Thursday 29 March, 2012
NANNY CAY CUP - BLAST REACH TO TORTOLA
BVI SPRING REGATTA & SAILING FESTIVAL
Louay Habib
Winner of the 2012 Nanny Cay Cup, Michael Shlens Farr 400 Blade
Big breeze and ocean swell set hearts racing for the competitors in the Nanny Cay
Cup. The 22-mile race from Virgin Gorda to Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola 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.
In the Racing Class, Michael Shlens Farr 400, Blade, cut through the surf with precision
to beat sistership, Doug Baker's Magnitude, by over four minutes. Blade took the
corrected time win in the Racing Class with Blade in second place. Third was Bill
Alcott's STP 65, Equation which was the first monohull home by a significant margin.
Blade had world-class tactician, Dee Smith on board.
"The Farr 400 just loves these conditions," commented Dee. "The all carbon structure
means that Blade gets on the plane easily and the reach through the channel was
a real joy. So far 10, Farr400s have been built and they are spread out all over
the world, but it would be great to have a full class enjoying these fabulous conditions."
There was high drama in the Cruising Class with a tie for first place on corrected
time. BVI skipper, Antonio Sanpere with a crew from the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron
is racing his J36, Cayennita Grande. The local boat corrected out to exactly the
same time as Shamrock VII owned by Boston sailor, Thomas Mullen. However, Shamrock
VII and Alan Fougere's J/160 Avatar results are subject to a protest hearing.
In the Bareboat Class, Leonard Nekeman's, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44i, Lucky Dutch
took line honours by some margin. Neil Harvey's Dufour 425, Acadia was next to finish
but only a single second ahead of Hans Schrederhof's Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44i. The
rest of the fleet were not far behind; a ball of boats competing for places meant
that the entire chasing pack finished within minutes of each other. After time correction,
the winner was actually the last boat to finish, Peter Rutkowski's Beneteau Oceanis
361, Perelandra. Bill Petersen and Peter Stazicker's Team Trolly Car were just 10
seconds off the winning time in second place from Neil Harvey's Acadia, which claimed
third.
Tonight the official Opening Party for the 41st BVI Spring Regatta took place and
Michael Shlens Farr 400, Blade was awarded the Nanny Cay Cup for their outstanding
performance in the Racing Division, especially by beating another one design Farr
400 by a significant margin but also for correcting out ahead of STP65, Equation,
which is significantly larger that the 38 foot Farr 40.
For more information about the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival go to: www.bvispringregatta.org
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