Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

Winners celebrate as the 2019 Caribbean Dinghy Championships wrap up

by Caribbean Sailing Association 22 Oct 2019 01:36 NZDT 17-20 October 2019
The Laser fleet - 2019 Caribbean Dinghy Championships © Ted Martin / Antigua Photography

It's a wrap for the Caribbean Dinghy Championships (CDC) today 20th October. With 15 races started and 15 races finished in a variety of conditions, competitors came ashore looking happy, sun-blushed and satisfied after three days of racing in Falmouth Harbour in largely sunny conditions - proving that October is a great month for dinghy racing in Antigua.

Four classes were represented at the CDC 2019: the Optimist (for the under 16s), Laser Standard, Laser Radial and RS Feva. Competition was open to entries from across the Caribbean region and the organising club, the Antigua Yacht Club was pleased to welcome crews from St Maarten, Trinidad, Barbados and St Kitts and Nevis.

"It feels good to win this," sums up Jules Mitchell, who took first place in the Laser Standard class. "I was a little worried that Rhone (Kirby) was right behind me on performance but I managed to stay ahead." Jules took 10 wins out of the 15 races, cementing his position as a top performer.

Mauriceson Valentine and his crew Nahio James not only won the RS Feva Class but also took the title of Caribbean Regional RS Feva Champions. "The light winds were a challenge for us on the first two days," says Mauriceston. Both he and Nahio are Antigua sailors. "We've been learning as we go along", says Nahio, who learned his racing skills at Antigua's National Sailing Academy. "We only started sailing together four weeks ago and it was also the first time we had sailed in an RS Feva, so we've been learning as we go along." Of the final day Mauriceson reports "It was windier and that's better for us. Boat handling is our strong point as we both keep pretty fit." Mauriceson goes running daily and both enjoy football.

Hard training also helped Daniel Smit to his win in the Laser Radial class. "I sail the boat four times a week here in Antigua," he says, so I was well prepared going into this event." 10 wins secured his win against runner up Amy Cox from Barbados. Daniel has been to the Laser Radial Worlds in Poland and Texas and is heading next to the World Cup Series. "Ultimately I would like to qualify for the Olympics," says the 17 year old Antiguan who is now stepping up to the Laser standard.

Perhaps the greatest victory of the series belonged to Izano Lafond. Age 15 and also from Antigua, Izano took first in all but four of the 15 races in the largest fleet, the Optimists. Shaping themselves as potential future champions Patrick Greensmith, 11 from Antigua and Kayman Floyd, 10, from St Kitts & Nevis put in strong performances but were unable to catch Izano, despite their intentions going into the final day to "focus hard", according to Patrick.

Short snappy windward leeward courses were the format of the event, in the perfect sheltered setting of Falmouth Harbour. Clare Cupples and her team including Helen and Ian Brayley, and Steve Spanis were on the water facing the challenges of setting fair courses in some extremely shifty wind directions over the first two days, while racing manager Carl James helped put the event together.

The Caribbean Dinghy Championships will be back same time next year!

Find full results here.

Related Articles

Middle Sea Race set to attract exceptional fleet
Royal Malta YC has 118 entries already At midnight on Friday, 19 September the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race had amassed a fleet of 118 yachts. The entrants represent 30 countries and territories: from Australia and New Zealand to Finland and Norway, and from the United States to Romania. Posted on 23 Sep
52 Super Series 2025 Porto Cervo day 1
Solid Sled earn early lead in Sardinia Takashi Okura's Sled lead the 52 SUPER SERIES - Porto Cervo - Range Rover regatta after the first two windward leeward races. Posted on 23 Sep
Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 1
No racing possible on the first day Good things are worth waiting for, and that was the adage at the opening day of the Melges 24 Worlds, which ended without any races in the scoreline. The weather in Trieste proved too unstable, with storms in the morning followed by a lack of wind. Posted on 23 Sep
Formula Kite Worlds Quartu Sant'Elena preview
9th Sardinia Grand Slam is the first major step towards Los Angeles 2028 Next September 28th to October 5th, the Poetto beach will host the event that crowns the new World Champions. Among the top contenders: Maeder, Vodišek, and Pianosi in the men's fleet; Nolot, Aldridge, and Kampman among women Posted on 23 Sep
SailGP, TOR Europe, Women's Match Racing Worlds
Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity. Such was the case for the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank squad when they notched their first-ever SailGP event win at last weekend's Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix. Posted on 23 Sep
Melges 15 Fittings Guide
A breakdown of the fittings based on a complete Allen Brothers fit-out If you are looking to upgrade or replace the hardware on your Melges 15, it helps to know exactly which fittings you need and what their role is on the boat. Posted on 23 Sep
Fortaleza World Sailing Championships announced
Test event in January 2026, and the real thing in January 2027 World Sailing has confirmed the dates for Fortaleza 2027 World Sailing Championships as 22-30 January 2027, with a Test Event being held one year prior. Posted on 23 Sep
All set in Trieste for the Melges 24 Worlds
Racing set to begin at Yacht Club Adriaco The countdown is nearly over. In just a few hours, the Yacht Club Adriaco will oversee the start of one of the most eagerly awaited international sailing events of the season. Posted on 23 Sep
2025 Six Metre World Championship Day 1
Wind gods fail to deliver in Oyster Bay, NY Sadly day one of the 2025 Six Metre World Championships at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (SCYC) proved to be a non-starter as the wind failed to make an appearance. Posted on 23 Sep
SailGP: Blackfoils caught out in Geneva - Day 2
A day of mixed conditions and tight three-up racing has seen the Black Foils record an eighth place A day of mixed conditions and tight three-up racing has seen the Black Foils record an eighth place finish at the Rolex Switzerland Grand Prix on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. The team has dropped back to be third on the Season leaderboard. Posted on 22 Sep
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP BOTTOMPaleblue Batteries Done Better 728x90px BOTTOMTNI Pindar SW Ads_728x90px-3 BOTTOM