Victoria Rowlette Wins & Ladies Celebrate 100 | Willy T Race & Virgins Cup

Victoria Rowlette, driving Whoop Whoop took the multihull class and the overall win in the 29th Willy T Race and Virgin’s Cup. Photo: © RBVIYC / Clair Burke

The 29th Willy T Race and Virgin’s Cup took place on Saturday, October 19 with 14 boats racing from Nanny Cay across to the Willy T.

From a start line set off Nanny Cay, the race took sailors up to Hog Valley Green marker buoy off Road Town and across the channel to pass between Norman and Peter Island, down to Pelican and the Indians and up to finish in the Bight. Four dinghies took a more direct route to round Pelican and the Indians before entering the Bight.

There were two dinghy classes, the Laser 4.7 and RSFeva. Samuel Allen and Max Reshetiloff duked it out in the Laser 4.7 with Allen taking a commanding lead to the Indians. Reshetiloff made a comeback in the final leg to the finish but not quite enough to take the win from Allen.

In the RSFeva class, 9 year old Darcy Lilleyman and her dad Tom showed off the skills she’s learned in the RBVIYC after school program to take the win. Up against them were Julia Campbell and Dave Allen who were forced to retire after taking on water.

There were five entries in the cruising class, all but one with lady helms. Sharon Barber steered Wicked Winch to the overall victory in her class by just over 2.5 minutes on corrected time. In second place was Odyssey, helmed by Lisa Sutherland-Pilch, who had an eventful race including an unexpected dunking for owner, Miles!

Barbara Bailey on Second Nature claimed third ahead of Monica Geppert on Moonshadow in fourth. Flying in for line honors in the class was Bruce Fletcher’s Ginger but they took fifth with an RTD as it’s not quite the done thing to use the engine!

Three boats in the race division had a very close race but the IC24 ElAmanda, helmed by Amanda Plaxton and Leslie Cramer clinched the win, despite a late start. In second place was Dee Bowden with Firewater and Sam Brown at the helm of The Black Pig came in third.

In the multihull division, Lucky 7 with Linda Phillips at the helm got off to a flying start but unfortunately rudder failure half way around the course forced them to retire. This left Victoria Rowlette, driving Whoop Whoop, with a clean shot. A fantastic performance from 12 year old Rowlette saw her take the multihull class and the overall win.

At a colourful prize giving hosted by the Willy T’s very own Ewan Anderson, thanks we’re given to the race committee and local supporters who donated prizes; the Willy T, Captain Mulligans, Village Cay and Nanny Cay Beach Bar.

Special awards were given to the oldest and youngest skippers, Barbara Bailey (91) and Darcy Lilleyman (9), whose combined age reached a whopping 100 years. Flora Lilleyman was also acknowledged for her assistance to the race committee.

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All images: © RBVIYC / Clair Burke

Results
Laser 4.7

  1. Samuel Allen
  2. Max Reshetiloff

RSFeva

  1. Darcy and Tom Lilleyman
  2. Julia Campbell and Dave Allen (RTD)

Cruising

  1. Wicked Winch (Hunter 30.2) – Sharon Barber
  2. Odyssey (Beneteau 44.7) – Lisa Sutherland-Pilch
  3. Second Nature (Hughes38) – Barbara Bailey
  4. Moonshadow (Tayana/V42) – Monica Geppert
  5. Ginger (Morgan46) – Bruce Fletcher (RTD)

Racing

  1. ElAmanda (IC24) – Amanda Plaxton & Leslie Cramer
  2. Firewater (Melges24) – Dee Bowden
  3. Black Pig (Tartan10) – Sam Brown

Multihull

  1. Whoop Whoop (Corsair27) – Victoria Rowlette
  2. Lucky 7 (Corsair750) – Linda Phillips (RTD)

Leading Ladies Race For The Willy T Virgin’s Cup

By RBVIYC

Kishorn approaching the finish line at the 2016 Willy T Virgin's Cup. Photo:© RBVIVC / Clair Burke

Kishorn approaching the finish line at the 2016 Willy T Virgin’s Cup. Photo:© RBVIVC / Clair Burke

Thirteen boats registered to race in the 27th edition of the Willy T Virgin’s Cup on Saturday 15 October.

Racing in three classes got underway from Nanny Cay in a light but building breeze. The course took the fleet up to Road Town before scooting across the Sir Francis Drake Channel for the after party and prize giving at the Willy T.

In accordance with tradition, all the boats were helmed by female sailors with a spectacular turn out illustrating the depth of women’s sailing in the BVI. Of the 61 sailors on the race course, just under 50% (29) were female with the experienced hands mixing it up with some of the RBVIYC’s newest green fleet Optimist racers.

First away were the cruising boats in the jib and main class, with slow progress for all boats on the upwind leg to Lark Bank off the entrance to Road Town Harbour. Taking line honours and the overall win was Gypsea, a Hunter 34 SD skippered by Karen Fletcher. Leslie Cramer steered Kishorn to second place with Sapphire Breeze helmed by Steevie Stradley taking third.

Two Jeanneau Sun Odysseys competed for honours in the performance cruising division, the 40ft Girasoli and the 42ft Reverie. Their course took them upwind to the Hog Valley Green buoy, and across the channel to complete a figure of eight around Flannigan, Pelican and the Indians before finishing at the entrance to the Bight. The win went to Judy Petz skippering Girasoli with Pearline Williams and Angelica taking second on Reverie.

In the seven boat racing class the ladies easily outnumbered the men with several Virgin’s Cup virgins taking on the 2016 challenge and two all girl crews in the IC24s.

Line honours and the overall win went to Rushin’ Rowlette skippered by Charlotte Matthews, Victoria Rowlette and Anya Reshetiloff. Judy Haycraft, helming Latitude 18 with husband Chris and their eldest son Nathan, came in second on corrected time with another IC24, INTAC, helmed by Kay Reddy and Amanda Plaxton, finishing third.

The RBVIYC thanks all the competitors, the race committee, sponsors TICO, partners at Nanny Cay and the Willy T for providing the prizes, shirts and the after party.

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