ROAD TOWN, BVI: With less than two weeks left before the big event, there has been an increase in the registering process for the British Virgin Islands Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival.
Organisers say early registration is stronger than before.
Chairman of the event for the past eleven years, Bob Phillips, says they currently have nearly ninety boats registered and many of them are coming from strong performances in other events and they expect to have some great competition.
This year’s event takes place March 31 – April 6 and more than 160 boats are expected.
Fleet racers. PHOTO: Broadsword Communications
Phillips says there are a number of big boats returning to race in Drake Channel including Stuart Robinson’s Stay Calm, a Swan 70. Stuart won his class in the 2006 BVI Spring Regatta and will be racing in Performance Cruising this season. In the racing fleet, Bill Alcott’s 68’ Equation will be quite the horizon filler.
Gracing the BVI waters will be such notables as Oystercatcher XXVI, Richard Matthews’ new 42 footer designed by Tom Humphreys. Just launched last August, this carbon fiber hull won Spinnaker Division B in the St Maarten Heineken in March.
Boats are also expected from the US Virgin Islands.
Organisers say although ninety boats are already registered, many more are expected in the next two weeks with the competitive IC fleet forecast to be the biggest fleet ever.
Held annually on the first weekend of April, the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival is celebrating its 37th anniversary. It is now a seven-day event with two events back-to-back attracting an average of 150 yachts per year with eighty percent of the competitors from overseas.
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