Winners head for the BVI

Skandia Cowes Week competition to get to the Spring Regatta chosen

As England basked in temperatures that sometimes topped the Caribbean's, two lucky competitors at Skandia Cowes Week walked away with BVI vacations at next year's BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival presented by Nanny Cay Marina ­ one on-shore and the other afloat. Fiona Brady from Warwick won a week's stay at the world-renowned Bitter End Yacht Club while Sarah Kafetz from London will be racing onboard a Bavaria 36 courtesy of Horizon Yacht Charters. And many, many more sampled the ubiquitous BVI cocktail, the Painkiller.

Fiona won her Bitter End vacation following a sunny first day's racing. She and 400-odd other people gathered in the Sail for Gold Bar in the Skandia Cowes Parade Village for the BVI Spring Regatta Painkiller Party.

As the sun set and the evening drew to a close, Paul Miller of Carib Data, the official results provider for the BVI Spring Regatta, and Fiona Scott-Wilson from the BVI Tourist Board, drew the lucky winner of the week's stay at the Bitter End Yacht Club from the prestigious Doyle Sailmakers skipper's bag. Fiona was overjoyed: "I can't believe I won!
This is amazing, I have always wanted to go to the BVI!"

The Painkillers flowed all night with extra help from Olympic Gold medalists Ben Ainslie and Shirley Robertson who were on hand to try their hand at making the famous Painkillers. Without knowing the secret recipe, Ben and Shirley entertained the crowd mixing varied quantities of orange juice, pineapple juice and Coco Lopez with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, topped off with fresh nutmeg.

Paul had the difficult task of judging the best Painkiller. It was a challenging decision, but after several tastings he declared Shirley the winner and presented her with £100 worth of drinks tickets for the BVI Spring Regatta 2004.

A keen fan of the BVI and participant in previous BVI Spring Regattas, Shirley Robertson took the opportunity to thank the BVI Tourist Board, Nanny Cay and the Bitter End Yacht Club for gathering in the Sail for Gold Bar and supporting the Olympic sailors. Shirley commented, "We love the BVI Spring Regatta and really enjoyed sailing in the beautiful BVI waters."

With a portion of proceeds from the Sail for Gold Bar going towards Olympic and Paralympic Team Sailors, it was no surprise that fellow Olympians Richard Syndeham and Andy Beadsworth stopped by for a refreshing Painkiller and to enjoy the live music from Alka Salsa. A number of America's Cup legends also joined the jump-up including GBR Challenge's Ian Budgen and Crusader's Harold Cudmore.

Sarah, winner of the Horizon Yacht charter, was one of seven daily winners who had correctly answered a BVI-related question broadcast on Cowes Radio. The 'Godfather of Cowes Radio', Steve Ancsell, oversaw the running of the grand finale of the competition which went out live on air from the Cowes Combined Clubs Regatta Centre. All the daily competition winners were present for the final at 5.15pm on Friday, August 9th as thousands of people arrived to watch the infamous Cowes Week fireworks.

Contestants gathered in the regatta marquee and questions were asked by Cowes Radio's regatta news presenter Cheryl Buggy based on the BVI, Horizon Yacht Charters, Nanny Cay and other general knowledge BVI sailing questions. It was a knockout competition with a choice of answers. Tension mounted as only two contestants remained in the running.

The overall prize was won by 30-year-old Sarah Kafetz who had sailed in Skandia Cowes Week for two days at the beginning of the week but had to go back to work. When she won the daily prize on the radio, she decided to take the day off work and her place in the final. She was ecstatic to say the least when she realized she had won and her mobile phone didn't stop ringing with friends congratulating her after they heard she had won on the radio. She had been back in her office in sweltering temperatures and
continued to listen to Cowes Radio via the website so knew what was happening. She has never been to the BVI and will certainly be there for the BVI Spring Regatta in April with a group of friends to enjoy the Bavaria 36 charter from Horizon Yacht Charters.

Sarah has raced in Antigua before and is off on the Rolex Fastnet onboard a Challenge yacht. A keen sailor, she's looking forward to the partying as well as the sailing in the BVI in April.

Throughout the week, a number of crews also found themselves easing the pain of an upset on the water BVI-style. The BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival Painkiller prize was awarded daily to the most spectacular incident, worst performance or terrible start on the water and the crew that were most in need of a Painkiller ­ a cocktail synonymous with the BVI - to recover. The daily winner was chosen by Dick Johnson, Cowes Radio's on-water commentator.

The skipper also received a goodie pack containing the much sought after BVI Spring Regatta red cap, polo shirt and t-shirts which were collected daily at The Kitten Club together with the complimentary Painkiller cocktail for the whole crew.

The 2004 BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival starts on Monday, March 29 with a welcome party at regatta hosts Nanny Cay Marina.

The expanded 7-day format introduced last year has turned the traditional three days of racing action into a week-long sailing festival that takes participants throughout the British Virgin Islands. Three days of destination cruising, racing and Lay Day fun, in, around, to and from Virgin Gorda¹s enclosed North Sound lead up to the main three-day regatta starting on Friday. The three-day regatta takes place on the south side of Tortola in the Sir Francis Drake Channel on three different courses.

Visitors can fly to the British Virgin Islands with direct flights into nearby St Thomas with Air 2000; a scenic 40-minute ferry journey across to Tortola completes the journey. Flights are also available through Antigua and Barbados on Virgin Atlantic, BWIA or British Airways as well as through San Juan, Puerto Rico on American Airlines.

For full details on the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival including the complete 2003 results and photos, visit the official web site: www.bvispringregatta.org.