Thirty junior sailors from all three US Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico competed in the 1st annual Culebra International
Optimist Regatta, held March 19 to 20, in conjunction with the inaugural big
boat Caribbean International Regatta. Light winds made sailing tricky in the
placid waters off Ensenada Honda bay, yet the young skippers turned on the
tactics and dialed in their boat speed. After 11 races, it was 14-year-old
David Alfonso from Puerto Rico that bested the fleet. To win in the light air,
the 14-year-old Alfonso said, “I had to crouch more in the middle of the boat
upwind and heel the boat over downwind.”
OPTIMIST RESULTS
RED FLEET
1. David Alfonso, Puerto Rico
2. Jose Joaquin Nigaglioni, Puerto Rico
3. Tyler Rice, St. Thomas, USVI
BLUE FLEET
1. Fernando Monllor, Puerto Rico
2. Billy Gibbons, St. Croix, USVI
3. Ramon Gonzalez, Puerto Rico
WHITE FLEET
1. Alejandro Monllor, Puerto Rico
2. Christopher Cilliers, St. Thomas, USVI
3. Mack Bryan, St. Croix, USVI
GREEN FLEET
1. Manuel Gonzalez, Puerto Rico
2. Gabriela Beaz, Puerto Rico
3. Javier Castillo, Puerto Rico
OVERALL
David Alfonso, Puerto Rico
OVERALL BEST FEMALE
Nikki Barnes, St. Thomas, USVI