The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The stage is set for the second annual King Eric All-for-One Regatta, scheduled for this weekend in Montagu Bay.

Coming on the heels of the Bulla Reg C Class Regatta over the weekend in Georgetown, Exuma, the King Eric All-For-One Regatta will officially kick off the local sailing regatta and is expected to be bigger than the initial event held last year in memory of the late King Eric Gibson, who played a pivotal role in the formation of just about every regatta held in the Bahamas.

On Monday during a press conference at his office, V Alfred Gray, minister of agriculture and local government with responsibility for regattas, presented Eric Gibson Jr, the chairman of the organising committee, with a cheque for $50,000. Gray said it’s their intention to make sure that the King Eric All-For-One Regatta becomes the biggest regatta to be held in Montagu Bay.

“Every year during the month of January, my ministry sponsors the All-For-One Regatta as the official launch of regatta during that particular year,” Gray said. “This year is no exception. On the weekend, the second weekend in January, the ministry, partnering with the Gibson family, is sponsoring the King Eric All-For-One Regatta in Montagu Bay.

“I believe that it is legendary in that King Eric’s name is synonymous with regattas and the Gibson family has gone out of their way to ensure that the regatta is the largest regatta in New Providence in 2016. I believe that it is true to say that King Eric’s name will live through this regatta because we have agreed to make it the King Eric All-For-One Regatta for the foreseeable future.”

Race coordinator Stafford Armbrister advised the participants that in their effort to honour the legacy of King Eric Gibson, the regatta will start on time.

“It’s very important that we get the races started on time this year and we have some changes with the times this year,” Armbrister said. “We had some hiccups last year but, this year, we have checked the weather conditions and so we have decided to start with the C class early in the morning, then the C class and the B class because of the tide.”

Armbrister said when the sailing competition takes place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the A Class will compete at 10am, followed by the B Class at 12:30pm and the C Class at 2pm. And he noted that the new rules that were adopted during the regatta conclave last year will be in full effect during the regatta. “We are looking at having a good time on the water, but we can only have a good time on the water if we sail on time,” Armbrister said.

Delworth Gibson, one of the committee members, said they have made provisions on the Island Link and the Captain C to transport the boats from the various islands to compete. He noted that they are trying to encourage all of the top boats to make their way to Nassau to compete in the regatta.

The boats, according to Gibson, are expected to be in town in time for the Boat Show scheduled to take place 3-7pm Friday at Potter’s Cay Dock.

And according to Eric Gibson Jr, who represented his family that includes D Shane Gibson, Minister of Labour, the boats can be assured once again of getting the largest cash prize ever offered in Nassau.

“Last year was a smashing success. We had acrecord number of persons participating, a record number of boats participating, a record number in terms of prizes that was given to the boats because we made it all about the boats and the various regattas in the Family Islands,” he said. “This year, we plan to do basically the same thing, but take it to another level.”

For those who will be onshore watching the action, Gibson said they also intend to have a taste of the islands as vendors from the various islands will be selling food from the stalls.

And there is a large number of entertainers, including the Spank Band, Ronnie Butler, Anita Ellis, Veronica Bishop, Funky D and the So Be It Band, who will be providing music.

Note: Also during the press conference, Cephas Cooper, acting permanent secretary at the ministry, offered condolences on behalf of the Bahamas Government to the family of the late Captain Harry Harding of Salt Pond, Long Island.

Harding was a boat builder, skipper and owner of the Running Tide. He was passionate about sailing, especially in Long Island and Georgetown, Exuma, where he participated in the early years of the Out Island Regattas.

Cooper said Harding will be greatly missed for his fierce competition in sloop sailing.