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Controversy
Surrounds Anguilla Day Boat Race - Beautiful race despite
inconclusive end
May 31, 2007: On a cloudy, humid morning 14 boats
lined up at Sandy Ground for the 25th year of the
around-the-island boat race. Spirits were high and the
competitive nature of the sport was evident in the fiercely
friendly gestures being passed around by those who had
gathered on the beach at 9:30am to see them off.
Crews and captains of each boat gathered for a small
ceremony before the race. Governor Andrew George, Deputy
Governor Stanley Reid and Mr. Alkins Rogers were on hand to
give their encouragement and to lend overall support to the
event.
The
stillness of the air resonated in the calmness of the water
and several boats lightened their loads to try and claim an
advantage. The Chan, a boat of historical greatness with 8
victories around the island, sailed beautifully and led
around to Crocus Bay. At Shoal Bay the Satellite 2 had the
lead, followed by De Chan and the Superstar which was
closing in quickly on the leader. By the time the boats
appeared through the narrows separating Scrub Island from
main land Anguilla the Superstar
was firmly ahead. The South Hill boat, slowly extended its
advantage around the eastern end of the island and
maintained it through to Anguillita in the west. At that
same time positions 2, 3,4, and 5 alternated continuously
between, De Chan, the Satellite, the NWO, Lady Maude and the
Light 'n Peace. The race seem be setting up for an exciting
battle for atleast four of the top five positions.
Unfortunately for the hundreds of boat race lovers on the
sea, in cars around the island and gathered on the beach at
Sandy Ground, the race came to a standstill at the western
tip of the island. After a thunderous squall, the sail boats
encountered 'dead calm' that rendered them motionless.
It all started to unravel after 2:30pm and several boats
eventually dropped sails and had to be towed into land. It
started with the UFO and the Eagle but before long only 4
boats, the Superstar, De Tree, Lady Maude and Light' n Peace
remained.
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After being virtually still for almost an hour, the
remaining boats eventually got wind and headed into Sandy
Ground harbour. At this point controversy rung out on HBR as
word reached the air waves that the Race had been called
off. As the radio personalities vigorously debated the
rights and wrongs of the decision they had reported, the 4
boats apparently oblivious to any changes continued to race
and it resulted in a fabulously close battle for first place
with the Superstar and De Tree. All for naught,
however, as the word emanating from Hard Beat Radio, who
carried live coverage of the race on the sea, was that the
race had indeed been ABORTED!
The Prizes up for grabs included:
$10,000.00 - 1st place
$9,000.00 - 2nd place
$8,000.00 - 3rd place
$7,000.00 - 4th place
$6,000.00 - 5th place
$2,500.00 - Participatory prize.
The
stillness of the air resonated in the calmness of the water
and several boats lightened their loads to try and claim an
advantage. The Chan, a boat of historical greatness with 8
victories around the island, sailed beautifully and led
around to Crocus Bay. At Shoal Bay the Satellite 2 had the
lead, followed by De Chan and the Superstar which was
closing in quickly on the leader. By the time the boats
appeared through the narrows separating Scrub Island from
main land Anguilla the Superstar
was firmly ahead. The South Hill boat, slowly extended its
advantage around the eastern end of the island and
maintained it through to Anguillita in the west. At that
same time positions 2, 3,4, and 5 alternated continuously
between, De Chan, the Satellite, the NWO, Lady Maude and the
Light 'n Peace. The race seem be setting up for an exciting
battle for atleast four of the top five positions.