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St Maarten
Wind Shifts Commandeer the North Sails Regatta
The ever changing winds on the weekend of June 18 and 19 created a challenge for competitors during the 8th annual North Sails Caribbean One Design Keelboat Championships. With twelve teams competing for first place the competition was intense, and in the end the point difference between first and second place was only 0.7. A total of eighteen races were sailed over the course of two days with a one pool format, with twelve teams competing in eight boats thus allowing four teams to take a break in between races. Both regatta organizers and the main sponsor were thrilled with this weekend's results, and according to Ernst Looser, owner of Tropical Sail Loft, agent for North Sails St.Maarten, "It went very well, very enjoyable as the racing was closer than normal. North Sails is proud to be part of such high quality event with much credit going to the volunteers, especially Cary with organizing the event and Race Officer Andrew Rapley's excellent work, which kept all competitors happy".
Jul 1, 2009, 15:55 PST
ABC's
Klein Curacao Challenge
Sometimes young kids have big dreams and want to challenge themselves. Nine Optimist sailors between the ages of eleven and fifteen challenged themselves to sail in 2.5 meter Optimist from 'Klein Curacao' to Curacao, a 30 km crossing on open sea with high waves and strong winds. On Saturday 13 June, the young sailors and their boats embarked the motor vessel 'Mermaid' and set off to the remote island of Klein Curacao. Why did they want to challenge themselves? First of all to make the population more aware that around Curacao, a small island within the Netherlands Antilles, there is splendid water which should be used to the fullest. Secondly, to show that children are able to do more things than one frequently thinks. Third, for training for the Optinam 200, with an emphasis on the down wind technique; and finally to raise money to participate in the North American Optimist Championships, the OPTINAM 2009 in the Dominican Republic.
Jul 1, 2009, 15:29 PST
USVI
USA's Axel Sly Wins 2009 Scotiabank International Optimist Regatta
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| The USA's Alex Sly, 2009 Scotiabank International Optimist Regatta winner. | Good starts and consistent scores did the trick for fifteen-year-old Axel Sly, from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, who won the 17th annual Scotiabank International Optimist Regatta, held out of the St. Thomas Yacht Club, U.S. Virgin Islands, June 19 to 21. "I just waited until the end to do something," said Sly. That 'something' was a come-from-behind win when Sly poured on the boat speed after fellow USA sailor, Christopher Williford, the top place competitor going into the last race started that race too early and lost valuable time on the required restart.
Jun 21, 2009, 23:01 PST
USVI
Team US Virgin Islands Wins 2009 Sea Star Team Racing Championship and Over 80 Sailors Ready for Scotiabank International Optimist Regatta
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| Regatta sailors in front of the St. Thomas Yacht Club. | Thirteen teams - of four junior sailors each - took to the seas off St. Thomas' east end to compete in the 2009 Sea Star Team Racing Championships. At the end of the day, it was Team U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) that emerged victorious. Team Puerto Rico and Team USA finished second and third, respectively.
Jun 19, 2009, 07:48 PST
St Lucia
Coming down to the wire, Sweeney Takes the St. Lucia National Optimist Sailing Title
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| Young Opti sailors race under stormy conditions. | Saturday 13th June, thirteen of St. Lucia's top junior sailors battled it out in the St. Lucia Optimist Championships. The young sailors took to the stormy seas in Rodney Bay to demonstrate the racing skills they had learned through the Youth Sailing Programme sponsored by the St. Lucia Yacht Club from coaches Rob Hemming, Chris Lowe & Katie Yeo. The morning schedule was for three races; driving rain with variable winds up to 20 knots made for some tough conditions but the juniors persevered. In the end, the weather cleared, the winds settled and six races were run. After a hard fought battle, Marcus Sweeney took the overall first place.
Jun 19, 2009, 07:42 PST
BVI
Another First for BVI Spring Regatta
Green, the color of the ecology movement, is the 'in' color and there's hope that this is not just a passing fad but rather signifies a long-term change in lifestyles for many throughout the world. Regardless of the fact that the BVI has no pump-out stations, the BVI Spring Regatta has creatively embraced the concept and in 2008 made some inroads by recycling glass and plastic. Then, in 2009, the event went well beyond the initial steps taken in 2008 and made a full-fledged commitment to the cause. With Jane Bakewell, long time BVI resident, writer and conservation enthusiast leading the way, the 'Sailing Towards Clean and Green' campaign was mounted. These efforts were so remarkable that Sailors for the Sea, an organization committed to protecting the oceans and sponsors of the Clean Regattas Certification Program, awarded the 2009 BVI Spring Regatta the first Silver certificate to ever be awarded to any regatta.
Jun 10, 2009, 15:16 PST
USVI
USVI's Barrows Keeps Yale in The Hunt at the 2009 ICSA/GILL National Championship
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| Thomas Barrows with crew Marla Menniger dominate their division after two days of racing at the 2009 ICSA/Gill National Championship. | While there was only a slight improvement in the air temperature at the 2009 ICSA/GILL National Championship, the competition certainly heated up on day two of racing for this championship title. After eight races were sailed by both A- and B-Division on day one, St. Mary's College (St. Mary's, Md.) had ascended to the top of the leader-board with a 27-point cushion over second-placed Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.). Over the course of the six races sailed by each division today, the overall lead made a dizzying swing back and forth between St. Mary's and Yale University (New Haven, Conn.) before settling back on St. Mary's.
Jun 3, 2009, 10:37 PST
USVI
St. Thomas/Yale Sailor Thomas Barrows at College Nationals, St. Mary's Take the Early Lead
Not only is getting to the ICSA/GILL National Championship an achievement in itself - most recently the 18 competing schools had to make it through the semi-final round held in May in Boston - the race for the most coveted title in college sailing is the highlight of these sailor's school year, and, in many cases, their college sailing career. So the fleet jumping the gun and effecting a general recall at the start of racing today could be chalked up to nerves, aggression, or just the excitement of getting the show underway. Under cloudy skies, racers who over-adjusted their strategy for the lighter than expected and shifty conditions earned attention from the judges who doled out penalties for kinetics, while three protests resulted in three DSQs (disqualifications) on day one of this three-day championship event.
Jun 2, 2009, 10:56 PST
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