Winner of the largest class, CSA One, was Kick em Jenny who won every race where they got to the starting line on time (race two and three) Team Island Water World 1 just squeezed into second place after having been beaten by Island Water World 2 in two of the three races.
Third place went to FKG which had the same points as Island Water World 1 but lacked a first place to break the tie. The general impression was that the light sports boats were quicker in the lighter wind than the heavier larger boats like Dauntless, L’Esperance and Jaguar.
Team Island Water World 2 was seen on the starting line with their Melges 24, practicing for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, where they will sail as a youth team, set up by the Sint Maarten Yacht Club Sailing School program and The Maritime School of the West Indies, captained by Racing Coach Sam Peeks.
In CSA two IGY Racing swept all first places followed by Bunglebird and Jordan Pieterse on Miss Tyknight.
In the multihull/Diam 24 class Pierre Alter took all the first places and Arthur Banting in Merlin came second, Eric Clement on Karibuni came third.
Conspicuous on the race course were two vessels that have been scarce for some time. The one time Heineken Regatta winner L’Esperance sailed and owned by Bobby Velasquez had not participated in races since before Irma and was “remodeled”. She took a fourth in the first race.
Also seen was a splendid and serious looking “Jaguar” sailed by Ben Jelic which has over time been upgraded in various fundamental ways including the keel.
The Heineken Regatta warm up is the third event of the five that make up the Sint Maarten Yacht Clubs Grant Thornton Season Championship. The event is intended to optimize the chances of local boats preforming well in the islands premiere regatta which takes place next week and has attracted an entry of 11 yachts.
Results can be found online.
