50th BVI Spring Regatta
Clear your schedule for March 27-April 2, 2023, and sign up today to join the party in 2023 for the 50th edition of the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival
Sunny blue skies, breeze in the mid-teens, and temperatures in the low 80s. Comprising 64 islands, the BVI is always an interesting and challenging place to sail, from the protected waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel, to the outer islands, with numerous natural marks which offer multiple possibilities to mix up the racing.
The seven day event starts on Monday March 27th with the Sailing Festival opening day festivities and skipper pack collection. The Sailing Festival, a warm up event, runs Tuesday March 28th and Wednesday March 29th, offering friendly and fun racing to island destinations, including Scrub Island. The Scrub Island Invitational, hosted by Scrub Island Resort, is an approximate 12NM upwind ride for the CSA Cruising, Bareboat, and Multihull fleets, and a longer course for the CSA-Racing fleet.
Located off the northeast end of Tortola, Scrub Island is a beautiful private resort island with classic Caribbean white sand beaches and docks at the ready. The relatively short race to Scrub Island gives sailors plenty of time on island to enjoy the outstanding Scrub Island hospitality.
Following a lay day on Thursday March 30th, crew and boats will be set for the ever-competitive BVI Spring Regatta, three days of the Caribbean’s best racing starting Friday March 31st. The Regatta has traditionally attracted a diverse fleet of boats in addition to a strong bareboat fleet, and whether sailors participate in all five races of the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival, part or all of the Festival, or the three-day Regatta, the event is flush with 50 years of great stories and experiences that keep sailors, and their families and friends, coming back year after year.
Brett Bonthron, from Napa, Calif., has sailed the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival three times. His team is the “Escaped Aussies”, a bunch of friends who met and sailed in Australia years ago. They’ve been doing regattas internationally for 22 years now, chartering boats all over the world. BVI Spring Regatta is the only regatta they have done repeatedly.
“It’s one of our favorites for sure,” Bonthron said. “We know what it takes to pull off a great regatta and it’s got all the right ingredients – great weather, good sailing, good parties – it’s got everything it takes, kudos to the regatta organisers. I think the 50th will easily push north of 100 entries.”
The Offshore Multihull fleet has been a regular to BVI Spring Regatta for the past eight years, including a fleet of Gunboats and other large performance multihulls. Greg Slyngstad, owner/driver of Fujin, the Bieker 53, a regular to the BVI Spring Regatta these past few years finished first in class in 2022. He said, “It’s a great regatta and for the multihulls it’s unique in that we get to dock together at Nanny Cay and socialise – most places we’re spread out, anchored out, it’s great being together.”
Community Involvement, Clean and Green Since 2009
The BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival takes pride in involving the local BVI community at every opportunity. Every year, the Regatta presents The Guy Eldridge Spirt of Enthusiasm Award to an individual or individuals who shine in the spirt of the sport and showing outstanding commitment to the event. The Regatta Saturday night party is dedicated to the local community and it’s a joy to bring our international visitors into the local fold.
Committed to a clean and green sailing festival, since its inception, the BVI Spring Regatta has made it a priority to protect the pristine waters and lush vegetation that surrounds this Caribbean territory comprising of more than 50 islands and cays. Sailors for the Sea, a leading conservation organisation awarded the organisation’s first Gold level of certification to the Regatta in 2009, and the event has worked diligently to maintain that certification ever since. In 2014, the BVI Spring Regatta was recognised as the first carbon neutral regatta in the world as recognised by Sailors of the Sea.
Reprinted from bvispringregatta.org
