The highest distinction in any sphere; for
example, the blue riband of horse racing in
the UK is held by the winner of the Derby.
The term derives from the blue riband of the
Order of the Garter (see under knighthood).
The term cordon bleu in French has the same
meaning. The Blue Riband of the Atlantic is
held by the vessel making the fastest
crossing without refuelling. The trophy was
first presented by Harold Hales MP in 1935.
The Queen Mary won it 1938 and held the
record until the United States created a new
record of 3 dy 10 hr 31 min 1952. Richard
Branson's time of 3 dy 8hr 31 min in Virgin
Atlantic Challenger 1985 was a new record
time but failed to wrest the trophy from its
home at the US Maritime Museum on Long Island
because he refuelled three times, which is
against the conditions that must be met to
win the trophy. On 27 July 1989, Tom Gentry
of the USA in his craft Gentry Eagle broke
the record with a time of 67 hr 7 min. He was
presented with the Blue Riband Trophy by
Richard Branson. The catamaran Hoverspeed
Great Britain made the crossing in 3 dy 7 hr
25 min in July 1990, but the Americans
contested the validity of the 9!)!? ÿÃ