L to R: Ian Barrows, Alex Coyle, Alec Tayler, Kyle Brego, Nikki Barnes, Colin Brego

Young Virgin Islands sailors excelled at the 37th Annual Orange Bowl Youth Regatta, sailed out of the Coral Reef Yacht Club, Coral Gables, Florida, December 26 to 30.

Nikole "Nikki" Barnes, from St. Thomas, earned 6th overall in the 203 boat Advanced Optimist fleet, placed Top Girl and 5th in the 13- to 15-year old Red Fleet.

Ian Barrows, of St. Thomas, placed 7th overall in Advanced Optimist and 2nd in the 11-12 year old Blue Fleet.

Also in the Optimist Advanced Fleet, Alexander Coyle, of St. John, finished 13th Overall and 10th in the Red Fleet, Alec Tayler of St. Thomas finished 21st Overall and 5th in the Blue Fleet, Billy Gibbons of St. Croix ended 56th and Kyle Brego of St. John finished 65th.

St. John's Colin Brego finished 13th in the beginner Green optimist class.

In other classes, Mayumi Roller and Max Nickbarg, both of St. John, finished 17th and 26th, respectively, in the 138-boat Laser Radial class.

A total of 680 sailors, age 8 to 18, from 17 countries and 28 states competed in Optimists, Lasers, and 420s.

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