Sint Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC) — The 9th edition of the Domino’s Interschool Regatta on Saturday, May 30, was a resounding success. Sixty-five kids from ten different schools competed in the RS Zest, RS Quest, ILCA, Optimist, and SailQube classes, divided among 24 boats.
The day began early in the morning, with participants arriving starting at 7:30 to rig their boats and get ready to race. The starts were pretty spectacular just off the SMYC docks, with 20 boats starting at once, followed by the SailQube class on a shorter reaching course. The SMYC team managed to run four races, with some exceptionally close finishes and great racing all round.
For many kids, this was their first regatta, and there were even some people who had never sailed before! There were also a great number of parents who came to watch their kids race, and having a loudspeaker organized on the dock to provide insightful commentary of the racing action was a hit.
When the racing was finished and the boats were put away, a Domino’s pizza lunch was definitely a highlight of the event, with the sailors and volunteers enjoying some great food and company on the SMYC dock. Tables and benches were set up in a long line, which was really nice, and meant that all the competitors were together after racing. A huge thank you goes out to Domino’s Pizza for supporting the event and providing lunch.
After lunch was prize giving, where all the participants were awarded a medal, and trophies and medals went out to the top three boats in each class. There was also a sportsmanship award that was given to Aries Bruno from Leonald Connor, who was extremely helpful throughout the day, helping to pull ILCAs out of the water and put away boats.
The overall winners were unchanged from last year. Victor Hugo won, placing first in each of the Optimist, ILCA, RS Zest, and RS Quest classes. MPC came second, with podium finishes in the RS Quest, RS Zest, and ILCA classes. Learning Unlimited rounded out the podium, narrowly finishing ahead of CIA. Meanwhile, Sister Regina won out of the PSP schools, with 7th Day Adventists and Leonald Connor finishing second and third respectively.
Overall, it was an amazing day on the water for all these young sailors who put in so much effort. Thanks again to Domino’s Pizza, and all the staff and volunteers who made this such a successful event.
