* photo courtesy of Wally Chinn

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE… Nanoose Bay, B.C., June 5, 2023

A colourful display of spinnakers made a spectacular downwind start as the race began Saturday morning outside Fairwinds Marina.  The first leg of the clock-wise course was up the west coast of Lasqueti Island.

Winds continued to be light throughout the race, averaging a mere 3-5 knots and ranging from 0 to 10 knots, testing the skills of skippers and crew.  Four boats needed to drop anchor to keep from drifting and all boats were challenged by sea current against winds.  On the inbound (return) leg a north-bound cruise ship nearly joined the pack at the bottom of Lasqueti Island.

The winds filled in late in the day with all boats finishing the 41 nautical mile (nm) course. The first boat finished at 9:42 pm.  The last boat crossed the finish line at 11:46 pm.

Twenty-three boats and 120+ crew from 9 B.C. yacht clubs came together to tackle one of the most spectacular and challenging courses in the Vancouver Island Racing Series. This year there were four divisions, adding a multi-hull division for the first time.

The Overall Winner, taking home the Windsor Plywood Cup, was Lawn Dart, skippered by Bill Allen from Nanaimo Yacht Club (NYC).

The Winner of Division One was Synergy, skippered by Elaine Wade (NYC).  New Beginnings, skippered by Edgar Hulatt of Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club (SNSYC) placed second, and Kemre, skippered by James Robinson, Schooner Cove Yacht Club (SCYC), placed third.

The Division Two winner was Princesa, skippered by Simon Palmer from Deep Bay Yacht Club (DBYC), with Blue Boat, skippered by Tim Daniel (NYC) placing second and Bulletproof, skippered by Nigel Martin, from Royal Victoria Yacht Club (RVYC), placing third.

The Division Three (Multi-hull Division) winner was Kestrel, skippered by Ian Watson (SCYC), with Pturbodactyl, skippered by John Tulip of Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVanYC) placing second.  Mail Order Bride, skippered by Wayne Gorrie (NYC) placed third.

The Division Four (Cruising Division) winner was Brigand II skippered by Kevin Anderson (NYC), with Katana, skippered by Wade Major, Campbell River Yacht Club (CRYC), placing second.  Early Dawn, skippered by Greg Norman (SCYC) placed third.

Line Honours went to Lawn Dart, skippered by Bill Allen (NYC).

The Best Overall performance by a Schooner Cove Yacht Club member and recipient of the Fairwinds Cup, was FanaSea, skippered by Eric Young.

John Collins, Regatta Chair, commented, “Our club was excited to host the 2023 BMW Lasqueti Island Regatta which is a key race in the Vancouver Island Racing Series (VIRS). We were pleased to give the number of multi-hulls attending their own division this year and we welcomed more yacht clubs to this key race.  Light winds really tested the skills of all the racers. We wish to thank all the skippers and crew who found the race both a challenge and a fun event.  We look forward to welcoming them again next year.

Tremendous thanks go to our 33 sponsors and prize donors, particularly our Presenting Sponsor, BMW Nanaimo, and our major sponsors Windsor Plywood, which sponsors the Windsor Plywood Cup, and UK Sails.  All our sponsors contributed greatly to the success of the event. 

Thanks also go to our many club volunteers who organized the race events, served hundreds of meals and participated in the planning, promotion and details that go into one of the most successful regattas on Vancouver Island.”

The 34th Annual BWM Lasqueti Island Regatta was organized by Schooner Cove Yacht Club, located at Fairwinds Marina, Nanoose Bay, B.C.  The Club would like to thank Fairwinds Marina and the Nanoose Bay Cafe, and their staffs, for their cooperation and support in the use of their facilities for the weekend. 

For a full list of results and information about the regatta, go to https://scyc.ca/results-bmw-regatta-2023/

The 35th Annual BMW Lasqueti Island Regatta will be held May 31 to June 2nd, 2024.

Media contacts:

Kathy Swangard, Regatta Communications                           John Collins, Regatta Chair

604-644-6265                                                                               regatta@scyc.ca