Local Yachtsmen Gearing Up for Prize Positions in Grenada Sailing Festival 2012

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, October 31, 2011 - Several of our strongly competitive local yachtsmen are already making plans to ensure they will be in contention in the 2012 Grenada Sailing Festival Camper & Nicholsons Racing Series. Spearheading the Grenadian entry is well known local business entrepreneur & tenacious racer Peter ‘Champie’ Evans with his fast Swan 48 Julia.  ‘Champie’ has been a regular and successful competitor in the annual event since it started in 1994, and in 2011 was in hot competition for the Cruising Class title right up until the last race. Once again in 2012 he will be pitting his tactical skills against Peter Morris and his crack Trinidadian crew in Jaguar, who not only won the Class title, but went on to take the prize of Overall Festival Winner.

Watch out for other local skippers and crews on the start line, including Richard Szyjan with Category 5, a regular entrant in the Racing Class; a crew from Grenada Marine in St.David’s with Apero, owned by Jason Fletcher and Jerry Stewart from Carriacou with his distinctive red hulled yacht Bloody Mary. Festival organisers are also hoping to have a dedicated Class for Carriacou Sloops, the traditional island vessels built in Windward.

The Festival’s international keelboat racing, the Camper & Nicholsons Racing Series, will be run from its Home Port and Race HQ at the company’s Port Louis Marina, and will be staged from Friday 27 January to Tuesday 31 January. As well as this strong local contingent, event organisers look forward to welcoming skippers and crews from neighbouring islands in the Region including Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and St. Lucia to take part in what is building up to be a very strong international fleet. Check the Festival website www.grenadasailingfestival.com or follow us on Facebook for more news of yacht entries as they come in.

For the third year, the 2012 Grenada Sailing Festival will offer two week-ends of contrasting sailing action, with local boats from Carriacou, Gouyave, Grand Mal, Petite Martinique, Sauteurs and Woburn heading for Grand Anse Beach the following week-end 4 & 5 February, when the traditional Work Boat Regatta will take place as part of the island’s National Independence Celebrations. Grenada’s talented young sailors will also be demonstrating their skills to the crowd on Grand Anse Beach on Saturday 4 February, in a Junior Dinghy Sailing Championship organised by the Grenada Sailing Festival and Grenada Sailing Association, and sponsored by Budget Marine and Grenada Union of Teachers Credit Union.

Grenada Sailing Festival wishes to thank all its sponsors and supporters on board already for 2012: the Grenada Board of Tourism; Camper & Nicholsons Marinas; United Insurance; ScotiaBank; Mount Gay Rum with agent Bryden & Minors; Budget Marine; True Blue Bay Resort; The Moorings; The Victory Bar & Restaurant; North South Wines; SOL EC Ltd.; American Airlines; British Airways; Horizon Yacht Charters; Spice Island Marine Services; Island Dreams Yacht Services; Turbulence Ltd.; Steele’s Auto Supplies; Grenada Union of Teachers Credit Union; Grenlec; Mitchell’s Health & Wellness; Glenelg Spring Water; Spice Island Fish House; Marketing & National Importing Board and Country Cold Store.

PHOTO: 'Champie' Evans with Julia (Centre) in very tight competition with Peter Peake in Storm (Left) and Peter Morris in Jaguar (Right) in 2011 Grenada Sailing Festival action.

SOURCE: Grenada Sailing Festival