The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AS the partnership between The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Nassau Sailing Yacht Club, The Bahamas Sailing Club of Nassau and the Star Sailors League produced the inaugural Best of The Best Regatta, one local sloop announced its own partnership with a corporate sponsor.

Rev Dr Phillip McPhee’s Thunderbird will now sail as the Aliv Thunderbird when the inaugural regatta sets sail today in Montagu.

“Aliv is proud to sponsor and bring alive the Thunderbird in the regatta,” Aliv representative Bianca Bethel-Sawyer said. “Sailing is indigenous in the Bahamas, it is a part of our culture, a part of our being. We see our sponsorship as a great way for us to get involved in this powerful and historical sailing event. This event is a great inspiration for all Bahamians and our sponsorship of this sloop reflects our continued commitment to developing sailing in the Bahamas.”

This regatta was designed to showcase the best of the best in each sailing class - A, B and C. With the partnership with the Star Sailors League the event will also help to catapult Bahamian sloop sailing into the international arena.

There will also be a segment of the regatta for junior sailors to showcase their skills among the islands’ best.

The regatta will also bridge the gap between sports tourism and local sports development, with the inclusion of the Star Sailors League which has hosted the finale of its circuit in the Bahamas for the past three years.

Star Sailors League representative Michel Neklaus also heralded the benefits for all parties involved: “For the first time we are able to mix the official sailing of the Olympic Games and the official sailing of the Bahamas altogether. We are proud and excited to be able to do this and are excited for the next few days. We will have the best in the Bahamas and also the best sailing throughout the world.”

Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage said the bonding of the organisations is set to take local sloop sailing to the international arena.

“Regatta sailing is experienced throughout the Bahamas and this particular event is expected to be the most attractive and successful sailing event that has been held in the Bahamas for some time,” he said, “This has brought a large number of international sailors, many of whom have competed in the Olympics. We have our own sailing heroes in the Bahamas, who will compete as well.”

Nearly all of the islands will be represented in one of the classes, including Andros, Long Island, Exuma, Acklins, Ragged Island, Exuma and Abaco.

• Participating boats include:

Class A - The Courageous, The Lady Muriel, Tidal Wave, Red Stripe and Running Ties.

Class B - Susan Chase, The Ants Nest, Barbarian and Queen Drucilla.

Class C - Crazy Partner, Whitty K, WG Thunderbird, Bul Reg, Sacrifice, H20, Lethal Weapon, Sweet Island Gal, and the King Of Nights.

For the fourth edition of the Star Sailors League, the top 12 Star teams of the SSL Ranking 2016, and 13 VIPs from the world of sailing, will at the Nassau Yacht Club. Fifty of the world’s best will be battling to win the SSL Trophy and the biggest share of the $200,000 prize pot.

Among the field are three of the six most medalled sailors of all time; a total of 16 Olympic medallists with six Olympic champions, two America’s Cup winners, two Volvo Ocean Race Winners, two Louis Vuitton Cup winners and one match race world champion. The complete Rio 2016 Laser Men podium will race together along with four other medallists from Rio.