Cayman team finished in sixth place overall

The Budget Marine Women’s Caribbean Keelboat Championships were held in St Maarten over the weekend of 1 and 2 November, with the Cayman Islands Sailing Club (CISC) represented by the team of Jane Moon, Pam McDonough, Lindsey Macfee and Chantal Goevaerts.

The weekend featured 12 teams from around the Caribbean and the US participating. The local St. Maarten team claimed victory with the Cayman team finishing a very respectable sixth overall.

The St. Maarten team had consistent results, finishing in the top two for almost all races. They had some good competition from Karen Portch and her Antigua Yacht Club team; Emma Paull from RBVI Yacht Club; and Penny McIntyre from Barbados (all past winners of the event). While the Cayman team finished sixth, they were positioned in the top four in most of the races and secured an impressive first place finish in Race 10.

The racing was based out of St Maarten Yacht Club and the course was set up in the Lagoon at Simpson Bay. A total of 14 races were sailed on a rotational basis, each team sailing eight races in seven Lagoon Sailboat Rentals Sunfast 20 boats.

Teams rotated boats after each race which gave those sitting out an opportunity to watch. Races were windward leeward courses with an offset windward mark and a leeward gate. The Race Committee set a starting sequence of three minutes and a race duration of 20 minutes which meant clean air starts were vital for the short, sharp races in the very shifty conditions.

“The regatta, organised by the St Maarten Yacht Club and sponsored by Budget Marine, is a great effort towards the expansion of women’s sailing in the Caribbean region and competitors enjoyed fun and exciting racing and great camaraderie,” said Charles Grover, Communications Officer at the CISC.