As the 2024 BVI Spring Regatta approaches, three major long-term sponsors continue to support the event: Nanny Cay Resort & Marina, Mount Gay Rum, and Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina.
Nanny Cay has been host and presenting sponsor since 2002 providing the much-loved Regatta Village – party central with event stage, music, bars, food vendors, and many tall tales – and world-class marina facilities for hassle-free and convenient dockside life at the end of the race day.
Its full-service marina has berths for 320 boats. A Quantum Sails loft is on-site for overnight repairs. Nanny Cay also includes a 52-room hotel and waterfront townhouses for rental; restaurants and bars; a chandlery; a small supermarket; shops and boutiques; a dive shop; free WiFi service property-wide.
The Round Tortola Race for the Nanny Cay Cup kicks of the two-day Sailing Festival in the lead up to the BVI Spring Regatta.
“Hosting the BVI Spring Regatta is a highlight of our year,” said Miles Sutherland Pilch, general manager. “We have worked hard to to build one of the leading marinas in the Caribbean and it’s very satisfying to see so many competitors enjoying the regatta night life a short walk from their berth.”
The ubiquitous Mount Gay Rum has been the drink of choice since the BVI Spring Regatta’s inception in 1972 and the tradition continues for 2024 as the Official Rum of the BVI Spring Regatta.
Mount Gay, the world’s oldest running rum distillery, will be front and centre in the Regatta Village with the Mount Gay Rum Bar, the much-coveted Mount Gay Rum “red cap”, giveaways and prizes.
The Mount Gay Rum Race Day kicks off the first of three days of racing for the 2024 BVI Spring Regatta. Class winners can expect to celebrate their success with a special tipple courtesy of Mount Gay.
“We proudly sponsor the world-renowned BVI Spring Regatta, celebrating our rich history as the oldest rum brand in the world. Our commitment to supporting Regattas in the Caribbean and around the world is a testament to our passion for adventure and exploration. This year’s festival promises to be a truly unforgettable experience, with exclusive Mount Gay gear, unforgettable entertainment, and expertly crafted aged rums. Join us in celebrating the spirit of discovery and the thrill of competition at the regatta village, where memories are made to last a lifetime.”
The Scrub Island Invitational on day two of the Sailing Festival takes competitors on a 12nm race up the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina. The relatively short race to Scrub Island gives sailors plenty of time to enjoy the outstanding Scrub Island hospitality. The 2024 race will be the fleet’s sixth visit to this exclusive island. Competitors are met with cold drinks and a sizzling BBQ on the deck overlooking the marina and anchorage. Very quickly crew members, sizzling themselves, seek the cooling waters of Scrub Island’s two-tier pool, where they work on the Caribbean art of bobbing with a cold one.
Scrub Island family now includes the old favourite, Marina Cay, and regular shuttles run between the resort, Marina Cay, and Trellis Bay.
“The Spring Regatta is a much-anticipated event, and something our entire team looks forward to supporting each year,” stated Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina General Manager Sandra Grisham- Clothier. “It’s a thrill to welcome both new and familiar competitors from all over the world to enjoy our private island paradise for a day.”
BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival 2024
The seven-day event starts on Monday April 1 with the Sailing Festival opening day festivities and skipper pack collection. The Sailing Festival, a warmup event, takes place Tuesday April 2 and Wednesday April 3. On April 2, the traditional Round Tortola Race for the Nanny Cay Cup will take sailors on a 37nm race around the island of Tortola. On April 3, the Scrub Island Invitational will take sailors some 12NM upwind to a fabulous island party hosted by Scrub Island Resort.
On Thursday April 4, a lay day will provide sailors, friends, and families the opportunity to explore the local BVI waters or join in for more sailing fun with dinghy and wing foil racing off Nanny Cay Resort & Marina. It also provides an opportunity for those who are joining just for the BVI Spring Regatta to register and get their racing boats and team ready for the big event: the 51st BVI Spring Regatta, which kicks off on April 5 and runs through April 7, for three days of the Caribbean’s best racing managed by a world-class race management team.
The Regatta attracts a diverse fleet of boats in addition to a strong bareboat fleet, and whether sailors participate in all five races of the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival, part or all of the Festival, or the three-day Regatta, there is something for everyone, on the water and shore-side.
