JAMIN Regatta to raise awareness around sport sailing in Jamaica

Sport sailing can now be listed as another reason for visitors to head to Jamaica’s idyllic shores.

Since 1989, organisers of the JAMIN J/22 International Invitational (JAMIN Regatta) have created one of the region’s largest and best regattas in an effort to grow the sport.

This year, the 30th anniversary of the event, will see dozens of sailors from the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean compete for prizes and glory, from December 6 to 8, at JAMIN – the Course of the Black Pearl, set for the Montego Bay Yacht Club.

The three-day event, which is also the oldest in the region, began as the Jamaica America Invitational JAMAM. The event initially invited sailors from the United States to race but, over time, opened up to participants from all over.

New commodore of the Montego Bay Yacht Club, Bertram Clarke, believes that there is much to be done to revive boating and sport sailing in Jamaica.

“Jamaica has great conditions for boating and can be known as the top destinations for regattas across the region. What we want to do is to use an event like this to raise the awareness of the sport,” said Clarke.

LARGEST J/22 FLEET

“Over five per cent of the world’s J/22s will be competing in Jamaica and that is a major accomplishment for the sport. There are approximately 2,000 of those boats around the world, with active fleets in Cayman, USA, Italy, Germany, France, South Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom. This year in Montego Bay, 13 of those yachts will be competing in the regatta,” said event chairman Richard Hamilton.

This year will feature the largest fleet of J/22s ever assembled on the island through the support of Seaboard Marine, which imported two additional boats for the event.

“Each year, the event is possible through our host of volunteers and the generosity of boat owners, who lend their boats for visitors to compete. This year, we were able to increase the fleet, thanks to Seaboard that has really made the shipping easy, particularly compared to previous years when a boat sailed from Cayman specially for the weekend,” Hamilton continued.

SAILING CONDITIONS

Mike Farrington, former JAMIN champion and past commodore of the Cayman Islands Sailing Club, hailed the sailing conditions in Montego Bay.

“In Cayman, we have to deal with a short chop and big breeze. Montego Bay has the shifting winds and flat water inside the bay, as well as the swells of the open ocean to play with, too. These are perfect conditions for this type of boat,” he said.

The organisers are anticipating this year to be one of the best through the support of a number of corporate companies, namely, Caribbean Producers, Hard Rock Cafe, Steakhouse on the Bay, Yamaha Jamaica, Starbucks, Lubit and Sun Ice.

The JAMIN Regatta opens on December 5 with a crew weigh-in, prep and practice, and a cocktail event. Racing officially gets under way on December 6 and ends with a treasure hunt at sea, and prize-giving on December 8.