Sunday, September 21, is 'Bart's Bash Sailing Charity Race'
Be part of the largest sailing event in the world, ever! 8,000 plus sailors from 700 sailing clubs around the world will all set sail together within 24 hours of 00.00UTC Sunday. They're striving for a place in the Guinness Book of Records "Largest Sailing Race in 24 Hours with Multiple Venues." You too can be part of the record makers. The St. Maarten race will start at 10:30am local time on Sunday but you need to register online at www.bartsbash.co.uk at any stage before 10:29am on Sunday morning!
This historical event is in memory of 2012 sailing Olympic gold medallist Andrew "Bart" Simpson who died tragically while training for the 2013 America's Cup. St. Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC) is the official host and sponsor for the St. Maarten event. The race will take place within Simpson Bay Lagoon and will start at 10:30am in the waters in front of Boca Marina next to Red Cross on Airport Road. There'll be a great view of the race for spectators from the Causeway Bridge and from Boca Marina. Why not take a family walk or cycle across the bridge on Sunday morning?
The event is a worldwide charity sailing race to help raise funds for under-privileged child sailors. The Notice of Race will be available from SMYC, at www.//bartsbash.co.uk and on the day. Entry is free. As it's a charity fundraiser, SMYC will be taking donations for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation. Teams from Anguilla will be joining the SXM effort while teams from all over the world will join "sails" with UK home club xxx in Weymouth. Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, BVI, Jamaica and Antigua have all signed up to be part of history in the making and represent the Caribbean. Guinness Book of Records requires that at least 25 boats race and two independent people witness the start and finish. Neither person should be related to a sailing participant or any member of SMYC.
The number of participants is growing and it's expected that at least 35 boats from St. Maarten and Anguilla will race. The vessels can be any sail boat from little Optimists to 100' Swans and the crew can be anyone from a singlehanded six-year old to a fully trained professional racing crew. The worldwide results will be determined via a handicap system. There are no prizes, but you will be able to be placed against the 8,000 plus competitors including the world's sailing greats, like Ben Ainslie and Iain Percy, who were part of the original Olympic Gold winners in 2008 and Silver medallists in 2012. Boats are available for no charge from SMYC and at $15 per person from Lagoon Sailboat Rentals.
However, places and boats are going fast. The excitement is contagious and more boats and sailors are registering every day. Anyone wanting to crew in the event but doesn't have a boat can contact Neil at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Ross at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; they can probably make it happen for you if they know well beforehand. Lagoon Sailboat Rentals is kindly providing the Committee boat to SMYC at no charge.
The race briefing will take place on Sunday at 9:00am at SMYC. The boats will be rigged and participants will use the 9:45am Causeway Bridge opening to sail towards the start line. The race will start at 10:30am sharp. The last race of the day will be completed by 2:00pm with all vessels returning to SMYC through the 3:15pm or 3:45pm bridge opening. Both SMYC and Lagoon Sailboat Rentals request that participants be available to haul their boats before 5:00pm.
Further details are available online at www.bartsbash.co.uk; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. SMYC is located at Simpson Bay Bridge.
