BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival - Melges 32 class joins in

by Trish Jenkins on 11 Jan 2013 Continually evolving the race programme for the BVI Spring Regatta, set to take place March 29-31, the organisers are pleased to include the exciting one-design Melges 32 class in its regatta. Regatta host, Nanny Cay Resort and Marina will welcome several of these fun, fast and highly competitive boats with crews to match, as part of the inaugural 2013 Melges 32 Virgin Islands Sailing Series.

Entries in the BVI Spring Regatta includes one of the movers-and-shakers behind the series inception, BVIs Mark Plaxton, who along with top Caribbean sailor Peter Holmburg, recognised that this as one of the hottest classes on the circuit right now. Plaxton's BVI team INTAC from the BVI Royal Yacht Club, will be hot on the heels of another BVI Spring Regatta regular, Jaime Torres' Smile and Wave who will be back from Puerto Rico with his team to compete in a new boat and class.

Ready to take their racing to a new level and stepping up their game with their new Melges 32 is Puerto Rican, Jaime Torres' Smile and Wave. This will the third visit to the Spring Regatta for the team who secured a runners-up victory in their Beneteau First 40 in 2012 and are proud holders of the Guy Eldridge Spirit and Enthusiasm award: 'The BVI Spring Regatta offers some of the most competitive, challenging and scenic racetracks of anywhere in the world, along with an awesome shoreside party scene,' enthuses Torres. 'What could possibly make it better for the racing sailor? To do it in high performance one-design keelboat! That is why I upgraded from my beautiful Beneteau First 40 to the amazing Melges 32. I can't wait to sail against the world's best sailors in the world's best waters.'

Other Melges 32 entries in the non-sanctioned BVI event include one of the circuits top players: Roberto Tomasini Grinover's Robertissima 1 from Lugano Yacht Club (SUI), who at the end of 2012 narrowly missed out on securing the Melges 32 Gold Cup in Fort Lauderdale. With legendary Italian sailor, Vasco Vascotto on tactics, the team fell to finish second overall after leading the event.

The Melges 32 fleet will be highly competitive and non-more-so than Valentine Zavadnikov's entry from Moscow, Synergy GT (RUS). This well-known Russian politician, businessman and public figure will helm the boat with a team whose motivation is: 'Their love for the sea and passion for sailing.' The Synergy team became the RC44 Match Racing World Champion and a debut in the dynamic Melges 32 promoted Synergy to the honour of the 'Best Russian Sailing Team'. In 2013 Synergy will continue racing in RC44 and Melges 32 classes and will participate in more than 15 regattas in Europe, the USA, the Caribbean and the Middle East. We look forward to welcoming them to Tortola and hot racing in the British Virgin Islands.

At the 2012 BVI Spring Regatta, six Swan yachts competed for the Swan Cup which was won by Christian and Lucy Reynolds' Swan 51, Northern Child (GBR).

The fleet also included Bob Beltrano's Swan 53, Nai'a (USA). Owners, Bob and Kristin have been cruising the Caribbean and US East Coast since 2000, spending summer in Annapolis and winters in Tortola at Nanny Cay. With the event on their doorstep, they will be back to challenge any other Swan yachts taking part, even though: 'We are probably the only boat racing with a cappuccino machine, full freezer and a 40' HDTV on board!' exclaims Beltrano.

Other Swan owners taking part in the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), Virgin Gorda from 11-15th March are invited to sign up to the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival to continue their BVI racing experience, on and off the water.

The week long sailfest includes a newly formatted 3-day Sailing Festival (March 25-28), followed by the three-day BVI Spring Regatta starting on Friday 29th March. The Regatta includes the International Yacht Club Challenge and culminates in the awards ceremony for the overall prize winners on Easter, Sunday 31st March.

The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival includes an extremely competitive charter boat fleet and in 2012, The Moorings - Gold Sponsors, provided racing yachts to groups who wanted to join in the Regatta fun. Many more crews were able to enjoy the warm water and hot racing, even if they were unable to bring their own personal yacht to the Caribbean. Sunsail also offer a chance to race in the bareboat fleet, a good option for individual sailors wanting a slice of the action. Sunsail sponsor The International Yacht Club Challenge (IYCC) where teams of sailors from clubs around the world compete in high performance racing yachts for the much sought- Challenge Cup, as well as the chance to win a full week's charter to return to the BVI to defend their title the following year.

There's still time to book an individual place on one of the many racing charter boats in the Caribbean or to secure a bareboat to race with a team. For full details, see the Charter pages on the event website

For full details of the Event Schedule, please click here

The Notice of Race for the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival is online here
Enter here
BVI Spring Regatta website