The Royal BVI Yacht Club hosted the 2015 BVI Dinghy Championships at Nanny Cay on 16 and 17 May.

Racing took place on the Sir Francis Drake Channel just off Nanny Cay. BVI Sailors were joined by sailors from St Croix, St John and St Thomas; there were 52 dinghies out on the water. The wind was light and shifty requiring more skill and patience from the young sailors.

The main sailing course had the Optimist Championship Fleet, Club 420, Laser Radial and Laser Standard fleets competing. The second course was the Optimist Green Fleet (Novice racers) which had 24 boats – the largest number the event has had in Green fleet. Last year there were just six boats. The Green Fleet completed 14 races over the two days.

Nanny Cay's general manager Miles Sutherland Pilch launches his son!

Nanny Cay’s general manager Miles Sutherland Pilch launches his son!

The light winds suited Mia Nicolosi from St Thomas who had three bullets coming first in Blue Fleet and first overall. This was the first time she had beaten her brother Teddy and Rayne Duff.

“It felt good to have beaten them rather than them always beating me,” Mia said.

There were nine boats in the Laser fleet split into Radial and Full rigs. Sam Morrell won the Radial class with Colin Rathbun winning the Full Class.

The BVI Dinghy Championships is also the third and final event of the VI Triple Crown which includes VIODA in St Thomas and the Cruzan Open in St Croix. The overall winner was the BVI’s Rayne Duff with Julian van den Driessche from St Thomas second and Lake Sanford form St Croix third.

The event was sponsored by Hellmann’s, Road Town Wholesale Trading, Nanny Cay and Moorings.

More on-the-water photos from Todd VanSickle on Facebook here

2015 BVI Dinghy Championship Results

Optimist White Fleet

1st Nathan Haycraft – BVI

2nd Caroline Sibilly – St Thomas

Optimist Blue Fleet

1st Mia Nicolosi – St Thomas

2nd Rayne Duff – BVI

3rd Mateo Di Blasi – St Thomas

Optimist Red Fleet

1st Teddy Nicolosi – St Thomas

2nd Victoria Flatley – St Thomas

3rd Julian van den Driessche – St Thomas

Optimist Overall Results

1st Mia Nicolosi – St Thomas

2nd Teddy Nicolosi – St Thomas

3rd Rayne Duff – BVI

Club 420

1st Ethan Hanley – St Croix

2nd Sarah Hardee – St Croix

Laser Radial

1st Sam Morrell – BVI

2nd Thad Lettsome – BVI

3rd Jason Putley – BVI

Laser Standard

1st Colin Rathbun – BVI

2nd Mark van den Driessche – BVI

 

For full results please see Regatta Network.