America’s Cup surprise for Lego winner

When Rian Geraghty-McDonnell won The Annex Toys’ Lego Contest with a replica of Team Oracle’s yacht earlier this year, little did he realize how quickly and far his fame would spread.

Imagine his surprise when he received a package from America’s Cup winner Team Oracle congratulating him for his victory.

“When I got home I had no idea it was from Team Oracle, I was really excited and happy. “I was wondering how they could have found out about what happened here in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.”

The package included a t-shirt, a Team Oracle cap and jacket.

Rian said his cap is the favourite item “because I can use it when I’m sailing”.  Last week there was a surprise announcement that Bermuda was one of four finalists to host the 2017 America’s Cup challenge. 

Rian said he’s hoping that Bermuda wins the final bid “so I can go out and watch it in person and not watch it on my computer like I did last year.”

He added if Bermuda were able to land the America’s Cup “it would be good for tourism because lots of people would want to see it, besides the people who live here and we could possibly make money from it.”

Rian’s mom, Mary Geraghty, said the whole experience has been a good one for her son and she too was surprised that they would recognize Rian.

“I was in complete shock, completely shocked. I never thought they would even consider what he had made. I thought what he had made was pretty impressive and it was a challenge for him. 

“He watched the America’s Cup and it was quite surreal that those people who were actually on the boat, and who have come here — some of them — are interested in what he did. It was a huge accomplishment for him and everyone was just so proud of him and pleased about everything.”