By SMYC Racing Team Coach Sam Peeks
The youth sailors from the Sint Maarten Yacht Club Racing Team have concluded their 2024-2025 regatta season [at the end of August – ed.], looking back on great progress and achievements.
The first international regatta of the season was the Caribbean Dinghy Championship (CDC) in October 2024, hosted in our home waters of Sint Maarten. With 46 sailors from nine countries competing, the competition was fierce, but this didn’t stop our Sint Maarten sailors from excelling. The CDC features both individual and national rankings.
Individually, Nathan Sheppard showed his skills to the other countries in the Optimist class with a first-place finish, winning nine out of 15 races. Harper and Adilyn Treadwell followed with seventh- and 10th-place finishes respectively. Axel Vanden Eynde, sailing with his dad Joris, won the RS Quest fleet in a tight battle, securing victory by just two points. Oskar Jarrett Versteegden and Chris Meekhof won the RS Zest fleet by a larger margin, clinching the title with five points ahead of second place – so far ahead, in fact, they won the regatta before the final race was sailed. Rio Stomp secured second in the ILCA 6, and Massimo Lapierre placed fourth in the ILCA 4. Sint Maarten finished second in the Nations Cup, getting closer than ever to winning the Caribbean Dinghy Championship – great motivation for the rest of the season.
Next up was the 19th edition of the Sint Maarten Optimist Championship in November 2024. This edition saw a record number of participants: 45 sailors from nine countries, ages seven to 15, all racing in the Optimist class (a solo-sailed eight-foot boat). A big shoutout goes to Budget Marine, the main sponsor of the event. Organizing high-level events like this in Sint Maarten wouldn't be possible without such support, and the sailors are very thankful for involved sponsors like Budget Marine.
Sint Maarten dominated the second level of the podium, keeping all silver medals at home in all three divisions. Axel secured second in the Green Fleet – a division designed for the youngest and least experienced sailors. Adilyn placed fourth, while Oskar earned second in the Benjamin Fleet for experienced sailors under 12. Chris, Harper, and Nathan battled it out in the top fleet. Nathan took second, with Harper finishing 12th and Chris 14th, making this another successful regatta for the Racing Team.
After a period of intense training, reflection, and improvement, it was time to head to Martinique for the Schoelcher Sailing Week this past March. This regatta attracts top sailors from across the French islands and mainland France. For this event, we teamed up with our friends from the French side – Saint Martin Voile Pour Tous (SMVT) in Friars Bay.
It was heartwarming to see the camaraderie between our clubs. Though usually fierce competitors, they showed real sportsmanship and willingness to help each other improve. This collaboration is particularly special since the sailors compete individually in the end.
We were proud to see Clément Le Normand (SMVT) take first in the ILCA 4 class. After some exciting races with Clément, Massimo narrowly missed the podium with a fourth place. Emilien Le Normand (SMVT) also finished fourth in the ILCA 6 class. In the Optimist Benjamin division, Axel and Achille Le Normand (SMVT) placed sixth and nineth. Meanwhile, Oskar, newly aged out of the Benjamin fleet, made an impressive debut in the main Optimist fleet with a 10th place finish out of 25 sailors.
Back from Martinique, the sailors had only a day to recover before diving into the Heineken Regatta. While this event isn’t primarily about competition for the youth team, it provides a valuable opportunity for experienced sailors to team up in RS Zests with newcomers and share their knowledge.
In the Next Generation Race, Nathan and his partner took first place, with Adilyn close behind in second, even managing to beat her older sister Harper, who placed third. Chris finished fourth, and Oskar placed fifth out of 12 teams.
Next came the Curaçao Youth Championships in April, which included a special guest: Nick, Chris’s younger brother, who earned a silver medal in his first big regatta in the Green Fleet. Massimo faced strong competition, as most were preparing for the ILCA 4 European Championships. Despite his strong performance, Massimo just missed the podium again with another impressive fourth-place finish. Meanwhile, Nathan and Chris showed what Sint Maarten sailors are made of, finishing first and second overall.
To wrap up the season, we visited our neighbours in St. Barts for the Mini Bucket at the end of May – our toughest regatta of the season. Despite its proximity, the conditions were completely different: Waves twice as big, strong currents, and heavy winds made it a real challenge. Harper, having just moved up to the ILCA 4 from the Optimist, sailed an excellent regatta and finished third. Massimo finally broke his curse and took home a silver medal. In the Optimist class, Adilyn finished 14th and won the trophy for top female sailor. Oskar placed 10th, and Nathan came in eighth.
As this remarkable season comes to a close, we look back with pride at the dedication, growth, and sportsmanship shown by our young sailors. From fierce international competition to community-driven local events, they have represented Sint Maarten with heart and determination. More than medals, it’s the friendships built, lessons learned, and progress made that define this season’s success.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to our generous racing team sponsors – Avis Budget Car Rental SXM and Bob Hilbert Sportswear – whose ongoing support makes our participation in high-level events possible. Their commitment to youth sailing allows our athletes to dream bigger and reach farther.
Looking ahead, we’ll take time to reflect, continue training, and set new goals for next season. With this year laying such a strong foundation, the future of youth sailing on Sint Maarten has never looked brighter.
