Willy T Race and Virgin’s Cup winner Lulu, was captained for the day by 9-year-old friends and RBVIYC Opti sailing team members Dottie Whitting-Knight and Piper Bailey, seen here (inset) on the Willy T with Mr Ewan C. Anderson. Photo: RBVIYC/Facebook

Kay Reddy and Liz Buratti came first in the 4 RS Fevas race. Photo: RBVIYC/Facebook

Saskia Tarn and Meg Thompson in the ILCA7 race. Photo: RBVIYC/Facebook

Lulu, a Freedom 44 owned by Henry Ebinger, gets ready to compete in the Willy T Race and Virgin’s Cup on November 4, 2023. Photo: RBVIYC/Facebook

Lulu, a Freedom 44 owned by Henry Ebinger was the only monohull to enter and was captained for the day by 9-year-old friends and RBVIYC Opti sailing team members Dottie Whitting-Knight and Piper Bailey.

Starting at 10:35 AM, Lulu raced up the channel to pass Deadman’s Chest to Starboard, Pelican and the Indians to port before finishing in the Bight. With an elapsed time of 2 hours 47 minutes and 56 seconds, the team was crowned Virgin’s Cup champions!

The dinghy fleet included 4 RS Fevas and 10 ILCAs, all of which started together with a straight shoot out to the Bight as their course.

All-female skippers!

All four Fevas had female skippers and it was Kay Reddy and Liz Buratti who came in first.

Just 23 seconds later, Kate van Patten with crew Christian Fay to take second place. Third up was Sansa Nie and Tess Gregory with Gráinne Hussey and Will Barnes rounding out the fleet.

Newcomer Colm Crilly prevails in ILCA (Laser) race

An impressive 10 ILCA’s made up the final fleet with five ILCA7s, three ILCA6s and two ILCA4s. The final positions were calculated using the PY system to account for the different rigs. Leading the way off the start line set just off Nanny Cay was Harry Bowerman sailing an ILCA6 but it was new to island Colm Crilly who was to eventually take a comfortable win in the ILCA7. Harry remained in second overall ahead of the next ILCA7 helmed by Ella Thompson and ‘crewed’ by dad Tubes to pick up the first female title.

Next up were the two ILCA4s, with Bijorn Bullock taking 4th overall and Yegâne Güley in 5th and second female,

The Royal BVI Yacht Club, in a press release on November 8, 2023, expressed a “big thank you” to Ewan C. Anderson and the team at the Willy T for sponsoring the event and “taking good care of everyone. Thank you to the Race Committee team, Dick, Matt and T and to our fabulous coaches Meagan and James.”

See full results below:

Monohull

1. Lulu - Dottie Whitting-Knight & Piper Bailey

RS Feva

1. Kay Reddy & Liz Buratti

2. Kate van Patten & Christian Fay

3. Sansa Nie & Tess Gregory

4. Gráinne Hussey & William Barnes

ILCA (Laser)

1. Colm Crilly - ILCA7

2. Harry Bowerman - ILCA6

3. Ella & Tubes Thompson - ILCA7 - 1st female

4. Bijorn Bullock - ILCA4

5. Yegâne Güley - ILCA4 - 2nd female

6. Marentia de Villiers - ILCA6 - 3rd female

7. Saskia Tarn & Meg Thompson - ILCA7

8. Imogen New & Sophia Peppard - ILCA7

9. Tom Merrigan - ILCA7

10. Hoss Moghimi - ILCA6 (OCS)