Sint Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC) — An unusually light southwest wind greeted dinghy sailors on Simpson Bay for the 2026 Hope Ross Regatta on Saturday, February 7, but it didn’t stop them from racing. Despite the variable and shifty breeze, Race Officer Joris Zweers and his crew of volunteers were able to get three races completed before the noon cutoff time.
Part of SMYC’s Grant Thornton Dinghy Season Championship, the competition was tightly contested in the ILCA, Optimist, Optimist Green, and RS Zest fleets. Typically sailed on Simpson Bay Lagoon, the committee decided to set the course out in Simpson Bay in hopes that the wind would fill in. Also due to the wind conditions, the course was kept short so more races could be completed.
The trick for all the fleets was to get a good start and to connect enough of the puffs and shifts to make it to the windward mark ahead of the competition. Downwind was a challenge as well, as boat speed was at a premium. Fortunately, the racers were skilled enough to keep the racing action tight and fun.
In the hotly contested ILCA Fleet, Clement Le Normand took third place, Tim Elfenbein grabbed second place, and taking the overall win with a tiebreak was SMYC Commodore Frits Bus.
The younger sailors in the Optimist and Optimist Green Fleet delivered their own share of excitement. Porter Cross took second place in the Optimist and Nathan Sheppard came in first. In the Green Fleet, Victoria Otto came in third place, Magnus Cross captured second place, and J’Amari de Groote took home the top prize in first place.
Four RS Zests came out for the regatta and it was Achille Le Normand in third place, followed by the duo of Ayla Bus and Isabelle Little in second place, and Ekamjot Jabbal Singh and Luke Little atop the podium in first place.
“Overall, the day went well and I’m happy that we were able to get three races finished in the light wind,” said SMYC Race Officer and sailing coach Zoris Zweers. “It wasn’t easy to set the course because of the shifting wind, but we got it done and I’m proud of how the kids sailed and handled the breeze.”
The 2026 Hope Ross Dinghy Regatta was a success, and we look forward to more events in the future. Next up on the schedule is the Hoedemaker Dinghy Regatta on March 21, 2026. For more information and full results visit: https://smyc.com/dinghy-season-championship/
