Competitors are Switching Gears on Race Day 2 of the 2024 Caribbean Dinghy Championship

SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) - Day two of the Caribbean Dinghy Championship, hosted by the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, brought another exhilarating day of racing for 38 participants from across the Caribbean. With six more races added to yesterday’s racing, participants have now completed twelve races in what is turning out to be a challenging and exciting event.

Today we left the spot-on conditions behind us and racing began with shifty winds at around 13 knots that required strategic focus and rapid adaptability. As the day progressed, winds dropped to around 6-7 knots, intensifying the challenge for participants and making the final race a true test of endurance and skill. The top contenders in the ILCA and Optimist classes were particularly aggressive, fighting hard for ideal positioning and seizing every advantage.

One of the day’s most thrilling moments unfolded during the 10th race when all classes reached the upwind mark practically simultaneously, creating a breathtaking display of mark roundings as sailors claimed their position. It all happened in a very civilized manner, without any shouting or contact between boats, yet further proof of the focus seen in this Championship so far.

Thanks to the generous support from main sponsor Motorworld, the support from local restaurants Zee Best Bakery & Restaurant and Captain D’s Rib Shack, the committee boat made available by Island Water World and individual boat owners and company’s providing the support boats, the Sint Maarten Yacht Club has been able to host this Championship in spectacular fashion. Let’s not forget the many volunteers that donate their time and energy to make this year’s event a memorable experience for all involved.

In the RS Zest class, Oskar Jarrett Versteegden and Chris Meekhof from St. Maarten demonstrated exceptional skill, securing four bullets to extend their lead over Oceane Chilou and Neo Barbet from St. Martin. The latter duo remains firmly in second, well ahead of Mikhaela Browne and Sion Gachette from Trinidad & Tobago, making it unlikely that the standings in this class will shift in the final races tomorrow.

The RS Quest fleet saw notable developments when Team St. Martin and St. Maarten each received a disqualification after crossing the start line while racing, which is prohibited as per the SI’s, an error that allowed Team Antigua’s Patrick Greensmith and Alistair Knoblauch to claim the win in that round, a big disadvantage for Team St. Maarten and St. Martin. Team Antigua maintained their lead, closely followed by St. Maarten’s Joris and Axel Vanden Eynde in second and Merlin Guier and Pascal Belle from St. Martin in third.

In the Optimist class, the rivalry between Nathan Sheppard of St. Maarten and Tyden Jones of Antigua reached new heights. Sheppard surged ahead today, securing three wins that extended his lead by six points, relegating Jones to a close second. Meanwhile, Aymeric Arminjon representing St. Martin and Adrien Arminjon from Guadeloupe will likely contend for the third spot tomorrow.

The ILCA 4 class saw intense competition as Carrack Jones from Antigua continued to dominate, with a solid lead over Clement Le Normand of St. Martin, who ascended to second place following a protest that disqualified Massimo Lapierre in the second to last race of the day. The standings for second and third remain neck-and-neck, with Savannah Grace Stuart from Barbados, currently in fourth place, tying with Lapierre, adding suspense as they head into the final day.

ILCA 6 celebrated another strong performance from Shanoy Malone of Antigua, who secured another 5 bullets today. Rio Stomp of St. Maarten, stays in second place, however did lose points due to being challenged by the shifty wind conditions. Trinidad & Tobago’s Josiah Alexis is in a pretty solid third place.

In the ILCA 7 category, Ozani Lafond of Antigua and Benoit Meesemaecker from St. Barts, continued the battle for the top position, with Meesemaecker closing in just two points behind Lafond. Trinidad & Tobago’s Stefan Stuven had a fantastic day, consistently placing in second or third place today, overtaking Frits Bus from Sint Maarten for third place.

In the provisional standings for the Nation’s Cup, Antigua continues to lead, followed closely by St. Maarten in second and St. Martin in third. With three races left to sail tomorrow, the competition promises to deliver a spectacular finish, with sailors and fans eagerly awaiting tomorrow’s final prize giving scheduled for 2PM at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club.