Published: Saturday, June 18, 2005 at:4:23 PM




Cosmic Warlord Does It Again
BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival


Cosmic Warlord and Peter Newlands' Beneteau 40.7 Anticipation. (Photograph: AJ Blake)

Bitter End’s own Cosmic Warlord continues to turn heads with another year of strong finishes at the 2005 St.Thomas Rolex Regatta and the 2005 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival. Mick Schlens and his tight knit crew of sailors took 3rd spot in St.Thomas, racing in a small but very tough fleet.

Day one of the BVI spring Regatta. A crowded start for Class B with Titan XII powering through. (Photograph: AJ Blake).

Cosmic Warlord won the Bitter End Cup race from Nanny Cay to the North Sound. A strong field of 34 boats succumbed to Cosmic’s magic, including super sloop Equation and the very slick Swan 44 Crescendo. With a third place finish in the race back to Nanny Cay, Cosmic Warlord wrapped up first place overall in the distance events of the more laid back BVI Sailing Festival.

Wednesday, March 30, of the Sailing Festival included some very tight match racing in the 2nd Annual Nations’ Challenge Cup at Bitter End, where Team Ireland took first place.

On April 1–3, 134 yachts, beach cats, Lasers and windsurfers competed in the 34th annual BVI Spring Regatta. Spread between three courses and 14 classes, 128 races were held during the three-day event with winds ranging from 8–14 knots.

Six teams compete in the Second annual Nations' Challenge Cup in the North Sound, virgin Gorda. (Photograph: Alastair Abrehart)

The BVI Spring Regatta took place in beautiful Sir Francis Drake Channel, and it was a titanic battle in the Racing C division between Cosmic and Crescendo. With both teams taking three bullets, Crescendo’s consistency paid off with first overall. Cosmic Warlord placed a close second with Peter Newland’s Anticipation placing third.

“We had three days of excellent racing,” said Bob Phillips, regatta chairman. “The wind held and we managed to get a phenomenal amount of starts away. With the great weather, [and] wind… I think it was one of the best ever!”

Join us next year to race in this great mix of low-key and serious racing, or come down to watch the big boats in action!