Grenada Sailing Festival Workboat Regatta 2016

Grand Mal Take Championship Title at For First Time at Westerhall White Jack Workboat Regatta 2016

“Tomorrow’s Worry” – Champion of Champions in 2016

Skipper Christopher Jaheir with his talented crew sailing in Tomorrow’s Worry, one of the five matched design boats owned by Grenada Sailing Festival, stormed through the finish line to bring the title of Champion of Champions to Grand Mal for the first time.  The winners took away a cheque for US$1,000.00, plus a Yamaha outboard engine presented by McIntyre Brothers, a wonderful new prize for 2016.

Sailing action took centre stage on Grand Anse Beach on Saturday and Sunday 30 & 31 January as the 23rd annual Grenada Sailing Festival White Jack Workboat Regatta took place, bringing high adrenalin racing and fun feting to a record crowd of local supporters and overseas visitors. In excellent weather and sailing conditions a strong fleet of 25 boats from Woburn, Gouyave, Grand Mal, Sauteurs, Carriacou, Bequia and Mayreau lined Grand Anse Beach – bringing their well-known and much loved colour to its shores again. The organisers were delighted to report new boats had been built in Woburn to take part in the 2016 event – bringing their Community Class fleet to ten boats.

“Trouble Again” 1st Place in Woburn Community Class Racing

The racing was as close and competitive as ever in the Community Classes, with every skipper and crew sailing hard to take first place and the chance to go through to race in the Westerhall White Jack Champion of Champions Match Race Final. At the end of the first day positions were close, leaving everything to race for on Sunday.

After another two races in The Community Class Series on Sunday morning the scene was set for an afternoon of Match Race Finals. The excitement levels moved to a new high as the growing crowds on Grand Anse Beach waited for the boats and teams to be picked for the National Team Sailing Match Races in the fleet of GSF16s – the 16’ workboats owned by the Grenada Sailing Festival. The racing was as tough as ever and in the Budget Marine Junior Final, Team Gouyave, sailing in Mr.X, came through to take first in front of Woburn in Gybe Talk.  The crowds were treated to more high-octane racing in the Senior National Team Sailing Final sponsored by Carib, with Team Sauteurs and Tomorrow’s Worry crossing the finish line first in front of Gouyave in Mr.X, with Woburn sailing Gybe Talk in third place.

Crowds watch the “Champion of Champions” Final Race.

The afternoon ended when the winning skippers and crews from the Community Class Race Series battled it out in the Champion of Champions Final. The crew from Swift, winners of the Sauteurs Community Class took GSF16 Tomorrow’s Worry straight into the lead, but the story was far from over as Team Gouyave in Mr.X challenged again & again to take the lead. Positions were close right up to the finish line, with Sauteurs coming through to win, taking the Title, trophy, US$1,000.00 and the new prize of a Yamaha outboard engine donated by McIntyre Brothers.

There was great action on the beach as well, with Festival favourite DJ Blackstorm keeping the atmosphere to ‘D’Max’. Fit For Life Gym ran the ever popular Fitness Challenge, and thanks to Macdonald’s Amusement Park from Calivigny there was a fun Bouncy Castle in Camerhogne Park for children to enjoy. There was also a new area of ‘Eco Info’ booths where the Nature Conservancy & the Environment Division of the Ministry of Agriculture had a great display of information about the range of projects being undertaken in Grenada, plus a fun treasure hunt with great prizes. Century21 also be took part with fun give-aways & all the information you needed about Real Estate.

Work boats lining Grand Anse beach for a competitive day of racing.

Once the crowd had enjoyed the excitement of the last race of the day on Saturday, they moved into Camerhogne Park & enjoyed great music in a ‘Sunset Session’ from some of Grenada’s most talented musicians making up the band ‘Changes’, who, from 5 – 10 April, will be on stage supporting the International acts taking part in Pure Grenada Music Festival 2016. This is an exciting new collaboration between Grenada Sailing Festival and the Pure Grenada Music Festival, which is hoped to grow in the future. The whole event was rounded off on Sunday with a special surprise when the sky over Grand Anse Beach was lit up by a wonderful firework display courtesy of Spice Island Fireworks, Dodgy Dock and True Blue Bay Resort — a true high spot to start the week of Independence celebrations.

Woburn Community Class Racing

The Westerhall White Jack Workboat Regatta was staged on Saturday & Sunday 30-31 January on Grand Anse Beach and Camerhogne Park.  Grenada Sailing Festival wishes to thank Sponsors, Supporters & Festival Friends who make the event possible: Westerhall Rums; the Grenada Tourism Authority; Budget Marine; True Blue Bay Resort’s Dodgy Dock; Carib; Spice Isle Fish House; Guardian General OECS; Waggy T; DeSign Factory; Horizon Yacht Charters; Courts; Blue Aqua; McIntyre Brothers & Yamaha; Bryden & Minors with Campari, Smirnoff & Monster; BOSS FM; Jeans & Co; Republic Bank; L.L Ramdhanny & Harris Paints; Grenlec; Digicel; Island Oasis; Andy’s Soup House; Bulk Buy; Victory Bar; Camper & Nicholsons Marinas; Grenada Marine; Amalgamated Security Services; Century21; Savvy Grenada Sailing Charters; Island Dreams Yacht Services; SVG Air; Clarke’s Court Marina & Boatyard; Sunsation Tours; Cashwiz Grenada;  and Spice Island Fireworks.

Thanks also goes to the Royal Grenadian Police Force; the Grenada Coastguard; Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority; St. John’s Ambulance and W & R Electrical Contractors for their support.

Grenada Sailing Festival 2016 Results

Community Class Racing

Carriacou

1. Ark Royal – Skipper Vernell Phillips (Boat from Bequia)
2. Lightning –  Skipper Adolphus Forde  (Boat from Mayreau)
3. Wet – Skipper Carl Edoe

Gouyave Canoe

1. Sonic – Skipper Israel Darangit
2. Etieron – Skipper Carlyle Joseph
3. Sky Red – Skipper John George

Gouyave Sloop

1. Reborn – Skipper Kwesi Paul

2.  Endeavour – Skipper Javid George

3.  Classic – Skipper Ted Richards

Sauteurs

1. Swift – Skipper Christopher Jaheir
2. No Retreat No Surrender – Skipper Bertrand Noel
3. Cool Runnings – Skipper Ryan Olive

Woburn 

1.  Trouble Again – Skipper Allan Noel

2.  LOCAL – Skipper Clinton Brathwaite

3. Press Play – Skipper Shakeil Gibbs

Match Race Finals – raced in the Grenada Sailing Festival’s own fleet of workboats – the GSF16s

National Team Sailing – Junior – Sponsored by Budget Marine

1. Team Woburn – sailing in Gybe Talk

2. Team Gouyave – sailing Mr.X

National Team Sailing – Senior – Sponsored by Carib

1.  Team  Sauteurs –- sailing in Tomorrow’s Worry

2. Team Gouyave –- sailing in Mr.X

3.  Team Woburn – sailing in Gybe Talk

Westerhall White Jack ‘Champion of Champions’  Match Race Final Final

The Skipper & crew from the winning boat in each of the Community Classes qualify to enter a Match Race Final in the GSF16 workboats to find the ‘Champion of Champions’…

2016 ‘Champion of Champions’

First: Grand Mal – with a crew from the winning boat Swift – Skipper Christopher Jaheir- winning US$1,000.00 & a Yamaha outboard motor from McIntyre Brothers

Second : Gouyave – winning US$500.00

Third: Woburn – winning US$250.00

For more news and information log on to the Festival’s official website: www.grenadasailingfestival.com and follow them on Facebook.