On Saturday, sixteen boats competed for the Manhattan Yacht Club Trophy.
Returning for the second year to challenge the Virgin Islands yacht clubs, the Manhattan Yacht Club fielded eight boats, while the RBVIYC and the Loyal West End Yacht Club had four boats each.
The pursuit race started off Nanny Cat at 9:35 a.m. with the course taking the fleet up to Dead Chest, leaving Peter Island and Flannigan to starboard and Pelican and the Indians to port before returning to the finish off Nanny Cay.
Conditions consisted of steady breeze and the first boat to cross the finish line was in three and a half hours.
The RBVIYC’s IC24 Black Pearl finished first catching several boats near Dead Chest that started before the first-place finisher.
In second place, Girasoli finished just four minutes behind Black Pearl.
Third place went to Nanny Cay KATS skippered by the Manhattan Yacht Club Commodore Michael Fortenbaugh. Pulling together a scratch crew, including KATS sailor De’Sani Thomas, they held off the J111, Spike, which had started almost an hour behind them.
The LWEYC’s top team was The Black Pig, who beat out Wicked Winch. Seventh across the line was Dances with Whales, also doubling as the official photo boat.
Five of the MYC boats sailed shorter course with Flag Shipping XV crossing the line first.
VI Governor John Duncan was on hand to present the prizes and the MYC presented medals of appreciation including a personal thank you from Mr. Fortenbaugh. He awarded all the skippers, who finished behind him, with a medal.
The race was part of the Pussers Painkiller Series. Currently, Black Pearl has won three races ahead of Girasoli. The final race in the series is the Dark and Stormy.
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