The 53rd BVI Spring Regatta delivers tactical racing, international fleets, and standout performances across every division.
The 53rd BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival has concluded, delivering another standout Caribbean week, combining tight racing and shifting conditions. From the opening Scrub Island Invitational through to the final day’s results, the 2026 edition proved once again that this regatta is as much about people as it is about performance.
Scrub Island Invitational
Racing began with the 11 nautical mile Scrub Island Invitational, where 39 boats and some 298 sailors took part in a light, tactical opener finishing at Marina Cay. The J 121 Apollo claimed overall honours in shifty conditions, setting the tone for the week.
“It was pretty good, light winds, but super shifty out there which made it a little bit hard,” said Benjamin Daniel on the Salona 45 Panacea X. “You just had to keep the boat moving.”
Round Tortola Race for the Nanny Cay Cup
From there, attention shifted to the Round Tortola Race for the Nanny Cay Cup. Lighter than expected breeze forced the race committee to adapt, using the islands as natural marks to shorten courses while preserving tactical racing.
The overall Nanny Cay Cup was awarded jointly, with the J 121 Apollo taking top monohull honours and the Corsair 31-1D Airgasm leading the multihulls.
Apollo’s win carried extra weight. After being called OCS at the start, the J 121 fought back through the fleet and spent much of the race match racing “tack-for-tack” with the Club Swan 42 Lady M, eventually correcting out ahead by just over two minutes. It was a clear reminder that in distance racing, mistakes can be recovered, but only with clean execution.
“We were one of three boats over early,” said Don Nicholson. “But the wonderful thing about a distance race is that you shake that off, put the pedal down and do everything you can.”
BVI Spring Regatta
The main regatta, held over three days, drew around 60 teams across all divisions, with sailors representing more than 15 countries including Poland, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
The first day, the Mount Gay Race Day delivered classic Caribbean racing, with 15+ knots and manageable sea state allowing full-course windward-leeward racing. Starts were sharp and aggressive, particularly in the performance multihull and bareboat fleets, where early positioning proved decisive. There was no clear favoured side, placing the emphasis on execution and staying in pressure.
“First, the weather was fantastic,” said Carlos Ruiz on the J 105 Kairos. “There was not really one favourite side, so you had to sail the boat well.”
The second day delivered the most complex racing of the week. Light breeze gave way to a squall, bringing rain, pressure, and a sharp shift that reshaped the fleet. Racing was paused briefly while courses were reset.
More stable breeze, building to near 20 knots, shifted the focus to execution in the third and last day of racing. Starts were sharp and mistakes costly as standings tightened across divisions.
“It was a phenomenal regatta,” said Regatta Chairman Chris Haycraft. “Spring Regatta always delivers.”
Racing results
PSY Racing
Three classes made up the PSY Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) division: Spinnaker, Performance Multihull, and Sport Multihull.
In CSA Spinnaker, the J 121 Apollo secured the overall class win on 15 points through consistency (3-2-3-1-3-1-2) across the classes seven races, holding off the Club Swan 42 Lady M and the J 100 Freelance in a tightly contested series.
Performance Multihull produced one of the regatta’s tightest finishes. The TF10 Thunder and Lightning beat the Gunboat 72 Layla by a single point after six races. That margin was razor thin. Had Layla finished higher than fifth in the opening race, the overall result would likely have swung the other way.
“The competition was extremely good,” said John Hele from Layla. “We only won by one point in the whole week which says a lot.”
In Sport Multihull, local knowledge and experience proved decisive. The Corsair 31-1D Airgasm dominated the fleet, finishing well clear of the Corsair F 31 Ting A Ling II and the Corsair F 27 Ting A Ling.
“We provoked each other and had a great time,” said Barney Crook of Airgasm. “That’s what made it such a good regatta.”
SOL Racing
Six classes make up the SOL Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) division: Performance Cruising, Non-Spinnaker, One Design, Cruising Multihull, Bareboat 1, and Bareboat 2.
The Beneteau First 40 Libertas delivered a clean sweep in CSA Non Spinnaker with six from six.
“I think our crew work and local knowledge helps,” said Doug Stewart aboard Libertas. “We get closer to the islands more than the visiting boats.”
The Salona 45 Panacea X dominated Performance Cruising with five wins from six races.
“There were no hiccups, it just worked,” said Jamie Grayson. “We put the boat where it needed to be.”
In One Design, the IC24 RIP secured the series with five wins, while the Leopard 50 La Novia proved just as commanding in Cruising Multihull.
The Bareboat divisions provided some of the most engaging racing. In Bareboat 1, the Sunsail 46 Shore Thing held off strong competition from the Moorings 46 Salish Sisters and the Moorings 46 Roaz.
“It was very competitive, very close, and with plenty of lead changes,” said Neil Hayes.
In Bareboat 2, the contest went to the final race with a Dufour 41 showdown, where the Mistral edged the Topaz by a single point.
“It was good fun and tough racing,” said Terry McLaughlin. “It came right down to the end.”
Beyond racing
Beyond the results, the human stories stood out. Dr. Robin Tattersall, racing at 94 aboard Jitterbug in Bareboat 2, remained one of the most talked about sailors on the dock, pushing the front of the fleet throughout the week.
Youth involvement was also evident. The Reichel Pugh 37 Warthog raced with a largely Antiguan youth crew under Jim Vos, taking a class win.
The Guy Eldridge Spirit of Enthusiasm Award went to the crew of Bad Decisions, a J 30 from St Croix skippered by Fuzzy Stoddard. The Corsair 31-1D Airgasm took Best BVI Boat.
Through it all, the race committee played a critical role. With conditions ranging from light, unstable breeze to gusts near 20 knots, their ability to adapt ensured competitive racing across the week.
Learn more: https://bvispringregatta.org/
