After a three year break the San Pedro Junior Sailing Team has reformed and participated in the 90th Annual Baron Bliss Harbour Regatta in Belize City. The three sailors from the San Pedro Junior Sailing Team were Gabbi Knox, Rosemary Romero and Leroy Arzu. The race took place on Sunday, March 11, 2018, where a total of 12 sailors and four clubs represented and participated in the event. SPJST members all received medals of participation; congrats on a job well done!
90th Baron Bliss Harbour Regatta Sailed Sunday, March 11, 2018
At first light Belize City Harbour began showing white caps as the seasonal south easterly strengthened. By sunrise the few popcorn clouds had sped off toward the land leaving skies of clearest blue. Since the last rains the water had cleared enough to clearly reveal a pod of dolphins with babies that appeared and stayed the rest of the day with the committee boat. Overhead osprey, brown pelicans, magnificent frigate birds and gulls fed on mullet and mackerel.
The “traditional triangle course” with equal sides of one nautical mile was for the Lighters and Multihulls. Separate courses were laid for Optimist and Lasers as both these classes needed ranking points for entry into up-coming international championships. The Optimists needed to get in more than three races so the separate triangular course was laid, shortened to half nautical mile sides with the apex within 100 yards of the BTL park for better spectator viewing.
Twelve Optimist started at 9:30 and 5 races later the results:
Gold Medal 1st Place: Janelle Joseph (12) Caye Caulker
Silver Medal 2nd Place: Darwin Catzim (15) Corozal Bay
Bronze Medal 3rd Place: Adyaneiri “Susie” Teck (13) Corozal Bay
Youngest Female Medal: Mercedes Beckles (11) Corozal Bay
Youngest Male Medal: Cody Bucknor (10) Caye Caulker
Youngest Sailor to compete all 5 races for the “School Sail” Prize: Janelle Joseph (12) of Caye Caulker
Gold and Silver each received an IODA Race Certified Sail
All other 7 received participation medals and Optimist space parts including universal joints and flotation bags.
Five Lasers put in four races resulting in:
First Place: Trent Hardwick of St. John’s College
Second Place: Wilson Rivera of Placencia
Two Multihulls races results:
First Place Hobie: Antonio Ricardez and Manuel Ricardez of Belize City
Second Place Dart 16: Keith Hardwick and Jabian Young of Belize City
Lighters.
Both vessels had agreed to two races at 10:30 and 12:30. After an hour delay and a false start the first race went off near midday. Radio started badly and was unable to catch up with United. United wont the first race with a quarter mile lead. The second race started better but with the wind steadily dropping, United continued to widen an early lead and finished almost 2 miles ahead of the 133 years old Radio.
Prize Giving at BTL Park for the Optimist and Laser Classes was by the Regatta Committee representatives, His Excellency Sir Colville Young, Mayor elect of Belize City Bernard Wagner and Chairman Belize Sailing Association Sharon Hardwick. Prize Giving for the Lighter and Multihull classes awas at the Ex-Services Head Quarters.
The Harbour Regatta Committee meets every first working Monday of each month at 5:30p.m. at the Bliss Institute, Belize City. We invite sailing enthusiasts to join and assist with ideas, suggestion and active participation.
Main Sponsors: Baron Bliss Trust, Office of the Governor General, Belize Telemedia Limited, Sir Hakimi Karim of Belize Dive Haven, Sea Charters and Print Belize.
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