This past Saturday, September 24th marked the 3rd Annual Bart’s Bash Regatta, a local (and global) sailing race which takes place simultaneously at hundreds of venues, with thousands of sailors in hundreds of different classes of boats around the world.
This worldwide sailing event works on the assumption that sailing venues host their races on a specific weekend and Bart’s Bash invites all of them to unite in one colossal global sailing event. It’s open to all sailing clubs, yacht clubs, scout groups, sea cadets, windsurfing clubs, individuals and any venue which can host a race and are inspired to take part.
Bart’s Bash is the day the world goes sailing! It’s also the day the sailing community remembers Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson, a double Olympic medalist who tragically lost his life while training for the Americas cup in 2013 and is an annual fund raising and participation campaign promoted by the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation (ASSF).
The Sint Maarten Yacht Club hosted their annual Bart’s Bash this past weekend (as the weekend before proved to be unsuitable with regards to weather). Four races were raced with four different classes of boats. In the RS Vision class, first place was taken by Alec Scarabelli and Carson Gifford, John Gifford and Luke Bacon placed second and Summer Morton and Cansu Kilic took third.
In the Laser class, Robbie Ferron took first place while Bart van Vliet grabbed second and Lee Hallam took third. In the Optimist class, Emese Würth placed first while Jordan Pieterse grabbed second and brother Justin Pieterse nabbed third.
Arthur Banting, Caii Banting and Ben Scarabelli stole 1st place in the Sint Maarten Yacht Club’s newest addition to their fleet, the newly donated 29er sport boat.
Although there were many noteworthy performances, Emese Wurth placed 2 minutes and 3 seconds ahead of second place Justin Pieterse in the third race of the Optimist fleet and Alec Scarabelli and Carson Gifford took first place in three out of four races, taking second place in the fourth race.
The event was founded in 2014 and was verified By Guinness World Record as The Largest Sailing Race in the World. Sailing venues around the world engaged with the campaign by agreeing to organize a sailing event during the Bart’s Bash period (17th – 18th September 2016).
Bart’s Bash has seen more than 45,000 sailors participate in the event in 62 Countries across the 2 years. 2016 was no different; Bart’s Bash raised over 66,000 Euros so far this year.
“We hope together we can make a difference and help bring sailing to many more people that have not yet been lucky to experience it,” stated Neil Maher, Sint Maarten Yacht Club’s sailing instructor.
More about the Bart’s Bash 2016 Fund raising Campaign:
With the decision being made to remove sailing from the Paralympics, the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation pledges to use the funds raised through Bart’s Bash in 2016 to help promote and develop disabled sailing globally.
The funds raised from the event will be distributed via national sailing federations or through the official ASSF grants process, with the aim to support grassroots disabled sailing projects and make disabled sailing more accessible.
More Information about Bart’s Bash:
More information about the SMYC or to request high res images: smycmanager@gmail.com
