Several entries continue to sail in ahead of the Mount Gay round Barbados race on Errol Barrow Day, Friday.
To date over 20 entries have been received to participate in the three categories – Schooner, Multihull and Monohull – including interests from the region and as far as Britain.
The race, in the first event on the Caribbean sailing calendar for 2011 having been revived this year by the Barbados Cruising Club, with tremendous support from the main sponsor Mount Gay, along with the Barbados Tourism Authority, Albion Insurance, Miele, Scotiabank, The Beach House and Indigo Island, will be full of thrills and excitement with participants charting a challenging 70-plus mile course.
Paul Johnson, skipper of one of the local entries Bruggadung II, has competed in all of the Round Barbados races in the 1990s, and is excited about the upcoming event.
“As an avid sailor, I am very pleased with the initiative taken by Mount Gay and the Barbados Cruising Club to revive this historic event. From a personal standpoint, it will be a challenge for me as this is my first year leading a crew of eight in this particular race on the vessel,” he said.
“As skipper, I am keen to make my mark by recording the fastest time in the under-40-foot category in what will be a memorable course.”
The 75th anniversary of the race commences at the Barbados Cruising Club, Aquatic Gap, St Michael, with breakfast at approximately 6 a.m. and heads north through the historic Carlisle Bay, past the deep water harbour to begin a 20-mile stretch in calm water along the West Coast.
After rounding the top of the island, sailors will encounter the full force of the Atlantic with nothing between them and the coast of Africa.
This will be followed by a seven-mile plus trek in tricky currents, wind shifts and big waves along the upper east coast for a 20-mile fetch in similar conditions to clear East Point.
The race concludes with a fantastic 18-mile downwind slide along the south coast, and an exciting dash to the finish at Carlisle Bay. (PR)
