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Sailing
85 Expected for BVI Dinghy Championships
By Dean Greenaway
May 7, 2008, 07:18

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.”

Paul said for the team that going to the Optimist the North American Championships—Mollie Donovan, Jason Putley, Donte Hodge and Jonathan Woods—this is one of their big competitions.

“There are four children coming in from Florida who are part of their southern team there, and this is the second time they will be participating,” she noted. “Meme Roller is coming from St. John, Rian Bareuther, Max Nic Berg and several others are coming from St. Thomas and they will be the ones to watch.”

Registration for the event is between 5-8 p.m. on Friday at the Royal BVI Yacht Club.  Registration fees are between $55 and $85, depending on the class and age of the participant.

“I’m expecting the Optimist Class to be and that will attract about 40 participants,” Paul noted. “We are expecting about 20 boats in the lasers, with participants ranging from 14 years upwards to adults. They will compete in Laser Radial and Laser Standard and Laser 4.7. We’ll also have some of the IC-24 guys in there including Colin Rathbun, so it’s going to be a huge weekend.”