IRC and BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival

by US IRC media on 13 Jul 2007 At the forefront in the Caribbean for welcoming sailors using different handicap systems is the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival. A member of the US-IRC Gulf Stream Series since its inception, BVI Spring Regatta can score any of the handicap classes under IRC.

'We have always thought of Spring Regatta as an inclusive, not an exclusive, regatta. We’re happy to be part of the IRC Gulf Stream Series and are able to offer alternative scoring to our participants. Back a few years, before IRC was popular, we offered IOR and IMS in addition to the CSA measurement rule, which, interestingly, is the oldest, continuously used measurement handicapping system for boats.

For the past two years, the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival has been a member of the US-IRC Gulf Stream Series and has been able to offer IRC scoring to all our handicap classes. Thanks to a partnership with Caribdata, BVI Spring Regatta leads the way in the optional use of popular rating systems, always trying to accommodate visiting competitors by offering whichever system works best for their boats.

Scoring is not the only area in which the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival offers IRC competitors options. The event is comprised of two separate race series and sailors can chose to race in either or both; each is a separate entity. Starting on Monday is the BVI Sailing Festival, a low-pressure, three-day warm up for the regatta. Three days of destination cruising, racing and layday fun, including the Nation's Challenge Cup, lead up to the main three-day BVI Spring Regatta.

The BVI Spring Regatta is a three day event in which competitors can choose to race in one design dinghies or any number of handicapped classes, with or without spinnakers. Three separate race courses are run to offer competitors a choice of round the buoys or round the islands formats. BVI Spring Regatta is presented by Nanny Cay Resort and Marina; the BVI Tourist Board is a Platinum sponsor; gold sponsors are Bitter End Yacht Club, CCT Global Communications, First Caribbean International Bank, Heineken, The Moorings, Mount Gay, and SOL.

Visitors can fly to the British Virgin Islands through San Juan, Puerto Rico with American Airlines, Cape Air and LIAT, Flights are also available through Antigua and Barbados on Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and BWIA.

For full details on the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival including daily news, photos and complete results from the 2007 event, visit the official web site: http://www,bvispringregatta,org, For more information on the British Virgin Islands visit: http://www,bvitourism,com, For more information on Nanny Cay Marina visit: http://www,nannycay,com

The BVI Spring Regatta is jointly owned by the Royal BVI Yacht Club and the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association.