2006 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival adds Fourth Course
Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, presented and hosted by Nanny Cay, takes the cake as one of the most innovative sailing events in the Caribbean. This year, organizers have added a fourth racecourse to the already busy Sir Francis Drake Channel, for the March 31 to April 2 regatta portion of the event. The one design course, which last year hosted IC24s, windsurfers, Lasers and beach cats, will split in 2006, with the windsurfers and beach cats branching out on their own to ensure that the only dirty air they get will be their own.
“It will be Formula racing again,” says Owen Waters, owner of Nanny Cay’s Island Surf and Sail. “We are expecting international sailors from St. Maarten and the United States. This year will build on last year with BVI sailors hoping to compete with windsurfers throughout the region in this new and exciting discipline. Many have already started training."
As ever, the Racing and Racer/Cruiser classes will sail in the Cooper Island course area with back-to-back racing on windward-leeward courses. Performance/Cruiser, Multihull, Bareboat, Jib & Main classes will again sail on the Norman Island course area. On this race area, previously known as the non-spinnaker course, spinnakers are now permitted and allow those that don't want to race back to back, windward-leeward courses, the chance to fly a spinnaker, perhaps with less practiced or short-handed crew.
A “Tent Village” will also be new for 2006. The tent village is a cooperative effort between Nanny Cay, the BVI Spring Regatta organizing committee and the Kids and the Sea (KATS) program. This low cost housing has been introduced to encourage dinghy sailors from overseas to attend the event and the proceeds will go to KATS, the non-profit charitable organization dedicated to teaching children skills needed to safely enjoy the joys of boating.
"We believe it's a win-win-win arrangement," says regatta chairman Bob Phillips. "Dinghy sailors can have accommodation for $25 per night, KATS gets a nice cash boost over the period and the regatta, hopefully, gets more dinghies sailors from the region and perhaps further afield."
Four-man tents will be available to rent for four nights, from March 30 to April 3, for $200 US. The tents will be set up just south of Peg Leg’s Landing in the grass conveniently located near the sailing, the Festival Village and the bathrooms. Basic facilities will be available at Peg Leg’s or the campers will be able to use the new, luxury European style private full baths located at the Nanny Cay Hotel. Interested campers should contact Eddie Brockbank at Peg Leg’s Restaurant, (284) 494-0028, for full details and to make reservations.
For more information about the BVI Spring Festival & Regatta: Tel. (284) 494-3286, Email: info@bvispringregatta.org; Web: www.bvispringregatta.org
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