SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) - The Sint Maarten Yacht Club hosted the Grant Thornton Multiclass Regatta over the weekend of January 20th and 21st. With a diverse fleet of 38 boats, the four Caribbean sailing clubs were represented: Club de Voile de Friar’s Bay and MDA from French Saint Martin, Saint Barths Yacht Club, and the Sint Maarten Yacht Club.
The regatta featured three classes: Laser, Sunfast 20, and Optimists. The Optimist Class, the largest fleet this year with a total of 18 entries, showcased remarkable talent across three sub-fleets: SailQube fleet, White fleet, and Green fleet.
Saturday's races kicked off under changeable weather conditions, starting with rain and strong wind gusts. The afternoon brought clearing skies, and the last race of the day unfolded in calm winds—a beautiful conclusion to the first day of racing. Competitors engaged in a total of seven races during this full day of racing.
Sunday morning races unfolded under more stable conditions with steady winds and clear skies. Sailors experienced challenging waves during the weekend, adding excitement to the races. The second race day saw participants successfully completing four races in the morning which made a total of 11 races.
In the Optimist Class, Lourenco Couto Jorge from the Saint Barths Yacht Club dominated, securing the top position in the White fleet. Tao Carmona also from St Barths Yacht Club and Nathan Sheppard from Sint Maarten Yacht Club, claimed the second and third positions.
The Green fleet witnessed Stanley Haes from Club de Voile de Friar’s Bay securing victory. Sarah Michaux, also from Club de Voile de Friar’s Bay, secured second place—an impressive feat as she didn’t sail on Sunday. Oskar Versteegden from the Sint Maarten Yacht Club claimed the third spot in the green fleet.
This year marked the debut of the SailQube fleet in the Multiclass Regatta, featuring five courageous young sailors. Axel Le Chavez and Nathaniel from Club de Voile de Friar’s Bay claimed the top two positions, followed by Benjamin Dekker Aardema from the Sint Maarten Yacht Club in third place.
The Laser fleet, with 15 competitors, saw Frits Bus securing third place, Rio Stomp in second, both from the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, and Lolie Osswald from St Barths Yacht Club emerging as the winner of the fleet.
Adding a new dimension to the regatta this year, Sunfast 20 boats showcased their prowess with five boats competing. Robbie Ferron and his team won the class, followed by Stephane Ferron and her team. Brad Taylor and his team finished in third with his boat called ‘Cerveza’.
All winners received a trophy and vouchers from Rainforest Adventures, Selfie, Coffee House, Tri Sports, and more.
The success of the Grant Thornton Multiclass Regatta would not have been possible without the support of Grant Thornton, a dedicated sponsor for both this regatta and the Sint Maarten Yacht Club's Dinghy and Keelboat Series.
A heartfelt thank you to Domino’s Pizza and Zee Best Bakery for their contributions towards snacks, breakfast, and lunch. SMYC also extends its gratitude to the volunteers on the Race Committee, Mark Layers, and onshore support for their dedication and hard work.
For more information, photos, and detailed results from the Grant Thornton Multiclass Regatta, please visit the SMYC website.
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