Please select your home edition
Edition
Trinidad and Tobago - Sail Service Stay

Game on for start of BVI Spring Regatta

by Michelle Slade / BVISR 5 Apr 03:01 BST April 1-7, 2024
Bruce Chafee's RP42 Rikki (USA) enjoying competitive racing in the BVI Spring Regatta © Alex Turnbull / Tidal Pulse Media

Competition is a relative term but there are a ton of high-level sailors racing BVI Spring Regatta which begins on Friday for a three-day series of exhilarating racing in the stunning waters around the BVI. No matter the number of boats in a class, or the diversity of boats, competitive sailors like to go racing, as pro sailor Charlie Enright, veteran of three editions of The Race, concurs. Enright will be calling tactics this week on the Gunboat 68 Convexity2, owned by Don Wilson (USA).

"I think you see so many good sailors here in the BVI because of the environment - it's the conditions, it's what this place has to offer, it's the history around it all, and the competition is good," Enright said. "It doesn't matter if it's a catamaran with a bunch of air conditioners or a high-performance dinghy, the mind-set is the same. All the sail changes we make are the same sail changes we do on a Maxi; the mechanics are kind of the same and the boat is going, in a lot of instances, just as fast."

Many of the boats registered across the ten classes competing have already been put through their paces earlier this week during the Sailing Festival events: Round Tortola for the Nanny Cay Cup and the Scrub Island Invitational. Allegra, the custom catamaran owned by Adrian Keller (SUI) emerged an early winner taking first in both events, as did Georges Coutu racing on his Leopard 50 catamaran La Novia. Likewise, Paroma (PUR), a Salona 44, owned by Luis Balzac, and Emily of Cowes (UK) helmed by Katy Rota, have been trading places on the podium. The Cape 31, Flying Jenny, owned by Sandra Askew (USA) has been dueling out with Shotgunn, the Cape 31 owned by Michael Wilson (UK).

"We have a team of guys who are really high level and I'm incredibly fortunate to sail with them," Wilson said. "The Cape 31 is a class where you generally sail with up to three professionals and we have on board Olympic medallist Luke Patience, silver medallist, London 2012 in the 470, and his crew Stu Bithell who also went on to win gold in Tokyo in the 49er. Stu's also the wing trimmer on the German SailGP team. Pete Greenhalgh is also sailing with us who is managing director of Doyle Sails in the UK and has a sailing CV as long as your arm."

Welcome festivities kicked off on Thursday evening when the Regatta Village at Nanny Cay was officially opened with a stunning art exhibition by local artists representing the significance of maritime activity in the BVI, past and present, and the fabulous sound of Caribbean melodies by local musicians together with traditional dance. Premier Natalio Wheatley who officiated the opening offered sage advice:

"The most important rule for the BVI Spring Regatta is not whether you win or lose, but how much fun you have while you are in the BVI!"

We're looking forward to an awesome BVI Spring Regatta!

Go to the event website for all the news, stories, results and updates: www.bvispringregatta.org and follow us on social media.

Regatta Schedule here.

Related Articles

52nd BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival Preview
Seven-day event of 'Warm Water and Hot Racing' Registration has opened for the 52nd BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. The seven-day event of 'Warm Water and Hot Racing' takes place March 31-April 6, 2025 and is one of the top events in the Caribbean sailing calendar. Posted on 21 Sep
BVI Spring Regatta finishes on a light note
An amazing week of warm water, hot racing & cool parties! Competitors racing in the 51st edition of the BVI Spring Regatta experienced a week of mixed conditions which put the best to the test; light for Spring Regatta and typical windy trades for the Sailing Festival Posted on 8 Apr
BVI Spring Regatta 2024 Day 2
Cheers to a day of thrilling races and vibrant camaraderie! Smooth sailing prevailed as winners and leaders in their classes navigated the challenging conditions on the penultimate day of the BVI Spring Regatta. Posted on 7 Apr
BVI Spring Regatta 2024 Day 1
A day of tricky, light wind conditions out on the Sir Francis Drake race course It's the penultimate day of the BVI Spring Regatta and after a day of tricky, light wind conditions out on the Sir Francis Drake race course, class winners are starting to emerge throughout the fleet. Posted on 6 Apr
Festivities at BVI Spring Regatta
Regatta Village at Nanny Cay was officially opened on Thursday Welcome festivities kicked off on Thursday evening when the Regatta Village at Nanny Cay was officially opened with a stunning art exhibition by local artists representing the significance of maritime activity in the BVI. Posted on 5 Apr
Scrub Island Invitational
A perfect cocktail of racing and relaxing Today's winners in the Scrub Island Invitational included Terry McLaughlin sailing on Sul Vento, a Sunsail 41 in the bareboat division. Posted on 4 Apr
Epic conditions for Round Tortola Race
The kick-off event for the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival Today was epic for the Round Tortola Race, the kick-off event for the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival. Posted on 3 Apr
All set for BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival
Warm water… hot racing… cool parties The docks at Nanny Cay Resort and Marina are full and ready to roll as ten classes prepare to race in the 51st edition of the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival. Posted on 31 Mar
Heineken sponsors BVI Spring Regatta
Depth of sponsorship endorses BVISR as one of Caribbean's top regattas Heineken and LaMarca are on board for BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival (BVISR), and these new sponsors are committed to ensure the best Caribbean regatta experience possible for competitors, their friends and families. Posted on 9 Mar
BVI Spring Regatta joins Maxi Multihull Series
As the multihull trend continues to spiral upwards As the multihull trend continues to spiral upwards with no end in sight to the number of boats enjoying the winter racing series in the Caribbean, the BVI Spring Regatta is excited to now be part of the inaugural Caribbean Maxi Multihull Series. Posted on 29 Feb