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finishing off Nanny Cay.
After numerous line honours in the Round Tortola
Race since her arrival in the BVI in 1997,
Triple Jack managed to claim overall victory in
last year’s race. In conditions seemingly made
for this trimaran, she circumnavigated Tortola
in three hours, thirty-three minutes and
twenty-seven seconds, setting the round Tortola
record. She beat closest rival Jurakan, a Melges
32, by 42 minutes across the line. Jurakan
currently holds the monohull record of 4 hours,
15 minutes and 5 seconds.
With the wind blowing from the south-south-east,
unheard of in its 40-year history according to
race veteran Peter Haycraft, the fleet was
predominantly able to sail directly to Beef
Island and once on the north side reach directly
to Soper’s Hole. Once there, however, the
lottery of the fickle winds played havoc with
some competitors’ finish times but not Triple
Jack’s – she “rattled through” in three painless
tacks.
Because of the light winds and excellent wind
direction, the Nanny Cay sponsored Triple Jack,
a Kelsal 47, was able to carry full main,
spinnaker and half-furled genoa almost the
entire length of her northern run along Tortola,
allowing her to really stretch her legs and put
time between her and the rest of the fleet.
“It was six tacks, one gybe for the entire
race,” said Richard Wooldridge, skipper of
Triple Jack. “Sail area wise, if there had been
another five knots of wind we would have been a
bit over-pressed on the shy reaches. But with
that mainsail, genoa and that kite we had, we
were perfect, just absolutely perfect.”
Following the same format as the last two years,
classes will start in the Sir Francis Drake
Channel off Nanny Cay and then head
anti-clockwise around Tortola. After the beat
East up the Sir Francis Drake Channel, the fleet
will turn the corner at Great Camanoe and head
on a downwind run to West End where, after a
quick wiggle through Soper’s Hole, it will be a
beat back to the finish off Nanny Cay.
Registration will be held at the Royal BVI Yacht
Club (RBVIYC) from 6:00 – 8.00 pm at Friday 19th
November. Notice of Race, Entry Forms and
Sailing Instructions will be available at
registration or can be downloaded at the RBVIYC
website, www.royalbviyc.org.
Classes will be racing, cruising and multihull
with all eligible for the overall prize. The
first start will be 9.05 a.m. for the cruising
class, following by the racing and multihull
classes at 9.35 am. Nanny Cay Marina will be
providing free overnight dockage for competing
boats based outside Nanny Cay on Saturday night.
The post-race party begins at the Beach Bar as
soon as competitors finish with the prize giving
at 6.00pm.
For further information on the PegLegs Round
Tortola Race, contact Captain of Sailing, Guy
Phoenix, at the Royal BVI Yacht Club e-mail:
sailing@royalbviyc.org or telephone (284) 494
3286.
While Triple Jack still holds the record for
fastest circumnavigation of Tortola in the Round
Tortola Race, the outright and multihull record
is now held by Soma, a Formula 40.
Soma, a St John-based catamaran and frequent BVI
visitor, smashed the Round Tortola Record on
April 15th in the first, and so far only,
attempt on the Nanny Cay Challenge announced in
February. Soma circumnavigated Tortola and outer
islands in 2 hours, 50 minutes and 15 seconds
smashing Triple Jack’s record set in last year’s
PegLegs Round Tortola Race. The Nanny Cay
Challenge is an all-comers event for multihulls
and monohulls. The monohull time to beat of 4
hours, 15 minutes and 5 seconds, was set by Dave
West’s Jurakan, a Melges 32, also in last year’s
PegLegs Round Tortola Race; there have been no
challengers since then. Competitors must attempt
the record anti-clockwise and round Beef, Scrub,
Great Camanoe and Guana Island to port. An entry
fee of a $250 donation to a BVI charity of the
challenger’s choice, includes two night’s
dockage (before and after attempt) at Nanny Cay. |
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As with
most sailing events, the reward is in the taking
part and bragging rights but record breakers are
able to celebrate their feat with a free dinner
at PegLegs for up to 15 crew members and a
jeroboam of champagne compliments of Nanny Cay
Marina. They’ll also get their name on the
trophy which will be on display year-round in
PegLegs. To enter the Nanny Cay Challenge,
challengers should contact Miles
Sutherland-Pilch, General Manager, Tel: (284)
494 2512, miles@nannycay.com.
Nanny Cay is located between Road Town and West
End on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
Its fully equipped marina and boat repair
facility has berths for 180 motor cruisers and
yachts and two boat lifts of 50 and 70 tons
capacity. Nanny Cay also includes a 40-room
hotel and new waterfront townhouses for purchase
and rental, two restaurants, a small
supermarket, shops and boutiques, a dive shop, a
water sports center, free WiFi service, and a
gym and spa.
Nanny Cay is host and presenting sponsor of the
BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival and host
for international cruising rallies ARC Europe,
the Caribbean 1500 and the Atlantic Cup. Nanny
Cay also sponsors youth swim programme, KATS
Swim. |
