A GRAND FINALE – 41st BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival
Billl Alcott’s STP65 EquationA southeasterly breeze of about 12-15 knots emanating from Dead Chest Island, provided shifty conditions for a tense last day of racing at the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. Today all classes raced in the Sir Francis Drake Channel outside Nanny Cay and there was a lot of traffic to contend with. Probably the most important factor was staying in clear air and spotting the shifts as they whipped over and around the chain of islands on the south side of the Channel.
Regatta Chairman, Bob Phillips has been on the water every day during the regatta and he is rightly proud of the 2012 edition: “Above all, sailors love sailing and the BVI Spring Regatta has an excellent race area. In the present economic climate an entry of 100 boats has got to be seen as a success, especially as we have attracted larger yachts including seven Swans and the STP 65, Equation. However, the BVI Spring Regatta & Festival is not just about the big boats. This year the event celebrates its 41st year and it has always been about providing good racing for a wide variety of people on the race course and great entertainment back on the shore.”
Another day of hot racing in BVI Spring Regatta
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Richard Baldwin’s swan 60, Fenix racing in Class 7 Credit: Todd vanSickle/BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing FestivalDay Two of the BVI Spring Regatta gave competitors the amazing opportunity of experiencing the western extent of the British Virgin Islands. Virtually all racing and cruising classes were sent through The Cut, a narrow gap between Tortola and St. John, whatsmore there were a multitude of downwind starts, resulting in some fantastic action from the get go. As the fleet came up on the wind at Soper’s Hole, the scenery was nothing short of spectacular; Little Thatch and Great Thatch Islands offer some of the most outstanding vistas anywhere in the Caribbean. This amazing scenery was given an out-of-this world experience due to a very close encounter with Paradox, as the giant trimaran cut through the fleet.
Great start to first day of BVI Spring Regatta
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The racing fleet head towards the infamous Dead ChestRacing in the BVI Spring Regatta started on schedule, 15 knots of solid breeze intensified during the morning, peaking at 18 knots to provide some fantastic racing conditions for the opening day of the BVI Spring Regatta. Many classes enjoyed the fantastic vista of the southeasterly face of Salt Island today. With knarled rock formations and spectacular reefs, the windward side of Salt Island is one of the most hauntingly beautiful areas of the BVI.
Class 1 was first away, beating up the Sir Francis Drake Channel heading for Cooper Island. Bill Alcott’s STP65, Equation led the charge, heading in close to Nanny Cay, giving the spectators on the beach a full and frank demonstration of the awesome Mini Maxi. Equation was first to round Cooper Island hoisting their enormous asymmetric spinnaker to spear off downwind in the Caribbean swell. However, around the back of Cooper Island, Equation found a hole in the wind and was slowed for some time. Passion 4C, steered by Admiral’s Cup winner, Stefan Lehnert looked to have got their tactics spot on by choosing the right hand side of the course on the beat, benefiting from less current and corrected out to win Race 1 by two minutes. However, Equation came back with a strong challenge to win the next two races, both by over 7 minutes to lead the class after the first day with Passion 4C, just one point behind in second place.
BVI’s Rathbun wins Gill BVI National Match Racing Championship
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Colin Rathbun and team (Tortola, British Virgin Islands) win the Gill BVI International Match Racing Championship today at the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival Credit: Todd vanSickle Today marked the final day of racing in the Gill BVI Match Racing Championship and the overnight leader, local favourite Colin Rathbun (Tortola, British Virgin Islands) had a real fight on his hands, losing the first two races to set up a fascinating finale with Guy Mossman (South Carolina, USA). The breeze blowing down the channel was gusting up to eighteen knots producing foaming and at times confused seas. It was a day where boat handling was key and Rathbun held his nerve to take an unassailable two-race margin in the final to win the Gill BVI Match Racing Championship.
Blade takes Nanny Cay Cup in Sailing Festival Finale
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Winner of the 2012 Nanny Cay Cup, Michael Shlens’ Farr 400 BladeBig breeze and ocean swell set hearts racing for the competitors in the Nanny Cay Cup. The 22-mile race from Virgin Gorda back to Nanny Cay was an absolute stunner. The 34-boat fleet enjoyed a blasting reach through the foaming waters of The Sir Francis Drake Channel in gorgeous Caribbean sunshine.
However, Peter Aschenbrenner’s 63ft Trimaran, Paradox was given a separate course outside the channel. The giant multihull was searing through the ocean swell, often close to airborne and consistently hitting speeds in excess of 20 knots. Paradox completed their 25-mile course in just one hour and 40 minutes.
Bitter End Cup: line honours for Paradox, Cup to Team Trolly Car
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Line honours for Peter Aschenbrenner’s 63ft Trimaran in the Round Virgin Gorda Race today Credit: BVI Yacht Shots/BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival Racing finally got underway for the BVI Sailing Festival today with a 30 mile race around the beautiful island of Virgin Gorda. A 15-knot easterly breeze with flat water provided awesome sailing conditions for the fleet.
First away was Peter Aschenbrenner’s 63ft Trimaran, Paradox with round the world legend Cam Lewis on board calling tactics. The ballistic multihull was first to finish by some distance, completing the course in an elapsed time of three hours, nine minutes and six seconds, just 13 minutes shy of the course record set by Swan 82, Virago.
BVI’s Rathbun leads Gill BVI National Match Racing Championship after first day
Local sailor, Colin Rathburn (Tortola, BVI) top team – 7 Points
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Colin Rathbun and crew in first day of racing. Photo by Todd VanSickleCrews from seven teams raced in tricky conditions on day one of the Gill BVI Match Racing Championship, an ISAF Grade 3 listed event taking place during the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. Thanks to the support of title sponsor, Gill North America and supporting sponsor, New England Ropes, top teams have been attracted to race the fleet of identical IC-24s based at Nanny Cay.
The match racing, coordinated by the Chicago Match Racing Center, an important sailing institution founded two years ago with the aim of producing top-notch match racing sailors, is taking place for the second year at the Regatta. With back-to-back races close to shore, the teams include internationally respected skippers as well as up-and-coming young match racers, such as US Virgin Islands’ 18 year old Nicole Barnes who is skippering for the first time. The match racing duels were played out on the waters just off the beach at Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI and with the breeze back online, spectators were able to watch the match racing and listen to expert race commentary throughout the day from Denise Holmberg:
Mother Nature Calls the shots – day one of the Sailing Festival
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Competitors wait for wind in the Sir Francis Drake ChannelThere was no racing today, the first day of the BVI Sailing Festival. Principal Race Officer, Dave Brennan postponed the start of the race to Bitter End and indicated to the 48 competing yachts in the starting area to motor up towards Virgin Gorda, to see if the situation would improve. In the vicinity of Ginger Island, there were some signs of a stable wind developing, but it was short lived and racing for the day was called off shortly after 1100.
“Unfortunately the wind has not materialized and there will be no racing today.” Commented Dave Brennan, Principal Race Officer: “The important thing is now to make sure the fleet gets to the Bitter End Yacht Club as every indicator available to us is forecasting that there will be no wind today. However, tomorrow is looking far more promising with possibly 15 knots of breeze, so we hope to get the racing started then, perhaps with a race around Virgin Gorda for the Bitter End Cup.”
Famous Faces at BVI Spring Regatta
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Team Trolly Car Credit: Louay Habib/BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. (Click image to enlarge)The BVI Regatta & Sailing Festival is famed for gorgeous sailing conditions, hot racing and a friendly atmosphere which attracts a large number of competitors with impressive sailing backgrounds. Registration for the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival opened at noon today and a steady stream of noteworthy sailors were enjoying a cold drink at the Regatta Beach Bar at Nanny Cay.
Team Trolly Car, a MarineMax 413 racing in the Bareboat Class aptly captures the true spirit of the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. The team is co-skippered by Peter Stazicker and Bill Petersen: “We have come here all the way from California and our main goal is to have as much fun as possible, but I have to say we do have some excellent sailors on board,” admitted Peter Stazicker. “Bill Petersen is a past Commodore of California Yacht Club and was also the mainsheet trimmer for Stars & Stripes in the victorious 1987 America’s Cup. His son, Willy Petersen has graduated from the University of Hawaii, where he was a prominent member of the sailing team. Of course we want to do well but above all we want to have a good time, that is the reason for coming to the British Virgin Islands.”