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Racing and fishing action heat up

By Carol Bareuther

Scotiabank International Optimist

Regatta sets sail June 17 to 20

A record-breaking 100-plus 8- to 15-year-old junior sailors are expected to compete in the Scotiabank International Optimist Regatta June 17 to 20, to be sailed out of the St. Thomas Yacht Club in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Sailors will hail from throughout the Caribbean–including all U.S. Virgin Islands, B.V.I, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Maarten and the Dominican Republic–as well as from the U.S., Spain, and Germany.
“The regatta is a fantastic family friendly event that offers awesome training for the upcoming North Americans in Canada and the Nationals in Virginia,” says regatta director, Cindy Hackstaff. Pre-regatta activities include the three-day Sea Star Clinic from June 14 to 16.
“In racing, the best way to learn is not just to race, but to do drills that focus on specific aspects of racing such as boat handling, boat speed, mark roundings, starts and so forth,” say Agustin “Argy” Resano, who will lead the clinic along with Optisailors.com coaches Bocha Pollitzer and Manny Resano. Cost of the clinic is $250 for all registrants; $225 for Green Fleet participants.
The Sea Star Team Racing event will take place June 17. More than a dozen teams are expected to compete. The Sea Star Perpetual Trophy will be inscribed with the names of the sailors on the winning team.
For more information, call 340-775-6320 or e-mail: scotiabankregatta@gmail.com. For the Notice of Regatta, Registration Forms, information on hotel discounts and other event information, visit the St. Thomas Yacht Club web site atstyc.net.

New location for Caribbean’s

international Billfish Shootout

This popular ‘Shootout’ will move from Venezuela, where it was known as the La Guaira Shootout, to a new home in the Dominican Republic. “We expect two to three dozen boats and around ninety anglers,” says Rick Alvarez, director of the International Cap Cana Billfish Shootout to be held May 31 to June 6 out of Cap Cana Marina.
“This is a blue and white marlin only tournament,” says Rick. The nearby fishing grounds off Cap Cana feature a series of mounds and underwater formations ripe for billfishing. The three-day, all-release team tournament will be fished under IGFA rules. All points accumulated by each team or boat during the competition will determine the overall winners.
The 120-slip Cap Cana Marina offers in-slip water and electricity as well as free wi-fi to guests.
Charter boats are available, both local and those based in the U.S. Accommodations for anglers are at the five-star Marina Lofts and the Golden Bear Resort & Sanctuary. Cap Cana also has five restaurants and bars, banking facilities, a signature Jack Nicklaus golf course, swimming pool, boutiques, and a private beach club.
Entry fees are: $1,800 for a team of 2 anglers, $2,650 for a team of 3 anglers, and $3,200 for teams of 4 anglers. The non-angler fee for guests and companions is $200 and entitles the non-angler to attend all social functions.
The ‘Shootout’ will kick off the 2010 Spanish Main Caribbean Series, a trio of tournaments which also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament in August and the British Virgin Islands Open in September. For information on the Shootout, visit intlbillfishtourns.com. For information about the Spanish Main Caribbean Series, visit abmt.vi.

Formula 40 breaks

Round Tortola record

Soma, a swift sailing Formula 40 catamaran based in St. John, smashed the Round Tortola record in the Nanny Cay Challenge on April 15 by circumnavigating the largest British Virgin Island and its outer islands in 2 hours, 50 minutes and 15 seconds. This beats the old record set by Triple Jack, a BVI-based Kelsal 47, by nearly 45 minutes.
Soma’s owners, Nils Erickson and Meredith Pridgen, sailed with six friends. “I’ve been wanting to do this record attempt since it was announced,” said Nils. “I looked at the forecast and when you dream up a forecast, it was perfect for the race. A lot of north in the breeze and the day before there was none, so it was totally glassed over with no swell left.” The breeze was lighter than forecast at the start, but after a two-tack beat up the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Beef Island and then one more to Scrub,  by the time Soma reached the north side of Tortola there was 20 knots of solid breeze.
Distance point-to-point was 31 miles, however, Soma sailed 45 miles to complete the circumnavigation averaging 15 knots with a top speed of 25.4 knots.
Despite this new record, Nils believes that in the right conditions and sailing less conservatively he could shave another 15-20 minutes off his time. “At 31 miles, you only have to average 10 knots to beat us.  Most well-sailed maxis could do that,” added Nils. nannycay.com