Me too. Very nicely written Howard, well said. (Only, I guess we would say "ladies and gentlemen" these days).
As far as I can recall (being enthralled as a young lad in 1960 when the first solo trans-Atalantic race took place, and reading all the subsequent accounts of that first race), they did compete for a prize - it was just half a crown (a token - 25c in today's money). Also there was one 40' boat and the rest, just four if I remember) were much smaller, so there is a precendent for all of that too.
Right from the start the tone of friendly participation was set, with a slight reservation regarding Chichester (who had the 40 footer, and of course, won) - I can't remember if it was Lewis or Howell who wrote later that they all got together before the race and swapped notes regarding the routes they would take. According to that recollection, all except Chichester, who listened to all the others but kept his own plans to himself, giving the narrator, in exchange, a map of London to take home. Evidently nobody minded too much who won, or how - and I think from memory that is the occasion when Hasler boasted of crossing the Atlantic without having to get wet, and or even to remove his carpet slippers (or something to that effect). I've lost all my old books now, maybe someone can correct me. Anyway, the spirit of the "contest" goes right back to 1960 when it started. I don't know if Chichester ever got his half crown. The whole thing was a very radical idea in those days - dreamed up by Hasler if I recall correctly.