Whoop Whoop and Wicked Winch started off the new year of competitive sailing by winning the Halyard Challenge 2021 on Saturday, January 9, 2021.
According to a press release from Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club (RBVIYC), it was a "sparkling BVI sailing day" and six boats took to the race course for the first regatta of 2021.
Race course
Both fleets, trimarans and monohulls, sailed the same course, starting in Road Harbour, out around Salt Island, leaving it to starboard, then down to pass Deadchest to starboard before crossing back over the channel to Lark Bank Green, the channel marker at the entrance to Road Harbour.
They then headed back out for a short upwind sail to Hog Valley Green before returning to the harbour to finish.
Competitive trimarans!
As always the trimarans threw up some close racing and spectacular sights with their spinnakers. First home was Kevin Wrigley at the helm of Whoop Whoop after 2 hours, 40 minutes and 53 seconds of racing.
Chris Haycraft's Ting a Ling was just 2 minutes and 9 seconds later. These equally matched boats give a little time to Barney Crook's Airgasm but both had done enough to finish ahead on corrected time. Gilbo Simpson and Tim Parson's Flying Pig came in fourth.
Tight 2-boat tussle
The monohull fleet was just two boats but they had a close tussle all around the race course. The spoils went to David Lake's Wicked Winch, finishing just 1 minute and 32 seconds ahead of Rob Lind with a trainee crew on Latitude 18.
Next up on the calendar is the Manhattan Yacht Club Challenge on Saturday, February 6, 2021.
Results
Multihull / Racing
1. Whoop Whoop, Kevin Wrigley
2. Ting a Ling, Chris Haycraft
3. Airgasm, Barney Crook
4. Flying Pig, Gilbo Simpson
Cruising
1. Wicked Winch, David Lake
2. Latitude 18, Rob Lind
