THE MOOD OF COMPETITION for the 2012 Mount Gay Regatta which sailed off yesterday was definitely established when the captains’ briefing was held on Thursday night at the Yacht Club, Bay Street.
With a gathering of sailors from throughout the region as well as Britain and the United States, recounting past battles from the previous 26 editions of the regatta, as well as predicting challenges for this weekend, were matched by the on-the-spot competitions in consuming liquid products from the sponsors.
Sports manager of the Barbados Tourism Authority Gregory Armstrong, spoke of the tourism value of the regatta, and president of the Barbados Sailing Association, Peter Thompson, regaled the keenness of the competition while brand manager of Mount Gay, Peter Samuel, committed to continued support of the event.
However, the biggest cheer erupted from the sailors when returning international chief judge Pat Bailey promised that, like the past 25 editions he had been involved in, once there were no protests, he would buy the first “100 rums”. Â
Thompson welcomed the visiting sailors in particular as he said the regatta would provide further warm-ups for his association and the local sailors for the 505 Worlds, which will be April 22 to May 3 next year. Â
Thirty-seven captains received their competition kits for the regatta which features Racing Class A, Cruising Class A, Cruising Class B, and the J24 Class category which attracted 16 boats, with Impulse of Barbados looking to defend their crown. Â
Boats have arrived from the United States, England, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent, Grenada and the British Virgin Islands. (KB)
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BTA’s Gregory Armstrong (l), Mount Gay’s Peter Samuel (2nd l), Commodore Francis Godson and Barbados Sailing Association’s Peter Thompson (right) at the launch of the regatta. (Picture by Kenmore Bynoe.)
