Winds the difference of night and day, from blustery to barely gusting, led to lots of swapped places on the scoreboard during the MLK Optimist and High School 420 Regatta, sailed January 15 and 16, out of the St. Thomas Yacht Club. In the end, it was both consistent and close racing that spelled the difference between the winners and the runner-ups.
Twelve Optimist sailors representing all three U.S. Virgin Islands competed in the event in which Mayumi “Mimi” Roller earned first place overall.
“I try to be consistent by watching the wind, trying to keep my boat sailing fast and thinking about tactics,” Roller said.
The first day’s heavy winds proved ideal to Max Nickbarg, who ended the day with a six-point lead for the overall with Roller in second.
“I really, really hiked,” Nickbarg said about the first day’s competition. He added: “I didn’t do as well in lighter winds since I’m heavier.”
The same scenario played out in the High School 420 racing, where seven teams from all three U.S. Virgin Islands raced.
“We were the lightest team out there, so it was really hard the first day,” said Antilles School’s Taylor Canfield, who with crew Sophie Newbold placed first in the second day of racing, which was sailed in a Fleet format.
Canfield added: “But it was really close. Only a point separated us from second today. Many of the finishes were won literally by inches, so it could have easily gone either way.”
The first day’s top honors, sailed under a Team Racing format, went to Antilles’ Thomas Barrow and Nathan Rosenberg and Country Day School’s Sydney Jones and Stephanie Malanga.
St. Thomas’ Antilles School won the Team Trophy.
Hampton University Sailors Trade Blustery Virginia for Balmy Antigua
RESULTS
OPTIMISTS
Overall
1. Mayumi Roller, St. John (21)
2. Tyler Rice, St. Thomas (32)
3. Morgan Bryan, St. Croix (34)
4. Billy Gibbons, St. Croix (36)
5. Max Nickbarg, St. John (38)
6. Ian Barrows, St. Thomas (54)
7. Alex Coyle, St. John (57)
8. Alex Tayler, St. Thomas (73)
9. Mack Bryan, St. Thomas (79)
10. Nikki Barnes, St. Thomas (81)
11. Christopher Cilliers, St. Thomas (85)
12. Aspen Moore, St. John (123)
Red Fleet (Age 13-15)
1. Mayumi Roller, St. John (21)
Blue Fleet (Age 11 and 12)
1. Tyler Rice, St. Thomas (32)
2. Morgan Bryan, St. Croix (34)
3. Billy Gibbons, St. Croix (36)
4. Max Nickbarg, St. John (38)
5. Alex Coyle, St. John (57)
6. Nikki Barnes, St. Thomas (81)
White Fleet (age 10 and under)
1. Ian Barrows, St. Thomas (54)
2. Alex Tayler, St. Thomas (73)
3. Mack Bryan, St. Thomas (79)
4. Christopher Cilliers, St. Thomas (85)
5. Aspen Moore, St. John (123)
420s DAY ONE – Team Racing
First Place Team: Thomas Barrows and Nathan Rosenberg (Antilles School) and Sydney Jones and Stephanie Malanga (Country Day School)
Second Place Team: Taylor Canfield and Sophie Newbold (Antilles School) and Tristam MacDonald and Erica Nye (St. John School)
420s DAY TWO – Fleet Racing
1. Taylor Canfield and Sophie Newbold (Antilles School)
2. Cy Thompson and Rian Bareuther (Antilles School)
3. Thomas Barrows and Nathan Rosenberg (Antilles School)
4. Jae Tonachel and Josh Curtis (VI Home School)
5. Sydney Jones and Stephanie Malanga (Country Day School)
6. Steven Clark and Ryan Murphy (Country Day School)
7. Tristam MacDonald and Erica Nye (St. John School)
