“I’ve always been drawn to sailing. It’s extreme and high adrenaline – which is what I seek out in [the] sport. Conservation and sustainability is hugely important to me, both personally and professionally and that’s why I’ve chosen to come sailing with [the] 11th Hour Racing Team.”–Elena Hight, Pro Snowboarder.
The 11th Hour Racing Team had two action sports icons on its squad in its 2022 Newport Bermuda Race. The sailing team featured pro snowboarder Eleana Wright and pro surfer Ian Walsh. Elena Hight is a pro snowboarder who is originally from Kauai, an ambassador for Protect Our Winters, and has been to two Olympics. Ian Walsh, a surfer who was born in Newport(where the race commences), is a Red Bull athlete that is a regular on the World Surf League Big Wave World Tour. The race started on Friday, and the crew just finished off the journey on Sunday, with a time of 41 hours, 28 minutes, and 43 seconds.
The Newport Bermuda Race is a 635 nautical-mile sailing competition that starts in Newport, Rhode Island, and ends in St. David’s Light, Bermuda. It is one of the two oldest continuously running sailing races that are held entirely out of sight of land. This is the 52nd running of the event, and 150 sailboats are competing in the event. The 11th Hour Racing Team is a sailing team that uses its platform to “accelerate change through sporting excellence in sailing, ocean advocacy, and sustainable innovation.”
Image/Video Credits: 11th Hour Racing Team
