Sailing for all the marbles

By ,NG Sports Reporter,dahalia@nasguard.com

An estimated $11,200 will be up for grabs at this weekend's 21st Annual Valentine's Day 'Catch Me If You Can' Regatta, which will be held in honor of the late Hezron 'White Head' Moxey at Montagu Bay.

This regatta will feature A and C-class racing only. The winner in the A-class will get $2,000, second place will get $1,500, third place gets $1,000 and the fourth through eighth place finishers will win $600 apiece. Then in the C-class, first place receives $800, second gets $600, third place will get $500 and the fourth through ninth place finishers will win $300 apiece. So far, at least 18 sloops, eight A-class and 10 C-class boats, have been confirmed to sail. Boats representing the Commonwealth Sailing Association (CSA), the Bahamas Boat Owners and Sailors Association (BBOSA) and the National Sailing Association (NSA) will all be there.

On Saturday, the C-class sloops are expected to battle in a three-race series, starting at 12 noon. Then on Sunday, the big boats will hit the waters in the much-anticipated 'Catch Me If You Can' race.

According to the regatta's founder, Eleazor 'The Sailing Barber' Johnson, the objective of the 'Catch Me If You Can Race' is to have the A-class sloops pursue the B-class Lady Nathalie, which will be given a 15-minute head start on a 10-mile course, depending on the wind.

The Lady Nathalie is the defending champion over the past two years. However, in 2005 Lundy Robinson on the Red Stripe caught her in a thrilling race, nipping the B-class sloop at the line.

In related news, the International 5.5 Meter World Championship has returned to The Bahamas, last hosted here in 199l. The Nassau Yacht Club is expected to host this event set from March 2-14 at Montagu Bay. The Championship will be presented by Lombard Odier Darrier Hentsch Private Bank & Trust, and sailed under the auspices of the Bahamas Sailing Association.

The fleet will be comprised of seven boats from around the world with three regattas planned for this event, World Championship, Scandinavian Gold Cup and the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Cup (also used as the national championship). Three three-man teams are expected to represent The Bahamas. At the helm of these teams will be Gavin McKinney, Craig Symonette and Thierry Huguenin.

In the 2008 regatta calendar, the next major regatta on the schedule following the Valentine's Day Massacre, is the New Providence Challenge Cup to be held from March 14-15 at Montagu Bay.

March 14-15 - New Providence Challenge Cup

March 24 - RBDF Challenge Cup

April 22-26 - National Family Island Regatta

May 9-11 - Mangrove Cay Regatta

June 6-8 - Sandy Point

June 5-8 - South Andros

June 5-8 - Long Island Regatta

June 20-22 - Grand Bahama

July 10-13 - All Andros/Berry Island

July 31 - August 2 - Acklins/Crooked Island Regatta

July 31 - August 2 - Black Point

July 31 - August 2 - Rolleville

August 1-4 - Cat Island

September 19-21 - All Abaco

September 27-28 - Optimist Youth Regatta

October 10-12 - San Salvador

October 9-11 - North Eleuthera