Sint Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC) — That’s a wrap! SMYC concluded its 2025-2026 Keelboat Season Championship on Sunday, June 7, with Race Day 4, which saw tight competition between three CSA 1 boats in a great breeze on Simpson Bay. Sponsored by Grant Thornton, this year’s series included four Sundays of racing across three fleets: CSA 1, Diam 24, and Sun Fast 20.
The season kicked off with Race Day 1 on Sunday, November 23, and the sailors knocked off some rust in shifty but sailable conditions. Four races were completed and in CSA 1 was Ian Hope Ross on the J/105 More Zessin’ in third place, second place went to Erwan le Normand on the Melges 24 Caraibes Diesel, and the top spot was claimed by Frits Bus on the Melges 24 Team Island Water World. In the Diam 24 class, Miha Krumpak came in second place on Merlin, and Jolyon Ferron took first place aboard Anomaly. Rounding out the competition were four boats in the Sun Fast 20 class with the podium finishers being Pieter Soons on Ms. Lily in third, Garth Steyn on IGY IGY Marina Racing Team in second, and Sam Peeks in first skippering SMYC’s Sun Fast 20.
On Sunday, January 11, Race Day 2 brought light wind but close racing action. Again, four races were completed In total, and it came down to the final contest to determine the winner in the Diam 24 and CSA classes. In the Diam 24s, Buzz Race Team took third place with 8 points, Anomaly came in second with 4 points, and Merlin captured first with 4 points—winning the tiebreak by getting a first in the final race. Similarly, in the CSA class, the J/105 More Zessin’ took fourth place with 12 points, Melges 24 Budget Marine grabbed third with 9 points, Melges 24 Caribes Diesel got second with 4 points, and Team Island Water World stood atop the podium with 4 points—also winning the tiebreak with a first in the final race. In the Sun Fast 20 class, FKG came in second place, and IGY Marina Racing Team took first place.
Next up was the Heineken Regatta Warm Up, which took place on Sunday, March 1, and offered racers an opportunity for a final chance to hone their skills before the main event. After four races, three CSA 1 teams were all within a point of one another with More Zessin coming in third place, Island Water World grabbing second, and FKG taking the top of the podium. In the always fun Sun Fast 20 class, six boats gave it their all with the Sint Maarten Yacht Club coming in sixth place, Miss TyKnight in fifth place, Island Water World in fourth place, Miss Lily snagging third place, Team Spellbound taking second place, and IGY Marina Racing Team hoisting the first place trophy—a bottle of rum. Well deserved!
Race Day 4 on June 7 gave racers one more chance to improve their standing in the final season standings. In a beautiful easterly breeze on Simpson Bay, it was the Melges 24 Caribes Diesel in third place, the J/105 More Zessin’ in second place, and the Melges 24 Team Island Water World on top of the podium.
When the overall season standings were tallied at the end of the day, Team Island Water World won the CSA 1, with Caribes Diesel in second, and More Zessin’ in third.
In the Diam 24 fleet, Merlin took first place, followed by Anomaly in second, and Buzz Race Team in third.
The Sun Fast 20 fleet was won by IGY Marina Racing Team, followed by Miss Lilly in second, and Team Spellbound in third.
The Sint Maarten Yacht Club thanks Grant Thornton for sponsoring this exciting keelboat season and to all the staff and volunteers who helped run the events. We look forward to another great season starting in November 2026!
For individual and overall results, visit the SMYC website.