Anthony Kotoun wins Pro Am Regatta

Virgin Gorda, BVI (October 31, 2014) – Anthony Kotoun grew up in Saint Thomas on the U.S. Virgin Islands – just 30 miles away from the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda in the BVI. And he will readily acknowledge that throughout his life he has regarded the skippers who were invited to compete in the BEYC’s Pro Am Regatta as sailing’s ‘Hall of Fame.’ When Kotoun got the opportunity to skipper one of BEYC’s matched IC24s in this year’s 28th annual Pro Am Regatta, he did not squander it.

His regatta began on an inauspicious note with an OCS call in the first fleet race, and a last place finish. But from that lowly spot, the former J/24 World Champion and current Moth National Champion charged straight uphill. After the 12 scheduled fleet races, with guests of the BEYC rotating through his crew list, Kotoun had climbed his way into fourth place, a single point ahead of Pro Am veteran Dave Ullman. That fourth place standing qualified Kotoun for the event’s match racing championship round.

Dave Perry won the fleet racing portion of the Pro Am Regatta, and quickly exercised his option to select Kotoun as his opponent in the initial round of match races. Pro Am skipper Stephanie Roble fittingly dubbed that match, “the Legend and the Local.” Kotoun was only three years old when Perry won the first of his many US Match Racing Championships – and was just four years old when Perry won his first Congressional Cup Regatta. That obviously did not intimidated Kotoun who won their tightly contested series, 2-1.

So Pro Am rookie Anthony Kotoun had made it to the finals of the event he’d looked up to all of his life. And his opponent was Taylor Canfield – the 2012 BEYC Pro Am Champion and reigning World Match Racing Champion. Interestingly, Kotoun once coached Canfield in Optis when the two were growing up in Saint Thomas, so any intimidation factor was simply non-existent.

Three great match races followed in magnificent trade wind conditions, and for the third consecutive year it was a rookie who prevailed to claim the BEYC Pro Am Championship. This year the only rookie in the event was Anthony Kotoun.

Final Results
1. Anthony Kotoun
2. Taylor Canfield
3. Dave Perry
4. Zach Railey
5. Alec Anderson
6. Dave Ullman
7. Stephanie Roble

Bitter End Yacht Club – Pro Am Regatta