ScotiaBank Bunga Bunga threatened but Williams Industries HawkEye emerged champions when the two-day First Citizens Investment Services/J24 Open Regatta concluded on the West Coast on Sunday.
Skippered by Robert Povey, HawkEye grabbed the championship with18 points and forced Bunga Bunga (19 points) into second position with an impressive display of consistent sailing.
Eight races were contested over two days and Bad Attitude of St Lucia clinched third position on the count-back system, after being locked on 27 points with early favourites Republic Bank Impulse. Fifth were last year’s winners, Banks Esperanza, with 29 points.
HawkEye, who restarted in third position on Sunday morning, registered their lone victory in Race No. 3 on Saturday, but had two second placings and a third in the final four ocean races.
 Ian Mayers and the Esperanza crew kept themselves among the front-runners in the race for the overall title for the J24 national championship with two victories on Sunday, while Impulse did not perform to their expected standard and could be under pressure to maintain their status among the front-runners.
Eleven yachts contested the West Coast Open Regatta, which featured exciting ocean-racing in good conditions and sailors, sponsors and lovers of yachting came together for an awards ceremony on Sunday night at the Drift Lounge at Holetown, hosted by the J-24 Club and First Citizens Investments Services. (PR)
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