BVI Spring Regatta
Day 2 Produces Tricky Weather; Fleet Praises BVI Spring Regatta Race Committee on Smart Decisions
Walking the docks post racing, there wasn’t a team who did not mention the quick thinking and smart work that the BVI Race Committee put in today, day two of BVI Spring Regatta, to ensure great racing in very changeable conditions. The first race of the day started in very light breeze – 5-8 knots – nonetheless the starts were solid and especially exciting in the bareboat fleets.
Race committee called a short postponement between races as a squall blew through bringing rain and more breeze for the second start making for a nice first windward leg before the breeze dropped again and benefiting those who made bank on that breeze. Performance and Sport Multihulls and Performance Cruising classes enjoyed robust breeze on their courses which took those boats further out around Dead Chest.
Lead changes in CSA Spinnaker saw Don Nicholson’s J121 Apollo finish the day first with 12 points, followed closely in second with 13 points by the J105 Kairos owned and helmed by Antolin Velasco, and in third with 13.5 points sits Lady M, the Club Swan 42 owned and helmed by Joan Rodriguez.
Lady M is also looking forward to exciting racing on the final day of racing on Sunday, says Rodriguez. “Today the race committee did a really good job sending us out on interesting courses even though it was light and tricky with all the shifts. Still, it was good, it’s pretty tight so tomorrow will be interesting. We don’t have any secrets to pull out; we’ll just try to sail clean and I think we’ll do well. We’re really having fun.”
The stunning Gunboat 72 Layla, racing in Performance Multihull delivered two bullets today in her best performance over the past two days as renowned ocean racer Brian Thompson who is calling tactics notes. Both Layla and the TF10 Thunder and Lightning have 7 points each, with Layla in first
In CSA Bareboat 1, Colm Crilly sailing with Team RiteWay on a Sunsail 46 are leading in class with six points; breathing down the necks of these locals are the Canadian all-women team Salish Sisters, a Moorings 46 helmed by Kelly Wharton, also with six points. Dan McGanty on Roaz is in third with 7 points; day 3 racing will be thrilling in this class.
The two teams duking it out at the top of CSA Bareboat 2 class are neck and neck with five points each. Topaz sailed by Charlie Garrard and his team are in first having scored two bullets over the past two days of racing leaving Steve DeNure and his team on Mistral in second. Both teams are racing Dufour 41s and each scored a bullet each today.
Barney Crook continues to dominate the Sport Multihull class on his Corsair 31-1D Airgasm with a strong lead five points ahead of Chris Haycraft on his Corsair F 31 Ting-A-Ling II. Four points behind his dad, Nathan Haycraft on Ting-A-Ling, a Corsair F 27 is battling to keep up with the old guys.
The IC24 RIP helmed by Harry Bowerman leads by one point over Mike Feierabend who is racing Bravissimo his newly converted IC24, previously a J24, in fun, tight racing.
The Beneteau First 40 Libertas helmed by Kevin Wrigley and his crew of locals is hands-down dominating CSA Non-Spinnaker having amassed three bullets; local knowledge is a benefit especially in tricky conditions as crew Doug Stewart notes.
Lead changes in Cruising Multihull saw La Novia move back to her usual position leading the pack, finishing the day with four points followed closely by the ORC 57 Avel Vaez who finished with five points. Long-time BVI Spring Regatta competitor Little Wing, a Perry Antrim 52 owned and helmed by Ron Boehm, is in third with nine points.
Sunday marks the final day of racing for the 53rd BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival; watch this space for day 3 and final results
