Friday 30 March, 2012
THRILLS & SPILLS
DAY 1 - BVI SPRING REGATTA & SAILING FESTIVAL
Louay Habib
Racing 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.
Richard Wesslund's Class 3 J/120, El Ocaso racing off Salt Island Credit: Todd vanSickle/BVI
Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival
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.
In Class 2, there was an intense battle with three boats scoring wins today. Doug
Baker's Farr 400 VI400 Magnitude is the class leader after three races, but only
on count back from their nemesis Michael Shlens' Farr 400 Blade. Willem Wester's
Dutch Grand Soleil 46, Antilope won the first race of the day, making significant
gains on the beat up to Salt Island, but Trinidadian Reichel Pugh 37, Peake Yacht
Services Slippery, corrected out to win Race 2 by just 29 seconds from Blade. Magnitude
won the last race of the day by some margin to take the class lead, but a solitary
point separates the top four boats.
The two Farr 400s had a tremendous battle today, especially during the first race
around the back of Salt Island. They hoisted spinnakers almost instantaneously and
Blade stayed high, attempting to steal Magnitude's breeze. With a gybe to finish
imminent, Magnitude were being hustled by Blade but pulled off the maneuver expertly
to hold on to beat their rivals by just 23 seconds. These two ballistic yachts are
expected to match race all week; electrifying stuff.
In Class 3, Richard Wesslund's J/120, El Ocaso had a very successful day on the
water, winning two races and coming third in the last race of the day to lead the
class by a three point margin. There was a bad start to the regatta for First 40,
Smile and Wave steered by Jaime Torres, which was called OCS on the first start,
but the Puerto Rican yacht staged a fantastic comeback to take second place in
the race. Third after the first day's racing is another Puerto Rican yacht, Luis
Juarbe's Henderson 30, Soca that planed down the run in the last race of the day
to score a bullet, securing the third podium spot.
Class 5 is a very competitive class, but today Ian Hope-Ross' First 36.7 Kick 'em
Jenny has all the bragging rights, winning both of today's races. Right from the
start it became clear that a battle royale is on the cards between several local
boats, whose crews have known these magnificent sailing grounds for many years.
Kick 'em Jenny, Ian Hope-Ross' Beneteau First 36.7
Todd vanSickle BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival
For the first start of the day, virtually the entire class was jostling for position
at the Committee Boat end of the line in an attempt to control the favoured right
hand side of the course. Peter Haycraft's Sirena 38, Pipedream judged the line to
perfection, hitting the line with height and speed, but Pipedream was not the only
one to nail the start line. Kevin Rowlette's Olson 30, Rushin' Rowlette and Ian
Hope-Ross' First 36.7 Kick'em Jenny got away well. Lawrence Aqui's Dufour 40, Wild
T'ing enjoyed the beat better than most. Rounding Salt Island the local knowledge
really paid off with all the local boats happily sailing closer to the jagged shoreline.
Amongst the local boats, Puerto Rican First 35, Bonne Chance, steered by Bernado
Gonzalez, was also going well and J/27 MAG 7 was very much in contention. MAG 7
is one of the smallest boats in the regatta but she is in magnificent condition,
a tribute to the TLC of her owner, Paul Davis.
In Class 7, Herny van Melle J/46, Jent had an outstanding day, winning both of today's
races, but the Dutch team was pushed all the way. In Race 1, Jent won by just 40
seconds from Andy Middleton's First 47.7, Global Yacht Racing and the second race
was even closer. Jent secured the win from Stephen Schmidt's Santa Cruz 70, Hotel
California Too by just 13 seconds. Jent are the overnight leaders with Global Yacht
Racing second. Christian Reynolds Swan 51, Northern Child is in third place, thanks
in part to a great recovery from a horror spinnaker hoist. It all went wrong for
Northern Child around the back of Salt Island in Race 1. The spinnaker ended up
dragging behind the boat but the crew jumped into action quickly rectifying the
problem and making a great recovery.
Class 8 produced two close races today between two vintage J Boats. Boston (USA)
owner, Thomas Mullen's Shamrock VII won the first race of the day by under a minute,
but St.Croix's Antonio Sanpere came back to win the second race with Cayennita Grande,
by just 16 seconds. These two yachts tied for first in Class for the Nanny Cay Cup
this week, a close battle is bound to resume tomorrow.
In Class 9, Keith Smith LiGreci is all smiles this afternoon, his Jeanneau Sun Odyssey
40, Girasoli took third place in the a close encounter for the first race of the
day, but an emphatic win in the last race puts Girasoli top of the leader board.
Bill Bailey's Hughes 38, Second Nature had a consistent day scoring two second place
finishes to claim second place, but only by count back. Jon Charlton & Claude Bonanni's
C&C 41, Team Red Stripe are third in the class overnight, but Class 9 also produced
one of the most spectacular sights of the day, two of the crew sporting bikinis
on board Salt.
Keith Smith LiGreci's Girasoli, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40 is top of the leader board
in Class 9
In Bareboat 1, Christine Joseph's Beneteau 50, Sexy and We Know It, chartered from
The Moorings, will be celebrating tonight having won both of today's races. John
Messersmith's Beneteau 473, If By Sea, is second overnight with Nanny Cay Cup Class
winner, Tijmen van Elst's BK Grondlogistiek taking third in class.
Bareboat fleet start on day one of the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival
In Bareboat 2, Neil Harvey's Acadia has some talented sailors on board and it was
evident today with two straight bullets, but a young man was spotted driving today.
Justin Putsley is just 13 years old and he was at the wheel of the Dufour 425 grinning
from ear to ear. Jason is used to winning, he was the bowman on the winning IC24
in yesterday's Gill BVI Match Racing Championship. And he has won a string of Optimist
Regattas. Avalon Racing and Team Trolly Car share 5 points each and are in joint
second place.
Acadia, Burt Keenan/Neil Harvey's Dufour 425
Todd vanSickle BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival
The IC24s enjoyed some great boat-to-boat combat today, right in front of Nanny
Cay Marina. Battling out six races, Frits Bus' Coors Light leads the class by just
two points from David Irwin's, Grey Ghost, with Andrew Waters' Conch-Querer in third
overall.
Tonight, VIPs will enjoy a cocktail reception hosted at Governor's House, as guests
of the Governor Boyd McCleary of the British Virgin Islands and Mrs Jenny McCleary.
The grand occasion is to celebrate the start of the BVI Spring Regatta where Director,
Judy Petz will accept on behalf of the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival, a
Gold Certificate for green initiatives at the regatta from Sailors for the Sea.
Meanwhile, in the Regatta Village, Nanny Cay Marina, competitors are set for a night
of music from Third Dimension and Eric Stone and probably a few drinks courtesy
of Gold Sponsors, Mount Gay Rum and Heineken.
Bikini-clad Ladies on Salt, Briian Harrison's Class 9 entry
Racing at the BVI Spring Regatta is set to resume at tomorrow at 1000. Weather forecasts
are predicting possibly more breeze with waves across the wind direction, kicking
up some waves to surf down in the beautiful sailors playground; the British Virgin
Islands.
For more information about the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival go to: www.bvispringregatta.org
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