71 boats have registered this year for the highly anticipated BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, which continues to attract sailors from home and abroad. Photo: Ingrid Abery/Facebook

One of the participants of the Scrub Island Invitation on March 29, 2023. Photo: Ingrid Abery/Facebook

Outstanding conditions are forecasted for three days of racing in the Spring Regatta, scheduled for March 31 through April 2, 2023. Photo: Ingrid Abery/Facebook

Outstanding conditions are forecasted for three days of racing in the Spring Regatta, scheduled for March 31 through April 2.

Perfect weather!

Already, there has been the Round Tortola Race and the Scrub Island Invitation, which were blessed with perfect weather.

“Conditions for Friday and through the weekend are going to be perfect,” Bob Phillips, Regatta Chairman said.

“We are expecting winds in the mid to high teens with temperatures in the mid-eighties and sunny skies. Different classes will sail different courses and the race committee is expecting to use some of the outer islands like Cooper, Salt, and Dead Chest for turning points – competitors will see the outside of some of spectacular islands they may not have seen previously.”

The Regatta has traditionally attracted a diverse fleet of boats in addition to a strong bareboat fleet and, according to organisors, this year is no exception, with eleven classes and great competition lining up in CSA 1, 2 and 3.

‘Great competition’ expected

In CSA 1, The Lombard 46 Pata Negra chartered and skippered by Dr Laura Schlessinger, won class in the Scrub Island Invitational, and has all the talent on board to do well in Spring Regatta.

Lining up in CSA 2 is a fleet of long-time Spring Regatta competitors who have all raced against each other many times: Blitz – the Summit 40 owned and skippered by Peter Corr/USA, Team McFly on the J/122 El Ocaso, chartered and skippered by Tony Mack (UK), Spike – the J/111 owned and skippered by local Tortola sailor Sam Talbot who will be able to pace it up with another J/111 – Summer Storm, skippered by Andrew Berdon (USA), and Taz, the RP 37 owned and helmed by Bernie Evan-Wong (Antigua).

In CSA 3, all sights will be on the fabulous new addition to Spring Regatta this year, the three Cape 31 sport boats who will be very fast in the forecasted conditions: Adrenalin (Ireland) Flying Jenny (USA), M2 (USA). Flying Jenny has been tuning up and practicing most days after winning class at the St Thomas International Regatta last week. Adrenalin and M2 are relatively new to the Cape 31 fleet and will have their work cut out for them, according to organisors.

Father & son clash!

The Sport Multihull division will also be fast and fun, with five competitive boats from the VI and one from St Maarten completing the fleet. It is expected to be a father-son show-down between Ting-A-Ling 2, the Corsair F31R owned and skippered by Chris Haycraft, who won class in the Round Tortola race earlier in the week, and Ting-A-Ling, the Corsair F27 skippered this week by Haycraft’s son Nathan.