Some of the boats that took part in the Black Jack Run. Photo: VINO

Cane Garden Bay was a hive of activity on Sunday March 29, 2015. Photo: VINO

These ladies were a part of the Black Jack Run contingent. Photo: VINO

More of the participants of the Black Jack Run. Photo: VINO

Powerboats ruled the day! Photo: VINO

At the Cane Garden Bay jetty. Photo: VINO

Winner of the Black Jack Run Chris Cook gets his prize money from a member of the organizing committee. Photo: Provided

A game table on which persons tried their hand at Black Jack. Photo: Provided

Some of the participating boats on the Run. Photo: Provided

And according to organiser of the 3-day BVI Spring Fest event, Steve E. Parillon, the inaugural hosting was a success.

“It was great,” he said in an interview with this news site on Sunday, March 29, 2015. “The boats came out today. It was a small group. It was about 15 boats that participated but we had a party of about 30 boats in all…some were followers,” he said.

“We started in Cane Garden Bay and then we went to Norman Island and played a game there and then we went to Scrub Island, played a game …and then back to Cane Garden Bay at Quito’s beach front and played a game," Parillon said.

"We had a couple boats from the US Virgin Islands as well and they were very, very excited about the Black Jack game and how we had it structured, unlike Poker Run where you pick a card and luck may determine your victory, in this game you actually have to play a hand, so you determine your victory,” said Parillon.

The winner of the Run was eventually Chris Cooke.

Incident free Run

Parillon said it was a great day for sailing and that people were responsible and as far as he knows there were no incidents.

“We had fun. It was a great day for sailing. We had a safe and enjoyable run with responsible boaters. I don’t think anyone was too much under the influence of alcohol. The winner got a $2,500 cash pot and second place got a $500. We didn’t take any of the money. We put all of the money towards the run and it was very appreciated by the boaters.”

Parillon said he is looking forward to the BVI Spring Fest and Black Jack Run next year “and hopefully more people will come out and see what the Black Jack Run is all about.”

He said they will try to introduce the game of Black Jack to the public so that when the Run comes around next year more people will have an understanding of the game and want to show off their skills in it and want to partipate.

Parillon said to see the Spring Fest do so well in its first year is very encouraging.

“To the sponsors who came through for us I really want to say thank you…Road Town Wholesale, CCT, the BVI Tourist Board, VINO and many more sponsors. We would have loved more sponsorship obviously. We all dug in somewhere personally to make these events happen but sometimes you just got to look at these events as an investment and do what you got to do,” he said.