Bermuda’s grip on the international powerboat landscape has tightened significantly following a historic, high-octane weekend at the IHRA Shootout Offshore at the Lake of the Ozarks.
The competitive field arrived in Missouri desperate to close the gap on the dominant mid-Atlantic teams, but instead witnessed a total island takeover on the freshwater circuit. The marquee event culminated in a historic maiden professional victory for Luis Martins and Nick Imprescia aboard Nuff Said, while world championship leaders David Selley and Steven Bridges secured a vital podium finish to maintain their status as the definitive team to beat.
Qualifying on the inside of the second row, Martins and Imprescia handled the breezy lake conditions with superb discipline, locking into an early deck-to-deck duel before pulling away into clean air. The S-12 canopy catamaran crew controlled the eight-lap race from the front, stopping the clock in a blistering, winning time of 26:00.188.
The breathtaking display earned the team a massive 115 points, pushing their season tally to 352 overall. While they remain fourth in the world standings, Nuff Said now sit just nine points behind third-placed Wozencraft, and are within striking distance of second-placed Allied/STR Powerboats on 378 points.
The island’s dream weekend was backed up beautifully by the premier boat in the division. Racing from pole position, David Selley and Steven Bridges navigated the heavy wake and tight river corners to deliver a heavily disciplined performance, crossing the line in second place with an eight-lap time of 26:12.351.
The podium finish collected 104 valuable points for the championship frontrunners, expanding their commanding total to 438 points at the summit of the world standings. With the field preparing for the next tour stops, Bermuda’s multi-boat onslaught has left the international fleet scrambling for answers in the race for the 2026 world title.
Bermudian sailing legend Peter Bromby maintained his fierce charge for a fourth world title, weathering a grueling second day of racing at the International One Design World Championship in Marblehead to sit outright second overall.
Following an opening day that saw the fleet deadlocked at the summit, the 13-boat fleet returned to the waters off the Eastern Yacht Club for another heavy block of tactical racing. Relying on his vast experience to navigate the regatta’s strict boat-rotation format, the four-time Bermuda Olympian put on a tactical clinic in the opening heat of the day to secure a superb second-place finish.
A hard-fought sixth-place finish in the subsequent race took Bromby’s total score to 14 points, keeping him safely in the silver medal position and within striking distance of the overall lead as the fleet crosses the midway point of the 10-race series.
In contrast, the second day on the Massachusetts coast proved to be a highly attritional affair for fellow Bermudian skipper Kelsey Durham.
After ending the previous afternoon locked in a highly competitive tie for third, Durham found himself fighting deep within a crowded mid-fleet pack as shifting coastal breezes disrupted the racing lines. Despite enduring a couple of difficult starts, the young helmsman demonstrated great grit to limit the damage, grinding out back-to-back ninth-place finishes.
The resilient display leaves Durham in seventh place overall on 28 points, remaining firmly in contention to mount a late-regatta charge toward the top five when racing resumes tomorrow.
Final stretch of trenching work begins this week as utility replaces ageing underground cables
Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO) today provided an update on the Transmission Upgrade Project in the west end of the island.
Beginning Wednesday, June 17, traffic controls, including temporary traffic lights and manual traffic controals where required, will be in place between Whale Bay Road and Evans Bay, as part of the final phase of the West End Transmission Upgrade Project.
This work involves trenching to lay the conduit that houses BELCO’s underground transmission cables. As part of the wider project, BELCO is replacing 40% of its current underground transmission cables that are over 50 years old, with nearly 25% having served Bermuda for over 60 years. The new cables are being installed in multi-service duct banks that will reduce the need to dig up the roads for cable replacement in the foreseeable future.
Transmission cables are the high-voltage cables that serve as the backbone of Bermuda’s electricity grid. They connect to substations around the island where the voltage is stepped down and then fed into the distribution network and further stepped down to supply homes and businesses. Because many of these cables are well beyond their useful lifespan, they are more prone to faults, system vulnerabilities and higher maintenance costs, which is why replacing them is essential to maintaining a reliable supply and to supporting the addition of more renewable energy in the future.
Wherever possible throughout the west end, crews have routed the trench along the Railway Trail rather than the public road in order to reduce the impact on motorists. The final stretch between Whale Bay Road and Evans Bay must run along Middle Road, where there is no trail alignment and no alternative route for traffic. BELCO recognises that this is a significant inconvenience for motorists and residents in the area, and appreciates the community’s continued patience.
These temporary traffic restrictions are necessary to allow the works to be completed safely and efficiently for the benefit of motorists, residents, and work crews. Motorists are encouraged to use caution when travelling through the area and to follow the traffic signals and signage in place. Motorists should also give themselves additional time to reach their destination, as there are no alternative routes.
This is the final section of major trenching along a public road for the Transmission Upgrade Project. Once the project reaches Evans Bay, there will be a pause in work. In the third quarter of this year, BELCO crews will excavate sections of the trench to pull sections of cable and joint the new cables. Traffic controls, including manual traffic controls during rush hour periods, will be back in place when the sections of cable are pulled through the conduit and jointed together
The Transmission, Distribution & Retail assets are being upgraded to improve reliability, reduce costs and expand grid capacity.
BELCO Managing Director, Shelly Leman said: “Trenching to lay cable duct for our transmission upgrade project in the west end has now reached the final stretch between Whale Bay Road and Evans Bay. This is the final section of large trenching activity along a public road for the Transmission Upgrade Project, with smaller excavation works to pull and joint sections of cable expected later this year. I continue to encourage everyone to drive safely around open trenches and working crews. I thank the public for their patience and understanding and look forward to the project being completed and ensuring a more reliable, and resilient network for all our customers.”
More information about the Transmission Upgrade Project can be found on BELCO’s website at belco.bm
Minister of Youth, Social Development & Seniors, Hon. Tinee Furbert, JP, MP, recently hosted a meeting with the students from Family Centre’s Youth Leadership Intensive (YLI) 2026.
Family Centre’s Youth Leadership Intensive (YLI) was held in April. The one-week “Intensive” Social to build youth confidence in using their voices to increase the effectiveness of adults who work with or on behalf of youth.
The training enables young people to meet with adults on an equal footing to discuss concerns and offer their ideas for solving community problems.
Brannon Thomas, Kahlan Head, Leila Wadson, Deneca Zuill, Minister Furbert, Saniya Marsh, Iden Contreras (only partially visible as he is behind Saniya)
Minister Furbert awarded four student presenters with the Minister’s Distinguished Award for Presentation and Advocacy on behalf of the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors.
Minister Furbert stated: “These young people did not ask to be seen one day—they showed me, with courage and clarity, that they are leaders right now. When a student looks you in the eye and says, ‘Talk with me, not at me,’ you understand that leadership is not a title you hold; it is a choice you make to meet our young people on equal footing. Their ideas are valid, their voices are valued, and their experiences are important. My commitment, and the commitment of this Ministry, is simple: we will not only hear them—we will act with them.”
Media release and images supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
Motorists urged to plan ahead as closures remain in place until July 10
Middle Road, Southampton The Ministry of Public Works advises the motoring public of a lane closure on Middle Road, Southampton, from the railway trail at the junction of Whale Bay Road extending west to Evans Bay Road. This will be in effect from Wednesday, 17 June 2026 through Friday, 10 July 2026, daily between 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
This lane closure is necessary to facilitate BELCO trench work along the specified route.
Traffic will be managed by Intelligent Trenching representatives using stop-and-go signs and, where necessary, traffic lights. Motorists should note that there is no designated detour route and delays are expected in the area.
Southside Road, St. David’s The Ministry of Public Works advises the motoring public of a full road closure on Southside Road, St. David’s, from Stocks Road to Waller’s Point Road. The closure will be in effect from Thursday, 18 June 2026 through Friday, 10 July 2026, daily between 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
This road closure is required to facilitate Phase II of the Swing Bridge Detour Route construction project, specifically paving and manhole works in preparation for the construction of a mini-roundabout at Waller’s Point Road.
Traffic controls will be managed by Ministry representatives using barricades and cones. Motorists are encouraged to use the designated detour routes via Stocks Road and St. David’s Road and should plan for minor disruptions.
Media release supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
Women’s Resource Centre announces partnership to support women seeking services overseas
Juanae Crockwell, Executive Director of the Women’s Resource Centre, with Merle Hoffman, Founder and President of CHOICES Women’s Medical Center, and members of the CHOICES team.
The Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) hosted a stakeholder meeting on Friday, June 12, bringing together policymakers, healthcare professionals, advocates, and community partners to discuss access to reproductive healthcare and safe medical abortion services for women in Bermuda.
The meeting was held in partnership with CHOICES Women’s Medical Center (CHOICES), a New York-based reproductive healthcare provider with a longstanding history of serving women from Bermuda. Founded by Merle Hoffman in 1971 as one of the first abortion clinics in the United States, CHOICES has grown into a comprehensive women’s healthcare facility in Queens, New York, offering services that include abortion care up to 24.6 weeks, gynecological and prenatal care, birth control, telemedicine, counseling, doula care, and travel and financial support.
The discussion aimed to examine the current landscape of abortion access in Bermuda, identify barriers women face, and explore practical solutions while broader legislative and policy conversations continue. Commitments to remove pregnancy termination from the Criminal Code and review the policies and processes governing abortion access have been referenced in both the Government’s 2025 Throne Speech and the Progressive Labour Party’s 2025 election platform.
The meeting was attended by a diverse group of stakeholders, including the Hon. Kim Wilkerson, JP, Attorney General and Minister of Justice; Keechia Tuckett, Permanent Secretary of Health; former Senator and Gender Affairs Council member Arianna Hodgson; representatives from the Maternal Health and Sexual Health Clinics; women and girls advocate McKenzie-Kohl Tuckett and WRC client advocate Aysia Stovell.
As an outcome of these discussions, the two organizations agreed to establish a formal referral partnership to strengthen pathways to care for women in Bermuda who may require services not currently available locally. Through this partnership, women will have access to information, advocacy, emotional support, care coordination, and referral services.
CHOICES also awarded the Women’s Resource Centre a $20,000 grant to help offset the direct costs of reproductive care for women in need. The funding reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that women and girls can access essential reproductive health services with dignity, compassion, and respect.
“Women deserve bodily autonomy, compassionate support, and access to healthcare options that meet their needs,” said Juanae Crockwell, Executive Director of the Women’s Resource Centre. “While legislative and policy discussions continue, we believe it is important to take meaningful action now to ensure that women have access to the services and support they need.”
“Geography should not determine your destiny,” stated Merle Hoffman, Founder, President, and CEO of CHOICES. “Since 1971, when our very first patient crossed state lines to find us, CHOICES has carried one promise across the decades—safe, confidential care stays within reach, wherever your journey begins.”
“We see this partnership as one step forward in a broader conversation about women’s health in Bermuda,” Ms. Crockwell added. “Our goal is simple: to ensure that every woman in Bermuda has access to the information, support, and healthcare options she needs to make the decisions that are right for her health, her family, and her future.”
Attendees expressed a shared commitment to continuing the conversation and working collaboratively to advance equity in reproductive healthcare for women in Bermuda. While broader legislative and policy reforms continue to be explored, attendees identified a number of opportunities to strengthen access, improve support services, and enhance the overall experience of women navigating reproductive healthcare decisions.
The Women’s Resource Centre looks forward to continuing engagement with stakeholders, healthcare providers, advocates, and policymakers to advance practical solutions that support the health, wellbeing, and autonomy of women in Bermuda.
Media release and images supplied by the Women’s Resource Centre.
Food, motor vehicle and liquor stores posted gains as total retail sales reached $106.2 million
Today, the Ministry of Economy and Labour released the January 2026 Retail Sales Index publication.
January’s volume of retail sales index increased 1.1 per cent compared to last year. In value terms, retail sales increased to an estimated $106.2 million.
Six of the seven sectors recorded year-over-year volume index increases in January 2026:
The sales volume for Food Stores increased 6.2 per cent.
Liquor Stores’ sales volume increased 4.1 per cent.
Motor Vehicle Stores’ sales volume increased 5.0 per cent.
Service Stations’ sales volume rose 2.5 per cent.
The sales volume at Apparel Stores increased 2.0 per cent.
The All Other Store Types sector (comprising stores selling household items, furniture, appliances, electronics, pharmaceuticals and tourist-related goods), sales volume increased 2.3 per cent.
In contrast, the sales volume at Building Material Stores decreased 14.3 per cent over January 2025.
Selected overseas declarations decreased 1.0 per cent compared to January 2025.
Annual CPI growth slowed slightly to 2.2%, new statistics show
Today, the Ministry of Economy and Labour released the Department of Statistics’ January 2026 Consumer Price Index.
In summary, consumers paid 2.2 per cent more in January 2026 than they did a year ago for the basket of goods and services included in the Consumer Price Index [CPI]. This level of inflation decreased 0.2 percentage points from the December 2025 annual inflation rate. Some highlights for January 2025 to January 2026 include:
The Health & Personal Care division increased 4.4 per cent.
The Transport & Foreign Travel division rose 5.0 per cent.
The Education, Recreation, Entertainment & Reading division increased 2.3 per cent.
The Rent division increased 1.5 per cent.
The Food division advanced 1.6 per cent.
Between December 2025 and January 2026, the average cost of goods and services was unchanged. Additional areas of note between December 2025 and January 2026 were as follows:
The Fuel & Power division decreased 5.0 per cent.
The Clothing & Footwear division rose 3.7 per cent.
The Household Goods, Services & Supplies division increased 0.4 per cent.
The Health & Personal Care division increased 0.1 per cent.
*Note: The Government measures the annual and monthly inflation rates. Annual changes are from the same month last year, and monthly changes are from month to month. The January 2026 Consumer Price Index is available online at https://www.gov.bm/consumer-price-index.
Media release supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
Minister addresses bingo gathering held to raise awareness of elder abuse
Last week, Ageing & Disability Services hosted its annual event to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which falls on Monday, June 15th. To recognise the day and spread awareness of elder abuse, the team hosted a Seniors’ Bingo day at Devonshire Recreation Club.
Minister of Youth, Social Development & Seniors, the Hon. Tinee Furbert, presented opening remarks.
Minister Furbert stated, “We come together today as Ageing and Disability Services hosts your Seniors’ Bingo, close to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, observed annually on June 15th. That day calls us to protect the dignity, the rights, and the well-being of our older adults. But I don’t only want to speak about what we protect you from. I want to speak about what you deserve: to feel safe, to feel seen, to feel cherished, and to know you are never alone.
“Before I am a Minister, I am somebody’s child. I have ageing parents of my own, and I’ll be honest with you, when I look out, I am reminded how beautiful ageing can be. With its wisdom, with its strength, with its spirit that built the Bermuda we love. I feel that spirit, and I feel it filling this room right now.
“Because this is the truth I want you to carry home: Bermuda is your home, and it loves you without question. You raised us. You worked, sacrificed, and prayed for us. You carried this country on your shoulders. So today, my wish is that you feel held by your community, just as you have always held us.
“And yes, I know just how seriously we take our bingo, and rightly so! But a day like this gives us something alongside the game we love: friendship, laughter, and good. I’ll ask just one thing of you all: keep showing up for each other. Check on the neighbour who has gone quiet. Call the friend you haven’t seen lately. Staying connected is one of the most loving and most protective things we can do for one another.
“To the team at Ageing and Disability Services, let me express my profound appreciation and gratitude. Thank you for the care you put into events like this.”
Images and media release supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi warned in 2024 that the EU needed to better coordinate industrial policy, make quicker decisions and attract massive investment
International News via Reuters:
Europe must tap into trillions of euros of private savings to fund the economic transformation it needs to compete with the U.S. and China, investors and policy makers said on Tuesday at a Reuters Next event.
“We sit on €35 trillion ($40.7 trillion) of private savings, which is enough to make all of those transitions,” said Benoit Peloille, chief investment officer at Natixis Wealth Management.
“We have to build enough confidence and stability to make sure that private savings don’t stay on very low risk assets and go and finance all of those transitions,” he added.
Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi warned in 2024 that the EU needed to better coordinate industrial policy, make quicker decisions and attract massive investment or face a “slow agony” as the U.S. and China’s more streamlined economies race ahead through innovation in AI.
There are signs of political momentum and that European policymakers have heeded Draghi’s advice, said Alison Martin, chief executive officer for life, health and bank distribution at Zurich Insurance.
She cited initiatives such as the Digital Omnibus Agreement and the creation of savings and investment accounts as signs of the EU’s willingness to deregulate and encourage investment.
“I think the next six months are going to really show us whether Europe will be stepping up,” Martin said.
The EU has a long way to go to catch up with the U.S. which has several competitive advantages including much cheaper energy prices, more flexible labour laws and a far faster rate of deployment of AI, said Nizar Trigui, chief technology officer at global logistics firm GXO.
BIGGER AND FASTER
The U.S. accounts for 55% of all the world’s unicorns, or startup companies worth more than $1 billion, according to the UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization. That includes Space X, which on Tuesday became one of the world’s five most valuable companies following its initial public offering last week.
Peloille said this was due to the U.S. being an easier environment in which to raise capital.
The scarcity of unicorns in Europe was “absolutely not acceptable” given the weight of Europe in the world, he said.
Nadia Calviño, president of the European Investment Bank, agreed that the EU was on the right track but said it needed to “go bigger and faster.”
She said initiatives such as the European Tech Champions Initiative had created a dozen unicorns since it was created by the EIB in 2023.
“European unicorns do exist. Now we need them to get larger and to have more,” Calviño said.
View the live broadcast of the World Stage here and read full coverage here.
($1 = 0.8607 euros)
Reporting by Yoruk Bahceli; Writing by Charlie Devereux; Editing by Alexandra Hudson
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