Posted by: Editor on Nov 18, 2004 – 11:10 AM
sailing The Nassau Yacht Club this weekend, as in the years past hosted the 2004 Bahamas National Sunfish Championship. Seventeen sailors from the ages of 14 to 70 participated, girls and guys, locals and expatriates.
The sailors came from different areas of New Providence and we had a young lady Miss Nioshi ROLLE from Staniel CAY who now lives here as a student join in the fun as did a member of the Bahamas Defence Force, Mr. William CHARLTON (finishing 12th). It was the perfect weekend for sailing and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. This event brought out some of the sailors we haven´t seen in some time like George DAMIANOS, Gavin MCKINNEY, Richard FARRINGTON, Pedro WASSITSCH and Peter Bruce WASSITSCH.
The race series consisted of six races (with one drop race) during Saturday and Sunday. Winds on Saturday were light and on Sunday moderate to heavy. With these conditions and a very professional race committee one couldn´t ask for fairer sailing. In the stronger winds Race Committee made it mandatory to wear life jackets and ensured we got all races in and were safe on shore before the nasty weather which was forecasted blew in. Now that is what we call professional.
Donny MARTINBOROUGH, as he has for the past number of years, dominated the event. In the six races sailed he was first in five of them. The third place he took in one of the races ended up being his drop race. He was particularly well tuned-in to sailing his Sunfish as he had just recently returned from the Sunfish World Championships where he finished 7th out of 100 boats. Jimmie Lowe was second and was the only one who was a threat to Donny in the series. Gavin McKinney was third overall having beaten Robert Dunkley in the last race to break their tied position. Alyson Myers, our young shining star, won the junior division as well as the ladies division. Richard Farrington took the honour of being the oldest sailor (at a young 50 something) to sail the entire series. Pedro Wassitsch at seventy was also out on the course the first day giving all the hot-shots a run for their money.
Our host club, the Nassau Yacht Club and its commodore Ian MABON along with the Race Committee Chairman, Thierry HUGUENIN and assistants Debra MYERS, Brent BURROWS and Peter PHILLIPS are to be congratulated for running such a great regatta. Having the presentation in the boat park immediately after the event made it special.
The word is that next year this event will be held at Staniel Cay in the Exumas. We are all looking forward to this and even more boats participating.
Note: Bahamas Sailing Association
www.bahamassailing.org