Racing for the international fleet at Island Water World Grenada Sailing Week started today, Monday 27 January for Pure Grenada Race Day One.

Grenada delivered perfect conditions for the first day of racing with 12-15 knots of trade winds from the south east with a comfortable sea state. Race winners on the first day were: Liquid (ANT), Optimus Prime (RUS). Cricket with Anjou Insurances (ANT), Shangri La (BAR) C-MOS (TRI) and The Blue Peter (GBR).

The CSA Classes enjoyed three races today varying in length from 7-14 miles on the leeward side of Grenada. The Classics Class raced on the 14nm Classic Dragon Course taking in the view of the stunning mountainous tropical rainforest to the north of Grenada. The J/24 Class had five short, sharp races on their own windward leeward course.

In CSA 1, Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 Liquid (ANT), skippered by Jules White, leads the class after three races, having scored a 2-1-1. Richard Szyjan’s Hobie 33 Category 5 (GRN) scored a 4-2-2 to finish the day in second. First 40 Optimus Prime (RUS), skippered by Dimitry Kondratyev, scored a 1-4-8 to finish the day in third place.

“Liquid had a young team which has a lot of agility,” commented Pamala Baldwin. “We had a few errors today but the team recovered well, and a lot of our success is down to time on the water, we practice a lot.”

In CSA 3, Sandy Mair’s First 35 Cricket with Anjou Insurances (ANT) scored a 1-3-3 to tie on points with Norman Da Costa’s Soveral 42 C-MOS (TRI), which leads the class on countback having scored a 4-1-2. Mathew Barker’s 65ft Alfred Milne sloop The Blue Peter (GBR) scored a 5-2-1 to finish the day in third place.

Jahiem Noel is a student from Presentation Brothers College in St. George’s, Grenada and was racing on C-MOS. “The racing today was good,” commented Jahiem. “I usually race a Laser but last year I raced at the regatta on a J/24. C-MOS is a much bigger boat and I was working on the foredeck. I have already learnt so much, especially about working together as part of a team.”

“It’s friendly and the regatta is not trying to rip you off, and I get great racing here against other displacement boats similar to Cricket. I was punching the air with the win today and there is more to come!” smiled Sand Mair, skipper of Cricket (ANT).

In the Classics Class, Free in St Barths (GRN) skippered by Cal Enoe took line honours by just 41 seconds from Jonathan Gittens’ Morgan 41 Shangri La (TRI). However, after time correction the win went to Shangri La, Free in St Barths was second and Zemi (GRN) skippered by Walter Ollivierre was third. Jonathan Gittens and his team sailed to Grenada from the Barbados Yacht Club and have won class at the regatta on two occasions.

“I was shocked at how fast the Carriacou sloop Free is, I was impressed” commented Jonathan Gittens, talking about Free in St Barths, which is skippered by the boat’s builder Cal Enoe. “I come to Grenada for the camaraderie, the friendship, and the competition. To get a win in the first race is great and we will try again tomorrow.”

Robbie Yearwood’s Die Hard (GRN) has won nine titles at the regatta in the J/24 Class and came out on top today after five races. “We switch crew positions each race to make it interesting,” said Robbie. “The racing is really close with just seconds deciding the winner. We love it here.” Racing on a windward leeward course off Grand Anse Beach. The J/24s got a good square course with plenty of small shifts in the breeze which oscillated between 100 and 120 degrees. Die Hard scored three bullets, but only lead the class by three points from two boats tied on points for second which both won races today: Gus Reader’s Fadeaway (BAR) and Nick Forsberg’s Jabal (LCA).

The opening ceremony for Island Water World Sailing Week took place on Sunday 26 January at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina. Chairman of Grenada Sailing Week, Patrick Brathwaite welcomed crews to the eighth edition of Island Water World Grenada Sailing Week. The Mount Gay rum was flowing and the dance floor was pumped up by a wicked set from Grenadian party band Mystikk. Among the guests was the Hon. Clarice Modeste-Curwen, Minister for Tourism & Civil Aviation. Kimron Corion, Communications Director of Grenada Tourism Authority, awarded prizes for Pure Grenada Race Day. The After-Race Party featured DJ King Turbo at the Victory Bar, Port Louis Marina, with the whole party jumping late into the night.

Racing at Island Water World Grenada Sailing Week continues tomorrow, Tuesday 28 January, with more racing scheduled in the beautiful sailing grounds of the Spice Island Grenada.

Full results available here.

For more information visit www.grenadasailingweek.com.

by Louay Habib