BVI Olympian Robbie Hirst returned to his Laser roots and won the BVI Dinghy Championships. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—Exactly 21 years after he won the British Virgin Islands first World Championships medal at any level, Robbie Hirst—a two time Olympian—climbed back into the Laser for the first time in 10 years. The 1987 World Jr. Championships silver medalist fought off the challenges of Olympic Games aspirant Alec Anderson and a group of USVI and BVI challengers to win the weekend BVI Dinghy Championships with seven bullets. “It was a low key fun regatta and I haven’t been in a laser in 10 years,” reflected Hirst who has been sailing IC-24s lately.

Officials are expecting 40 Optimist sailors to compete. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—Officials are expecting over 80 participants from as near as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto and as far as Florida, for the May 10-11, BVI Dinghy Championships, scheduled for the Sir Francis Drakes Channel. There are seven dinghy classes for all ages and sailing will be all day on Saturday with the prize giving at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, said Club Manager of the Royal BVI Yacht Club. “This event is opened to children from seven to 77,” Paul said. “All they have to do to participate is to be sailing a dinghy. Robbie Hirst is supposed to be participating in the Laser Class so he’ll be giving Alec Anderson a little bit competition, before his training period for Jr. Worlds.”

Dave West, 2nd from left and his Jurakan crew after winning Saturday's race. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—Dave West’s Jurakan, a Meleges 32, successfully defended its Royal BVI Yacht Club Virgin Queen Pizza Pursuit Race in the Sir Francis Drakes Channel on Saturday, that presented the 12 boats on two courses with a range of conditions.  West said at the defending champs, they came prepared. “We knew how hard the fight would be,” he said. “The weather surprised everybody. It certainly didn’t act like the forecast said so that was a challenge for everyone. At one point, we were so far in last place, we thought we were in a different race.”

Members of the BVI Tourist Board's UK, Germany, Italy, Puerto Rico and BVI offices, with journalist covering the BVI Spring Regatta. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—Sprinkled among bare boaters on the Cruising course during the weekend 37^th BVI Spring Regatta in the Sir Francis Drakes Channel, were BVI Tourist Board teams representing their offices in the UK, Germany, Italy and a combined BVI-Puerto Rico squad. On each team were print and electronic media journalists covering the event with daily print and television reports and others for magazines. The journalists themselves were getting a first had experience of the product they are selling in their respective markets. Spring Regatta Chairman Bob Phillips said it’s a very important program that the BVI Tourist Board does for them. “Most of our marketing is done with the Tourist Board. They help us out at boat shows and they go to trade shows that we wouldn’t even think of,” he explained.

St. Thomas' Chris Curerri, who was fifth in the IC-24 Class. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—Forget racing in the other classes. St. Thomas’ Chris Curerri has found his niche in the IC-24 Class.  It’s highly competitive with numerous lead changes over the course of a series like the BVI Spring Regatta. “This is a great class. One design is the best way to sail,” Curerri said after finishing fifth overall in the 37^th BVI Spring Regatta on Sunday with 61 points, just two points behind Colin Rathbun’s 59 and one behind 16-year old Alec Anderson. “You know what place you came in when you finish, because you look behind and just start counting.” Curerri said competing against the BVI and Puerto Rican sailors is lots of fun, because they literally make the class. “If we just had the USVI competitors, we’d be bored and if we didn’t have the BVI guys or the Puerto Ricans, there’d be no class,” he noted.