Youth Team Impresses at Mount Gay Regatta
Last weekend the Barbados Youth Team sailed into history as the first all youth crew to compete in the Mount Gay Regatta. The team came fourth overall in their class, only missing out on third place by one point.
Sixteen-year-old Phil Mastereid held the position of captain, while the crew comprised Leisl Brewster, Annabel Cox, Nathan Farmer, and Dylan Jackson. Also on board was Isaac Brown, Head Instructor of LRN 2 Sail Barbados Inc., who played the role of tactician and gave the kids a helping hand when they needed it, and Paul Allen, the financier. We must also thank Donald Stollmeyre from Power Boats who lent a helping hand with team gear.
From left Annabel Cox and Captain Phil Mastereid accepting their award from Penny McIntyre
Having had little time to practise, the team pulled together during the three-day event and sailed their way to second place in the final race, clinching their fourth place overall. All who attended the event were impressed by the skill, determination and team spirit displayed by the crew who were exhausted but pleased with the results of the competition, and who were rewarded with a prize from the Race Committee and a special mention by the Chief Race Officer, Peter Marshall of the Barbados Sailing Association. The team was put together by Karen Watson-Allen and the J24, Paddington, was loaned by Peter Hoad, more popularly known as Wipers, of U-Sail Barbados.
The presence of the youth team at the event inspired a few other young sailors to get in on the action and all the crews from around the world welcomed them where they could. Happy Morning, an English cruiser that came from St. Lucia, took two young sailors on board, while Bruggadung II was keen to include a new racer on its team. Other boats such as Isis, Glory Days, and Eperanza also boasted young crew members all of whom participate in the LRN 2 Sail Program.
Motivated by the success of the Paddington crew, a stream of youngsters have expressed interest in sailing the Mount Gay Regatta in 2012 and compete not just in the Cruising Classes, but also in the highly competitive J24 class against the ‘Big Boys’. They just need a J24; any offers?
Adrenaline Sun
Adrenaline Sun is a new-media action sports magazine that gets inside the world of Caribbean extreme sports to bring you every thrilling event through original content, videos, e-publications and social media. We don’t focus only on the biggest sporting events. We engage regional and international fans and athletes in key action sports niches including skateboarding, paintball, BMX, and off-roading. We also attract a highly enthusiastic local fan base that includes avid sailors, surfers and motorsports junkies.
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