THE BARBADOS Old Brigand Rum Regatta is set to sail off this weekend, with the first race scheduled to start on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Competition will be in three classes, CSA using Caribbean Sailing Association handicap ratings, non-CSA using local performance handicaps, and the one-design J24 class.
Last year’s winner Esperanza, skippered by Ian Mayers, will be defending the title in the very competitive J24 class, as top local boats Hawkeye, Bunga Bunga, College Funds and Impulse, which have all achieved exceptional results over the past year, will be in contention for top honours, along with the very consistent Die Hard from Grenada, skippered by Robbie Yearwood.
The young team Attitude, from St Lucia, is also expected to be among the top place finishers.
Vice president of the Barbados Sailing Association, Kwame Hinds, will lead a crew of very young local sailors on the J24 Undercover, as they continue to show keen interest and ability as a result of the advanced sailing programme conducted by Hinds.
Ralph Johnson’s Rapajam is expected to head the fleet in the CSA class, but will be challenged by Ian Hicklin’s Ten Seven and Dragon Magic sailed by Mike Krimholtz.
In the non-CSA class, Geoffrey Evelyn’s Lantana and Bill Tempro’s Sail La Vie will be up against consistent performers Tropic Bird, Shangri La and Liza.
The races will all start in Carlisle Bay, and most of the courses will be along the South Coast to St Lawrence, then downwind to Brighton and finish in Carlisle Bay.
The CSA and non-CSA classes will sail two races on Saturday and two on Sunday, while the J24 class will sail three races each day. (PR)
