Anguilla Youth Sailing Club

Six sailors from the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club traveled to Tortola this past weekend to compete in the annual Premier’s Cup Regatta.  The trip, sponsored by the Anguilla Rotary Club, was a great success and saw the young sailors from Anguilla taking second place amongst a field of seven teams.  The team sailed well in blustery conditions and prevailed against host country Tortola as well as Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Bequia and a team from the USA!  They missed first place by only 12 points falling short to a great sailing team out of St. Thomas, who won the event for the third year straight.  These young sailors have been sailing through the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club for about five years and have improved year after year and continue to preform well across the Caribbean.  Earlier this year the same sailors took first place in the St. Barths youth regatta and have competed well in regattas in St. Maarten and Anguilla as well.

The entire race committee as well as the other coaches and spectators all expressed how impressed they were at the skill level of the Anguilla team as they raced against some of the top youth sailors in the Caribbean.  This experience has given the kids a greater confidence in their ability to compete as sailors on an international level.  Racing against other islands has brought great exposure to the sailing culture of Anguilla and many of the young Anguilla sailors also sail on the local racing boats – both A and B class – and have had great success and great fun participating in Anguilla’s national sport.

Because of their stellar performance this past weekend, the Anguilla Sailing team has been invited to compete in another youth regatta this weekend.  They have been offered complimentary room and board and boats will be provided for them to sail.  The Anguilla Sailing Association is appealing to the Anguilla business community  and other friends of Anguilla Youth Sailing for donations towards transportation.  The cost of a flight to St. Croix is US$1,700.00 for four sailors and a coach.  If we can get 17 individuals or companies (or both) to donate $100 each we can make it.  But we welcome any donation you can make – just pledge the amount and we will contact you for payment.  Pledges can be emailed to regatta@sailanguilla.com or by calling the numbers listed below.

The Board of Directors of the Anguilla Sailing Association and the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club are very proud of these young sailors and how they have represented their country.  Please help make it possible for them to continue to impress our Caribbean neighbours and support youth sailing in Anguilla.  Please call Peter Parles at 235-8300, Laurie Gumbs at 476-7867 or Fred Porter at 584-4636 to pledge your donations as soon as possible.