The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE sixth edition of the Best-of-the-Best Regatta returns to Montagu Bay from November 30 to December 3.

Officials of the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs and stakeholders made the announcement of the four-day event at a press conference yesterday.

More than 200 sailors are expected to make waves in four different classes - A, B, C, and D. Additionally, junior sailors will showcase their abilities and compete at the sporting event.

Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting has high expectations for this year’s event.

“April of this year, sailing was named our national sport much to the delight of people across The Bahamas. For the first Best of the Best Regatta since the national sport designation, our expectations are very high, we hope to bring more than 200 Bahamian sailors from varying generations for the largest regatta purses in Bahamian sloop sailing history,” Sweeting said.

The four classes will have representatives from the Family Islands inclusive of Long Island, Exuma, Acklins, Ragged Island, Cat Island and Mayaguana.

The preliminaries begin on Thursday, November 30 and the final events kick off on Sunday.

With sailing now named the national sport, the minister said that sailors are excited to start the competition.

“I think that the excitement is around sailing being named, prior to that we have been able to help create an excitement along with the skippers and boat builders within sailing…we try to be a part of what they do.”

“We continue trying to invest and help to develop the sport in different ways. Youth sailing is one avenue we have been able to do that and it started to become very popular.

“We are very happy that the sailors continue to support us,” Minister Sweeting said.

The event will be livestreamed once again and large televisions are expected to be on the site.

The event organisers want to give the public on the Family Islands and around the world, who are unable to commute to the event, a chance to watch the talented sailors.

The public is encouraged to come out to view live entertainment on the waters and on land.

Bahamian artists will perform and there will also be games played and giveaways.

Last year’s Best of the Best Regatta was hosted December 1-4. Eight boats were in competition in Class A and B. Meanwhile, Class C had 32 boats on the waters.