Ten boats lined up on Saturday for the 2021 edition of the Nanny Cay Round Tortola Race. 12 to 15 knots of breeze, sunshine and the odd shower to cool things down made for perfect sailing conditions!
Beating up the channel the fleet turned left at Beef Island, took the inside line to leave Scrub, Great Camanoe and Guana Island to starboard, enjoyed glamour downwind conditions along the North Shore and returned back upwind to finish off Nanny Cay. The cruising fleet were first away at 09:05 with Laurens Blok’s Sequitur getting the best start (although Dr Tattersall rightly maintains that 2 seconds off the line is late!). The five trimarans set off an hour later at 10:05.
Line honours went to the largest of the trimarans, Mark Sanders’ Island Hops, completing their circumnavigation in 3 hours 49 minutes and 56 seconds. Just under 7 minutes later Chris Haycraft brought Ting a Ling across the line which was enough to give him the overall win and his name on the trophy. Racing with Chris on Ting a Ling were Mike Hirst, Mark Stephenson and Stuart Graves.
Barney Crook with Airgasm came in third, fourth was The Flying Pig helmed by Gilbo Simpson and Gerard Kraakman’s Whoop Whoop, who took the long way around, came in fifth.
Four of the five boats in the earlier start completed the race but Kanga, skippered by Michael Ryan retired – the Soper’s Hole based boat did complete their own circumnavigation but we can’t give them a time!. First home was IC24 Racing in Paradise helmed by Aaron Gardner with Will Rand, Julia Campbell and RBVIYC youth race team member Savion James on board. With an elapsed time of five hours, 32 minutes and 42 seconds it was a waiting game to see if that was enough against the slower boats behind them.
Next to finish were the Yacht Club’s ladies sailing class team. Fresh from their dinghy lessons, a Beneteau 45 was a significantly different challenge but one they definitely rose to! Skippered by Meagan Woodman, every student took a turn at the helm and developed some slick teamwork through the course of the day under the guidance of their coaches. Second overall went to Ted Reshitloff’s Happiness and his Team B+G crew and Laurens Blok’s Sequitur taking third overall.
Results
Corsair Trimarans
1. Ting a Ling – Chris Haycraft
2. Island Hops – Mark Sanders
3. Airgasm – Barney Crook
4. The Flying Pig – Gilbo Simpson
5. Whoop Whoop – Gerard Kraakman
Cruising
1. RIP – Aaron Gardner
2. Happiness – Ted Reshetiloff
3. Sequitur – Robin Tattersall
4. Ladies Sailing – Meagan Woodman
5. Kanga – Michael Ryan (RTD)
There were no official entries in the Nanny Cay Challenge this year but maybe next time!
The Nanny Cay Challenge was launched in 2010 when yachts visiting the BVI were invited to make an attempt to beat the latest Round Tortola Records. The NCC can be attempted any-time any-day but must start and finish off Nanny Cay, circumnavigate in an anti-clockwise direction and leave Beef Island, Scrub Island, Great Camanoe and Guana Island to port.
During the 2019 BVI Spring Regatta the monohull and multihull records were both smashed. Bieker 53 Catamaran, Fujin posted an elapsed time of 1:57:16 whilst E1 the Volvo 70 skippered by Rafal Sawicki set a new monohull record of 2:53:08
Record breakers will receive a free dinner for up to 15 crewmembers and champagne at the beach side Peg Legs compliments of Nanny Cay. They will also have their names added to the perpetual trophy.
Challengers must pay an entry fee of $250 which is donated to a BVI charity of the challenger’s choice.
Find out more about the Nanny Cay Challenge at: https://nannycay.com/nanny-cay-challenge/
Current Records
Outright & Multihull: Fujin, Beiker 53, Greg Slyngstad – 27 March 2019 – 1 hours, 57 minutes & 16 seconds.
Monohull: E1, Volvo 70, Rafal Sawicki – 27 March 2019 – 2 hours, 53 minutes & 08 seconds.
Kiteboarding: Mike Hirst – 18 January 2019 – 2 hours, 14 minutes and 54 seconds
