USVI
Brisk winds and seas created challenges for sailors competing in the 16th annual St. Croix International Regatta - the kick-off event for the 2009 Cape Air Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle (C.O.R.T.) Series - but it also brought out the best in those who came to race and win.
"It's a big plus for St. Croix to be the first race of the Cape Air C.O.R.T. Series," says regatta director, Julie San Martin, of the February 20 to 22 event. "We're the shake down and crew training regatta."
Devil 3, a Melges 24 sailed by the Stanton brothers - Chris, Peter and Scott - of St. Croix, leads the Spinnaker A class for this first leg of the Cape Air C.O.R.T. series, taking six first-place bullets in seven races. "Everyone working hard is one of our keys to success," says Peter Stanton. "You can't expect to win without putting out more effort then the next guy. That is especially true in the Melges 24. Morgan Dale's crew on Boogaloo, even though they only beat us one race, were pressing every race. They never allowed us to ease up."
As for the Cape Air C.O.R.T. Series, Stanton says, "I enjoy the Series because of it being a series. You have three different regattas with three different venues and three different weekends of sailing."
In Spinnaker B, St. Thomas' Chris Thompson, at the helm of his J/27, J-Walker, edged a two-point lead over St. Thomas' John Foster's Kirby 25, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, to win the class. "We've had essentially the same crew for two years now, so that's a plus," says Thompson. "We're looking forward to racing in each of the Cape Air C.O.R.T. Series regattas like we did last season."
The BVI's Peter Haycraft, driving his Sirena 38, Pipedream, leads the Series' Racer-Cruiser class. Haycraft's son and crew, Chris Haycraft, says about Cape Air C.O.R.T., "the different regattas offer a variety of sailing conditions and courses, whilst at the same time it is the same crews visiting all the different islands that makes for a very challenging series sailing against friends."
Finally, in the Jib & Main class, St. Croix's Tony Sanpere leads aboard his J/36, Cayennita Grande. "I really owe my success to a friend, Bob Moya, who taught me to always have the boat ready to race."
About the Series, Sanpere adds, "Cape Air C.O.R.T. brings together racers that otherwise would not compete against each other except at individual regattas. It is not always the same boats at each regatta since not all participants enter all three events. However, there are competitors that make plans to do all three C.O.R.T. events and no others."
Mother Nature's bluster did prevent some wanna-be Cape Air C.O.R.T. entrants from registering and sailing in St. Croix. However, eleven boats did sign up for the trio of races that continues with the Culebra Heineken International Regatta, March 20-22, and concludes with the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival April 3 to 5.
"We will have registration for the Cape Air C.O.R.T. Series at the Culebra Heineken International Regatta, " says Angel Ayala, Cape Air C.O.R.T. organizer and director of the Culebra Heineken International Regatta. "I think we'll ultimately see as many boats or more than last year."
One of the big attractions for Cape Air C.O.R.T. entry is the chance to win a pair of round-trip tickets aboard Cape Air. These were raffled off in St. Croix, and the same will be done at the Culebra Heineken International Regatta and the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. In addition, at the Series conclusion in the BVI, additional round-trip tickets for two will be awarded to the first place finisher in each of the six Cape Air C.O.R.T. Series Classes: Spinnaker Racing I, Spinnaker Racing II, Racer Cruiser, IC24, Jib & Main and Beach Cats. First, second and third place boats in each of the classes will receive $100, $75 and $50 gift certificates, respectively, from West Marine. The first place finisher in each class will also receive foul weather gear.
For more information, visit www.sailcort.com
2009 CAPE AIR C.O.R.T. RESULTS - AS OF LEG 1/ST. CROIX INTERNATIONAL REGATTA
Spinnaker A
1. Devil 3, Chris Stanton, St. Croix, USVI (8)
2. Boogaloo (Silver), Morgan Dale, St. Croix, USVI (17)
3. Bad Girl, Robert Armstrong, St. Croix, USVI (18)
Spinnaker B
1. J-Walker, Chris Thompson, St. Thomas, USVI (16)
2. Good Bad and Ugly, John Foster, St. Thomas, USVI (18)
3. Sun Bum II, Angel Ayala, Puerto Rico (24)
Racer Cruiser
1. Pipedream, Peter Haycraft, BVI (19)
Jib & Main
1. Cayennita Grande, Tony Sanpere, St. Croix, USVI (9)
2. Hotel California, Steve Schmidt, St. John, USVI (12.5)
3. El Presidente, Jeff Fangman, St. Croix, USVI (17.5)
4. Mary Ellen, Howard Silverman, St. Croix, USVI (34)
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