49th BVI Spring Regatta postponed until March 2022

Racing the beautiful waters of the British Virgin Islands © Ingrid Abery

The 49th BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, which was scheduled for March 29 to April 4, 2021, has been postponed until 2022 following deep consideration by all entities involved.

The BVI Spring Regatta Committee, after discussions with the BVI Government Ministry of Health, concluded that the postponement was in the best interests for the safety of all participants, volunteers, and the wider BVI community.

Following in the steps of many of the major Caribbean regattas that have also been postponed, the Spring Regatta was anticipating offering world class racing and camaraderie for all participants.

"As much as we would have loved to welcome everyone back to the BVI, the most important factors are health and safety for all," Judy Petz, Regatta Director, stated. "Our international participants understand the situation and are already planning for the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival in March 2022."

The postponement of the event is a financial blow to the non-profit entity which organizes this internationally respected sailing event, as well as to the BVI community, which typically enjoys a positive economic impact from the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival of approximately $4 million each year. This loss to the local economy these past two years due to the pandemic has been devastating, particularly to the yachting sector.

The regatta committee would also like to thank all of our sponsors during these unpredictable times. Their continued support enables us to move forward and take the event to an even higher level of racing and participation. The committee would also like to extend a thank you to the participants who had planned to attend.

"We hope that as Covid-19 vaccination programs progress and international travel restrictions are lifted that it will become safer for people to travel and participate in events like ours," Petz continued. "We look forward to making next year a terrific event, one that all of our participants, sponsors and the community can look forward to."

bvispringregatta.org

Nanny Cay Marina awaits our return in 2022. - photo © Alastair Abrehart