The Fifth Annual Anguilla Regatta was held on May 11, 12 and 13 and saw 28 boats competing for great prizes and having fun over a windy and beautiful three days. The winds were good and the sailing was great as many boats, from neighbouring islands as well as Anguilla, sailed in 11 races over the long weekend.

Presentation of model yacht to CCB’s Team

Five classes of yachts raced each day including Spinnaker 1, Spinnaker 2, Non-Spinnaker, Open and Multihull. There were three 12 Metre Challenges and two local Anguillian Boat Races. A great time was had by all and the organizers report a great event overall.

Members of the Youth Sailing Club

Anguilla posted a great showing with two locally owned yachts taking first in their classes. Juluca, owned and sailed by Steve Donahue of West End, took the first prize overall in the Open Class and Charm III, owned and sailed by Richard West of Sandy Ground, grabbed the overall first prize for the Non-Spinnaker Class. Spinnaker 1 was won by Frits Bus of St. Maarten sailing Carib HiHo and Spinnaker 2 was won by Sir Bobby Velasquez, also of St. Maarten, sailing on L’Esperance. There was no overall winner in the Multihull class as there were only two boats competing in the class and one, Harel Yacht Brokers, skippered by Herve Harel, was damaged on the second day of racing and the other, The Spirit of St. Kitts, was a late entry and could not be considered as she did not complete all of the races.

Saturday, May 12th saw the much anticipated 12 Metre Challenges take place with a new race filling the morning racing slot. Temenos/St. Regis, sailing on Stars & Stripes, took on Viceroy who sailed aboard True North IV for the first ever West End Cup. These boats are the actual yachts used in the 1987 America’s Cup and both teams showed great excitement as they climbed aboard and prepared to race on the “Beach Jam Course” which saw the boats leave Road Bay and to a mark in Mead’s Bay, travel around the foot of the island and up into Maunday’s Bay at Cap Juluca Hotel and then onto Rendezvous Bay at Cuisinart Resort & Spa. The boats then turned around and sailed back to Road Bay to finish. The winner of the first annual West End Cup was Temenos/St. Regis and the pride and excitement ensured that they will be back again next year to defend the Cup.

NBA’s Team sailing “Stars & Stripes”

The fifth annual Battle of the Banks 12 Metre Race was contested on Saturday afternoon and the National Bank of Anguilla and Caribbean Commercial Bank were ready for this tie breaking race with each bank having won two races each in previous regattas. Last year’s winner, CCB, sailed on board True North IV, while the challenger, NBA, sailed Stars & Stripes. The race went back and forth as the boats fought their way along the Beach Jam Course and there was great wind as the boats went around the foot of the land. In the end it was True North IV and CCB repeating last year’s victory for the first time ever and beating NBA on Stars & Stripes by more than two minutes.

CCB’s Team aboard “True North”

An unprecedented, third 12 Metre Challenge occurred on Sunday morning and saw the development group from Shoal Bay take on a combined team made up of the staffs of The Pumphouse and Straw Hat Restaurant. The restaurant team sailed on True North IV while Shoal Bay manned the sails of Stars & Stripes. This race took place on the Prickly Pear Course and, with good wind, the boats made it over the start line and into Crocus Bay in no time. The downwind sail from Crocus Bay out to Prickly Pear saw the two yachts fighting for position and had True North IV rounding the mark well before Stars & Stripes. On the way to the next mark – just west of Anguillita – Stars & Stripes broke ahead and the combined restaurant team could never catch up. Stars & Stripes and Shoal Bay won the race handily by more than four minutes.

Sunday also saw two Local Anguilla Boat Races with the “B-Class” boats going out at 12:00 and the “A-Class” boats leaving the beach at 2:00. The “B-Class” boats only had two participants but it made for an exciting “stem to stem” race that saw Storm take on Magician head to head. Although it was a short race, there was plenty of excitement as the boats stayed in close proximity for the length of the race. In the end, Magician crossed the line first and won the first ever “B-Class” Boat Race during the Anguilla Regatta. Both boats received gift certificates to Budget Marine which were sponsored by Sir Bobby Velasquez of Bobby’s Marina in Sint Maarten. At 2:00 the “A-Class” boats were ready to go and race for the Fourth Annual Sir Bobby Velasquez Perpetual Trophy. The Anguilla Racing Boats raced on the “Beach Jam Course which brought them to the beaches at some of the major resorts on the island and the crowds on the beaches were thrilled to be able to see these traditional and colourful boats up close and in action. One spectator at Cuisinart Resort and Spa, after the boats rounded the mark and began heading back to Road Bay, was heard to remark “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!”

In the end, UFO took fifth place, last year’s winner, De Tree took fourth, Light and Peace grabbed third place and Sonic came in second. The winner of the 2007 Sir Bobby Velasquez Boat Race and the holder of the trophy for the next year was the Eagle. All prizes were sponsored by Sir Bobby Velasquez and included a pair of Harken winches and a winch handle, shackles and turnbuckles, 15 life jackets for the crew, two anchors and a handheld GPS system.

This was the first Anguilla Regatta to be held since the opening of the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club (AYSC). The Anguilla Sailing Association started this regatta in 2003 with the idea of increasing business in Anguilla during the traditionally slower tourism period of early/mid May as well as creating a sailing school for the children of Anguilla. Business was definitely more robust on Anguilla over the weekend as many of the development companies ran special events around the regatta and hotels, restaurants, taxis and bars hosted the many guests who came to the island specifically for the event. But the highlight of this regatta was the participation of the children who have been a part of the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club over the past year.

Two yachts, Juluca and Charm III, both from Anguilla, sailed for two of the three days with crews made up of children from the AYSC. The 1928 Alden schooner, Charm III skippered by Richard West was filled with the laughter, smiles and occasional gritting of teeth throughout the weekend as she was brought to victory with the help of six young sailors from Anguilla Youth Sailing Club. Each of the kids had a unique job to perform, from trimming sails to steering the vessel. Mr. West gave them a great deal of responsibility and a chance to see what they were made of. Success didn’t come without hard work and sweat, but in the end it was worth it: Charm III was the overall winner in her class. A sense of pride and accomplishment lit up their faces as the youth finished the final race on Sunday. Juluca also finished first in her class and gave the kids an opportunity to work hard on a different type of sailing boat. The Anguilla Sailing Association wishes to thank Richard and Maryse West and Steve and Suzy Donahue for their continued commitment to the kids and the AYSC.

Another racing yacht, Lin, from St. Martin also sailed with children; this time the kids were from Lycee d’ile du Mer – a vocational/technical school in French St. Martin that teaches kids about boats, sailing, boat maintenance and the sea. After losing a sail on the first day of racing, the crew was lucky enough to have found a friend in Philip Herve who gave over his yacht, Vanille for the kids to race on for the remainder of the regatta. The participation of all these children in the fifth annual Anguilla Regatta made the event extra special as the crowd and participants all realized what a positive contribution sailing can bring to the youth on the islands and the future of sailing in the Caribbean.

Five members of the Anguilla Youth Sailing club racing team took to the waters of Road Bay just off the main stage for the Optimist Exhibition Regatta on Sunday afternoon. Exhausted after just having completed an exciting and grueling race on Charm III, they battled it out for the unofficial title of Optimist National Champion. The racing team prepared for this event with a practice regatta on May 5 also held on Road Bay which gave them extra time in the boat to practice their boat handling, strategy and tactics. Five races were sailed in a shifty southeast trade. The small triangle course kept the action tight and exciting as spectators looked on from the beach just 50 meters away. Among the ardent competition, there was also displayed some great acts of sportsmanship most notably by Romero Gumbs. Throughout the regatta he demonstrated the essence of sportsmanship by following the rules and performing penalty circles even when not told to do so when he committed unintentional fouls. Any disagreements that occurred on the water stayed there and no hard feelings were brought ashore. These young sailors epitomize the spirit of camaraderie, teamwork and friendship. They were able to work as a team to lead Charm III to victory and then turn around to race against each other in the Optimist Regatta, all the while maintaining a positive and vibrant amity.

All of the participants received a trophy and a prize ranging from snorkeling equipment and a Leatherman, rash guards and a large pizza courtesy of Corner Bar in North Hill.

The regatta parties were also a big hit and were a big part of the camaraderie and character of this wonderful event. Sailors, Anguillian and foreign, got together in various venues in Sandy Ground and talked sailing. Thursday night’s Skipper’s Briefing and Welcoming Party was held at Roy’s Bayside Grill. Friday night’s party was at Elvis’ Beach Bar and Saturday night’s festivities took place at The Pumphouse. From great sailing and racing to great parties, this year’s regatta had something for everyone.

At the closing of the regatta during the overall prize giving a special award was given to Mirian Ebbers, the Director of the Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta, which sees more than 270 boats participating each year in March. Mirian has given her time and efforts to all five Anguilla Regattas. She is leaving the Caribbean and her presence will be missed across the region as she embarks on a new chapter in her life which, of course, will include sailing. Peter Parles and Laurie Gumbs, both of the Anguilla Sailing Association, presented Mirian with a gift as well as a bottle of Laurent Perrier Champagne and thanked her for her dedication and hard work over the years. A teary-eyed Mirian took the microphone and thanked all the participants as well as the regatta organizers and explained; “I couldn’t leave the Caribbean without attending what might be my last Anguilla Regatta. As far as I’m concerned, this is the best regatta in the Caribbean! No where else will you find a place as special as Anguilla and this regatta has all the fun, camaraderie and character you can ask for in an event like this!” Sir Bobby Velasquez also took the microphone and thanked the organizers and said, “Don’t change a thing! I love this regatta! It is like the old times when things were competitive but fun. You can count on me every year – I will be here in Anguilla!” And Cary Byerley, President of the Caribbean Sailing Association said “Great Regatta… Takes me back to how regattas use to be and that is how I like it.”

The Anguilla Sailing Association wishes to thank all the sponsors and participants in this year’s regatta. All reports have been positive and the organizers have already started planning the 2008 event. In particular, the ASA would like to thank the Anguilla Tourist Board and the Festivals Office for their continued support. For more information on the ASA or the Anguilla Regatta or to find out more about the AYSC, please visit www.sailanguilla.com or www.anguillaregatta.com.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News