SIMPSON BAY--Eight racing teams and 2 multihulls battled for top honours in the 17th annual La Course de L’Alliance sponsored by FKG Marine Rigging last weekend. Two first place finishes in the first two races and a second place in the third race ensured Frits Bus’ Team Island Water World place as overall winner.
Kick ‘em Jenny and Wanna B gave them stiff competition and ended up on second and third place respectively.
The battle of the multihulls was won by Arawak, the 52 foot racing machine, in favor of Too Rum Punch.
La Course de L’Alliance is normally a 3-day race from St. Maarten to St. Barths, Anguilla and back. This year an adjusted version of the race took place, which became a 2-day race to Oyster Bay as travelling restrictions prevented the fleet from sailing to St Barts and Anguilla.
“There was a lot more wind than originally expected, but it made for great racing! Most boat finished the second race within 2 – 2,5 hours, allowing for lots of pool time. There were a couple of squalls, this in combination with choppy seas, made for slightly challenging and wet racing.” explained Race Officer Saskia Revelman.
Daily prize giving was sponsored by Mount Gay Rum.
On the other Melges 24, team Island Water World 2, a team of Sint Maarten Yacht Club youth sailors raced their first Regatta, which came with certain challenges on day 1. On day 2 the team showed more confidence and lots of improvement and managed to beat Team IGY Racing, a J70, to the finish.
Long time sailor, Bernard Silem, was recognized for the decades he contributed to sailing and the SMYC. Having sailed with many teams, on different boats, he became a prominent sailor at most Regattas, easily recognized by the zinc covering his face and the t-shirt wrapped around his head to protect him from the sun. He sailed his final Regatta on Sint Maarten and will move off island.
Sponsoring the regatta were FKG Marine Rigging, Oyster Bay Beach Resort, Oyster Bay Marina, Budget Marine, Harken, Suzuki Marine, Mount Gay Rum, Island Water World and the Maritime School of the West Indies.
