the race in about 55 to 60 hours. We made up the slow start covering 364 miles in the 24 hours after 1700 Saturday. In the eddy below the Gulf Stream, we had 20 knot winds and twelve to 20 foot seas. After we passed the weather trough below the Gulf Stream, we went in circles, dodged clouds looking for wind and tacked back and forth until we worked our way down to the breeze. We did ten to twelve knots until we turned from the breaker marks toward the finish.'

SVENSSON thanked the Marion to Bermuda Race organizers for including multihulls in the event and when asked if he would return in 2007 said, 'We would like to go again.'

Five boats out of the original 75 starters have withdrawn. Monohulls, Fiona Rois and Saoirse and multihulls Alegra and Falcor have all headed back to the USA. Starr Trail, a Bermuda entry, is motoring to her island home.