Having completed this weekend’s Rolex Regatta at St Thomas on the US Virgin Islands, yachts are flooding in to Tortola on the British Virgin Islands this afternoon for the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival which starts tomorrow.

This regatta is not only the concluding event in the Cape Air Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle but also the penultimate leg in the Caribbean Big Boat Series, so a large entry is expected, possibly up to 100 boats. Entries already signed up include Flirt, Richard Matthews’ Corby one-off fresh from her class win at the Rolex Regatta, Riot, the Farr 40 with ACC sailor Terry Hutchinson on board, and a large Swan contingent with regulars such as Lolita and Chippewa.

The duration of the event has been increased this year making it a week-long regatta. The first three days, the Sailing Festival, will be a fun event hosted by Nanny Cay Marina to include island cruises, dinghy racing from Bitter End YC, windsurfing, a triathlon and a possible round Virgin Gorda race.

Having had three days to warm up, competitors can then enjoy ‘serious’ racing for the BVI Spring Regatta which starts on Friday. With a mix of round the cans racing and one day of ‘tour racing’ taking in some of the outlying islands, there will be no shortage of excitment out on the racecourse.