The Anguilla Sailing Association has been given a boost in its efforts to promote the annual yacht regatta which is aimed at attracting more tourists to the island during the lean months of the year.

Presentation of cheque

The assistance is in the form of a donation of US$25,000 announced by Director of Tourism, Amelia Vanterpool-Kubisch, who praised the Association for its work in promoting Anguilla through the yacht regatta.

Chairman of the Anguilla Tourist Board, John Benjamin, commended Peter Parles, Larry Gumbs and others for being the driving force in the Association’s work. “It is a thankless job and nonetheless you are doing a good job,” Benjamin stated. “We are achieving the purpose of getting Anguilla known in the regatta world and we are also getting the publicity internationally from the event. We are also getting the youngsters involved in sailing and thereby continuing the tradition of Anguillians as being seamen and sailors. It is something I must compliment the Association for doing.”

Peter Parles said the Association was working very hard on the fifth Anguilla regatta. He was pleased that the Association was able, after the last regatta, to establish the Anguilla Youth Club. “I agree we are putting Anguilla on the map. We are expecting more boats than we have ever had before – we are hoping for 30 yachts this year,” Parles said. “We are also announcing that we are having two Anguilla traditional boat races.

“On Sunday morning, May 13, we will have a B-class race which will include boats from St. Maarten and in the afternoon we will be having Sir Bobby Valesquez boat race which was won by De Tree last year and which has become a tradition.”

He said the 12-metre yacht race, which in the past only included NBA and CCB over the past four years, was now being expanded to two races with the possibility of a third race. One race will be fought between Temenos and Viceroy on Saturday, May 12.

Parles reported that all the proceeds from the regatta, including the donation from the Tourist Board, were assisting the Association in putting on the regatta and create the sailing programme for the children. He further reported that over 80 children were put through the Anguilla Youth Sailing Programme so far in eleven months. Thirty percent of them have received some kind of financial assistance from the Kevin Barry Scholarship Fund.

He announced that for the first time there would be an exhibition race for children and that the Youth Sailing Club would be purchasing a new fleet of boats. These may include Lasers and Four 20s which are internationally-recognised boats for children and which allow more children to sail together. He acknowledged the receipt of donations from many guests and various companies and individuals on the island towards the boats for the children – not only boys, but girls as well.

“We are looking forward to this,” he concluded. “We have had a lot off interest in this regatta and we are looking for a great wind and three days of sailing.”

Larry Gumbs announced that Dr Tattersall, a well known sailor and medical practitioner in Tortola, would be participating in the Anguilla Yacht Regatta this year. He dropped off his yacht at Road Bay on his way from the Antigua classics to Tortola. He competed in the race in Anguilla twice, missing the last two years.

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