SIMPSON BAY--Gill Racing Team won all five races in the St. Maarten Yacht Club’s Keelboat Regatta on the open waters of Simpson Bay Sunday.
Gill, former Budget Marine, competing in Racing Class with their Melges 24 dominated. Team Mowgli, the Melges 24 from St. Barths was second.
The Melges 32 Kick em Jenny with SMYC Commodore Ian Hope Ross at the helm came first over the line in four of the 5 races, missing out on line honors in the first race because of an over early and having to return for a re-start. The 32 finished third on handicap.
Amcon and Caraibes Diesel, two other Melges 24’s ended up in fourth and fifth.
Only one boat signed up for cruising class. Robby Ferron raced his J39 Interlux 99. He opted to start with the racing class and did quite well, keeping up with the Melges.
The weather was fair, but shifty, forcing the race committee to move the marks several times.
The races were sailed, around a windward and leeward mark.
To make things more interesting the race committee had them start and finish downwind the last two races.
Next month there will be two keelboat races, leading up to the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta March 4 to 6.
