Light winds prevailed over the IC 24 Nanny Cay Nations Cup regatta held November 11th and 12th. Saturday was especially tricky with wind shifts shaking up the fleet as they battled for positions on the opening day of the regatta. The regatta had a record number of entries this year, with fourteen teams representing nine countries, sailing a total of twenty races over the weekend in ten flights. Nanny Cay, Tortola was the event venue offering excellent viewing of the racing just off the beach, with the Royal BVI Yacht Club providing barbeque lunches and refreshments. Richard Woolridge from Racing in Paradise was calling the racing action over the loudspeaker system all through the event giving live updates and race standings as the weekend racing progressed. Excellent race committee work by Chris Haycraft also from Racing in Paradise, adjusting the course to the shifty breeze.
Team BVI, with the Hirst brothers exchanging the helm from race to race showed excellent boat speed and tactics throughout the first day, taking a good lead in the fleet standings going into the afternoon with a total of eleven points. Team Holland followed closely with some good races totaling fifteen points, and team U.S.V.I. holding third place with twenty points.
Sunday's racing was a little better with the winds still light but far less shifty than the previous day. Team BVI just wouldn't let up the pressure on the fleet for the entire day, showing their transom to the other competitors most of the day. The rest of the fleet mixed up their standings by the end of the day with team Holland having some off the pace races, causing them to let their second place standing from the day before dwindle away. Team St. Martin stepped up their boat handling with a pair of bullets in Sunday's first two races. Team U.S.V.I. also had a good showing in flight 8 of the regatta pulling in a first and second place finish, helping to keep them in contention. In the end though, Team BVI dominated the fleet with nothing worse than a third place finish over the entire weekend.
An interesting antic on John Holmbergs team U.S.A. boat in the third race on Sunday found two crew members going overboard on a light wind roll tack when a lifeline fitting let go and in they went! John managed to retrieve his crew and finish the race but couldn't quite catch up to where he was when the incident happened. He was allowed to apply for redress though, as all of the IC 24's were considered as "chartered" boats sailing in a round robin profile. Team Barbados harnessed in the award for the best effort and vowed to return next year with some practice under their belt.
All in all the entire regatta was an outstanding success and was highly touted as a must do regatta next year by all of the visiting countries.
Nation Cup Final Results
1. BVI, Robbie and Mike Hirst/Colin Rathbun (17 points)2. St. Martin, Simon Manly (27 points)3. USVI, Chris Curreri (28 points)4. The Beefeaters (England), Mike Masters/Robin Tattersall, (30 points)5. Holland, Frits Bus (32 points)6. ORION (PR), Fraito Lugo (35 points)7. St George (England) Andrew Waters (37 points)8. Canada, Andrew Watters (40 points)9. BEYC (USA), John Holmberg (44 points)10. Urayo (PR), Gilberto Rivera (46 points)11. HIHO (USA), Andy Morrell (48 points)12. Nanny Cay Expats (UK), Steve Roose (55 points)13. Ireland, Sandra Dillion (61 points)14. Barbados, Peter Armstrong (67 points)