“It is a great introductory regatta for them,” said Royal BVI Yacht Club sailing coach Taylor Penwell. “It is exposure to the bigger racing scene. The bigger fleets can be a lot more challenging. It is the first step to the door of international racing.”
A large turnout, long courses and competitive racing highlighted this year’s BVI Dinghy Championships at Nanny Cay on May 21-22.
The 15th annual event featured 71 boats from the BVI, St. Croix, St. Thomas and Puerto Rico. According to organizers, it was the biggest turnout the event has ever had.
Windward/leeward racing was held in the Sir Francis Drake Channel on two different courses: the Championship and Green Fleet.
The boats included IC24s, Optimists and Lasers.
The classes completed between seven and 15 races over the two-day regatta. The IC24 Class only competed one day.
In the Opti Class, Mia Nicolosi, of St. Thomas, took first place for the second consecutive year.
“It was a very competitive fleet,” Ms. Nicolosi said after the first day of racing. “Especially Rayne (Duff), who has always been competitive with me.”
All told, she scored six bullets in 12 races. In the other six races she finished no lower than second.
Duff, who took second last year as well, finished just one point behind Nicolosi. He, too, scored no lower than second place.
The series between the two sailors was so close that one race could have made the difference between who took the top spot. That race may have come on the first day when Duff had the lead during the sixth race, but capsized about 500 yards from the finish line giving Nicolosi her fourth bullet.
“I just kept having cat fights with her,” Mr. Duff said. “I eventually got a shift and passed her. I was ahead on the downwind and I caught a wave with my sail too far out and I capsized. The little mistakes make a difference.”
Both sailors agreed that the courses were long and challenging.
“I thought it was a lot of racing, but I thought it was good,” Duff said. “I like the courses, even though they were long. It was really difficult, but fun racing.”
In the Laser Radial Class, Thad Lettsome, of the BVI, took first place while Daniel Petrovic, also of the BVI, won the Laser Class.
Ted Reshetiloff skippered INTAC to victory in the IC24 Class.
Thirty sailors competed in the Optimist Green Fleet, with Tanner Krygsveld, of St Thomas, taking first, while Nici Haycraft won the Open Bic Class and was awarded the sportsmanship prize.
The large turnout was a good learning experience for the sailors, especially the Green Fleet.
“It is a great introductory regatta for them,” said Royal BVI Yacht Club sailing coach Taylor Penwell. “It is exposure to the bigger racing scene. The bigger fleets can be a lot more challenging. It is the first step to the door of international racing.”
For full results, visit: www.regattanetwork.com
Todd VanSickle is a journalist living and working in the Virgin Islands
