The 2016 Back to School Regatta presented by Cedar International School took place over the weekend of 17-18 September with 45 entries racing in five classes. It was an excellent weekend for Team BVI with a total of 24 home team entries and overall victory in five of the seven divisions.
Competitors from Antigua, Puerto Rico and the USVI joined BVI sailors at the Youth Sailing Centre in Nanny Cay for the 2016 edition of the regatta. Saturday delivered a glamour day on the water but Sunday was not so kind with thunderstorms and rain bringing blustery conditions before the wind turned off altogether, forcing an end to racing.
The Optimist Championship fleet saw 23 sailors racing hard for the overall prize and their red, blue and white division awards.
It was a full house of bullets for Mia Nicolosi (ISV), taking the overall win for the second consecutive year. With overall honours she also took the red fleet win. Rayne Duff and Nathan Haycraft were tied for second overall after Saturday’s racing so the pressure was on for the two BVI sailors on Sunday. Haycraft finished the only race sailed in 5th place ahead of Duff and with no further races completed he took second overall and the blue fleet win.
Sixth for Duff in Sunday’s race was enough to hold third overall and second in the red fleet with Julian van den Driessche (ISV) taking third. ISV sailors Caroline Sibilly and Winborne Majette took second and third in the blue fleet.
The white fleet, the youngest age category for sailors 10 and younger, was won by Ryan Lettsome (IVB) ahead of Tanner Krygsveld and Robert Richards, both representing St Thomas Yacht Club.
In the Optimist Green fleet eight BVI sailors raced for the honours completing 13 races over the two days. Samuel Allen was first overall after taking a clean sweep of first place finishes. Congratulations to all of them, particularly those who raced in their very first green fleet regatta – Kael Chalwell, Victoria Rowlette, Sophia Jara, Antonio Cisnero, Martha Killourhy, Amanda Plaxton and Felix Thorp.
The new BVI Laser fleet completed seven races with two classes in action. In the Laser 4.7, the honours went to visiting sailor Mateo di Blasi from the US Virgin Islands. Second place was claimed by Noah George, who made the switch from Optimist green fleet to the Laser just this season, followed by Stephen Ganga in third.
Five sailors fought for the Laser Radial honours and it was tight at the top. Tied after the first day of racing, Jerome Parkins and Stephon Ganga were both counting three first place finishes and two second place finishes so it was all on for Sunday. With just one race sailed it was Parkins who came out on top after taking the win in race seven. Alex Rambarose came in third with consistent third and second place finishes throughout the weekend.
Five IC24s also took to the race course with Latitude 18 skippered by Colin Rathbun taking the win with an impressive scoreline of seven bullets and a discarded third. The only boat to take a win from Latitude was Richard Wooldridge on RIP and they finished second overall ahead of Graeme Maccallum’s team on Intac.
Thank you to presenting sponsor Cedar International School, our hosts and youth sailing partner Nanny Cay Hotel and Marina and all of our supporters.
Thank you to all the sailors, coaches and support teams who took part and last by not least the many volunteers who gave up their time to help make the weekend a success.
