The winning team (L-R) Mike Hirst, Candice Nichol, Chris Haycraft and Eddie Brockbank. Photo: RBVIYC/Facebook

Lucky 7 wins Lowell Wheatley Anegada Pursuit Race 2023. Photo: File

This annual hallmark race has been held for over 4 decades, and has sailors racing, The pursuit format has the slowest-rated boats starting first, followed by the faster boats. The idea is that all the boats end the race at close to the same time, if they have sailed to their ratings.

A release from the Royal BVI Yacht Club detailed that first off the start line if the pursuit race was Gilbo Simpson and Tim Parson’s bright pink and black Corsair Trimaran The Flying Pig. Sporting new sails, she was first to reach Beef Island Bluff for the reach to Anegada. The Pig was followed some ten minutes later by Nathan Haycraft sailing Ting a Ling, another Corsair 27, followed by the iconic orange trimaran, Whoop Whoop owned by Henry and Gerard.

Eddie Brockbank’s Lucky Seven started a further twelve minutes behind, followed by Mark Sanders 31’ trimaran, Island Hops and Richard Wooldridge’s recently renovated Triple Jack bringing up the rear. Special praise should be made to Richard who sailed up with a lot of new sailors, juniors and even a couple of Optimist dinghies on his trampoline!

Costly mishaps during pursuit! 

“There were a couple of mishaps in the fleet. Wanna B, the only monohull entrant had steering issue’s and was unable to start, and halfway up the beat to Beef Island, Island Hops who was steadily gaining on the fleet ahead managed to snap their boom in half, thereby ending their hopes.  Ollie Alsop sailing his Hobie 18 Blown Away also called it quits in the challenging conditions,” the release detailed. 

As the fleet rounded Beef Island, sails were able to be eased, and the fleet began to stretch their legs with steady speeds of 15 to 16 knots recorded by all the boats.

Tactics now began to play a part as some boats decided to sail high of the rhumb line while other’s elected the more direct straight line course. This tactic paid off as Lucky Seven’s crew of Chris Haycraft and Mike Hirst elected to sail fast and low and crossed the finish line in first place. 

They were followed by The Flying Pig, Ting a Ling, Triple Jack and Whoop Whoop bringing up the rear.

Results

1. Lucky 7, Eddie Brockbank
2. The Flying Pig, Gilbo Simpson
3. Ting a Ling, Nathan Haycraft
4. Triple Jack, Richard Wooldridge
5. Whoop Whoop, Team Whoop