SIMPSON BAY— Team Island Water World 1 dominated the St. Maarten Yacht Club Keelboat Series in Simpson Bay Sunday.
Competing against five Melges 24s and a Melges 32 Water World 1, “nailed the starts and was ahead in most of the races,” said skipper Frits Bus. “Racing in the, as usual, shifting winds in Simson Bay was a mostly tactical affair in light winds that shifted from North easterly to a midday south -easterly breeze.”
Ian Hope Ross’ Kick Them Jenny, Melges 32, placed second overall and was followed by Team Island Water World 2.
“A magical performance came from Team Island Water World 2,” said Bus. St. Maarten Yacht Club youth sailors crewed the boat under the guiding eye of project leader Arthur Bantingh. “They sailed to a well-deserved third overall position.”
Even with the win Island Water World 1 is still only in fourth place in the series that started in November and will run until summer.
Kick ‘em jenny leads the series with 1020.49 points. Gill Race Team is second at 959.74. Sunday Gill placed fourth.
Island Water World 1 has missed several local races as they raced in several overseas regattas like the Melges 24 World Championships in Miami.
In Cruising Class the "Kidz at sea” teams battled each other and the youth program from the Yacht Club.
“One of the key members of the youth team ,Luuc Bacon , used to sail on one of the Island Water World Team and has moved on from just watching to being a full active crewmember,” said Bus
Sunday Team Island Water World 1 included up-coming Opti-sailor Mateo Fourier. “We hope that one day he will move on the being crew on one of the youth teams.”
With the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta coming up the first week of March many racing yachts are arriving and sailors are gearing up for the regatta.
