BVI Dinghy Championships 2018
Published on May 20th, 2018
The 2018 BVI Dinghy Championships attracted 20 competitors representing the BVI, St Thomas, and Puerto Rico to Royal BVI Yacht Club on Nanny Cay, Tortola. Held May 19-20, Tanner Krygsveld from St Thomas Yacht Club was the overall Optimist winner with Paul Johnson of RBVIYC taking the Laser 4.7 title.
Out on the championship course, sailors were treated to 20+ knots of wind and waves, peppered by squalls adding even more wind and rain to the mix.
Tanner Krygsveld (STYC), last year’s white fleet winner, was a force to be reckoned with this weekend, finishing first in five of the 11 races. In second place, five points adrift on 26 was Andy Yu, also from St Thomas, with a consistent series including two race wins. Third overall and first in the red fleet was Winn Majette. The BVI’s Samuel Allen had a challening weekend, finishing in ninth place.
The Optimist Green fleet completed all but one of their 18 races in the inner marina where (since Irma removed the docks and boats) there is an excellent arena for small boat racing providing a treat for spectators to watch the action. On Sunday morning, they bravely joined the championship fleet race course for their first race of the day and then returned to the inner marina for a further six races.
Overall it was Coby Fagan from St Thomas Yacht Club who dominated the fleet, finishing in first place in 13 of the races. Other race winners were Victoria Rowlette, second overall; Amanda Plaxton, third overall; Matthew Grayson, fourth overall.
Four Laser sailors took to the race course on Saturday with Paul Johnson coming away as the clear winner.
The trophies this year were handmade from recycled materials damaged by Hurricane Irma as the Opti and Laser replicas were made from a shutter from Government House and pieces of the Royal BVI Yacht Club deck.
Final Results:
Optimist Championship Fleet
Red Fleet
1. Winn Majette – 38 pts (3rd overall)
2. Caroline Sibilly – 44 pts
3. Katherine Majette – 58 pts
Blue Fleet
1. Tanner Krygsveld – 21 pts (1st overall)
2. Andy Yu – 26 pts (2nd overall)
3. Alejo di Blasi – 55 pts
Opti Green Fleet
1. Coby Fagan
2. Victoria Rowlette
3. Amanda Plaxton
Laser 4.7
1. Paul Johnson
2. Rory Lynch
3. Tom Lilleyman
4. Charlie Peschardt
Source: RBVIYC