Bermuda International Invitational - Simmons earns a hat trick

12:57 PM Sat 1 May 2010 GMT

'Simmons during Bermuda International Invitational Race Week 2010' Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo

Bermuda's ace IOD skipper, Eugene "Penny" Simmons, had no mercy for visiting competitors as he made a clean sweep of the winner's silver and gold in the IOD Class.

As the 2010 Bermuda International Invitational Race Week concluded on the Great sound, he won the six-race "A" Series, the five-race "B" Series and the Vrengen Cold Cup for the eleven races overall trophy.

Today, Simmons got two more first place finishes; so after the drop of a fourth place earned when he t-boned a mark yesterday and had to take penalty turns, Penny comes out with four points for five races in the "B" Series. Second place went to Giles Peckham who finished with eight points.

Simmons during Bermuda International Invitational Race Week 2010 - Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo

Simmons and Peckham were also one-two for the Vrengen Gold Cup Trophy. There were two drops in this competition. Simmons had 10 points and Peckham finished with 18 points. Simmons collected eight first-place finishes out of the eleven races.

Simmons is certainly one of Bermuda's top sailors. He has competed in four Olympic Games, won the International One Design World (IOD) Championships six times and he won the bronze medal in the Snipe class at the 1967 Pan Am Games.

by Talbot Wilson