Well now, that was one fine way to end a regatta.
The final day of Banderas Bay Regatta XXXIII came in hot, loud, and in absolutely no mood to take it easy on anybody. The shorter courses were welcomed by just about everyone, because by the time the fleet hit the start line, the breeze was already pushing 20 knots and beyond, and boats spent the day wrestling with heavy conditions from start to finish.
If the first two days showed off the beauty of Banderas Bay, the last day reminded everyone that the bay has a little bite in it too.
And honestly, that is part of what makes this place so special.
Every day of this regatta was a demonstration of how amazing Banderas Bay is, but this one had a little extra magic. Big breeze, big water, short sharp courses, and enough action to fill the bar with stories for months. And let’s be honest—when the Race Committee has to come over the radio and warn everyone that there are whales on the course, that is not your average Saturday sail. That is something you remember.
By the time the spray dried and the scores were sorted, the fleet had its champions.
In the Margarita Division, Patsy Verhoeven’s Talion finished the regatta in style, taking all three bullets and wrapping up the series on a perfect 3 points. Eric & Kim Rimkus aboard Gladiator, sailing double-handed all week, were solid from start to finish and claimed second on 6 points. Geoff Gudewill’s Azulejo locked in third with 9 points. Behind them, Andy Barrow’s Hey Ya finished fourth on 13, with Brad Hunter’s California Stars close behind on 14.
In the Cheeseburger Division, Fredrick Roswold’s Wings proved all week that moving into cruising division had not dulled her edge one bit. Wings took the overall win on 4 points, with Joe Heinzmann’s Swan Fun right behind on 5. David Reed’s Beep Beep finished third on 9. Alcyone and Mony ended tied on 15 points, with Alcyone taking fourth and Mony fifth in the final standings.
The Flip Flop Division stayed tight right to the end. Carlos Sainz’s Copier took the overall win on 5 points, with Bart Goodell’s Paladin just behind on 6. And in third, smiling all the way into the prizegiving, was the late Randy Hough’s Farrier F-22 Cricket, sailed by Dave Gould, on 7 points.
Over in the ever-entertaining Pirate Division, John Matejczyk’s Edwina was the class of the fleet, finishing on a rock-solid 3 points. Linda Sweet’s Olas Lindas claimed second on 7, and Daniel Rodriguez Cabrera’s Atlantis took third on 10. Behind them came Belat on 14, Brainwaves on 18, Jazzy2 on 19, Por La Vida on 21, Dreadnought on 22, and Crew2 on 27.
So yes, trophies for the top three in every class were well earned.
But this is Banderas Bay Regatta, and here in Vallartaville we also like to celebrate the boats that may have leaned just a little harder into the social side of the event.
That means it was time for the legendary Blender Awards—for the boats that were clearly more committed to making margaritas than making gains.
Blender Awards
Too busy making margaritas than sailing? Then your trophy is, naturally, a blender.
- Cruising (Margarita and Cheeseburger Classes): Mony
- Multihull (Flip-Flop Class): Cricket
- Performance (Pirate Class): Crew2
The Boat Parade Award went to a crowd favorite. Event photographer Charity Palmatier chose “the big hairy fat guy and his crew”, meaning Dave Gould and the crew of Cricket took home the trophy.
The Wasted Away Award, given to the boat that best captured the spirit of Vallartaville, went to Alcyone—for fishing while racing, towing the L mark to another location, and nearly running down the Sheriff Boat during the Boat Parade. That is not just commitment. That is performance art.
The Terry O’Rourke Award went to Edwina, for asking for a lower handicap “to be more fair.” That is the kind of true Corinthian spirit that honors the legacy of event founder Terry O’Rourke, and it was a fitting recognition.
The Pantera Cup, the perpetual trophy in memory of Bob Smith and his boat Pantera, went to Copier, sailed by Carlos Sainz.
And because this event does not happen on breeze and good intentions alone, we owe a big thank you to the people and organizations that make it all possible.
Thanks to our sponsors:
- Paradise Village Group
- Novamar
- Zaragoza Marine
- Vallarta Sailing Foundation
- Riviera Nayarit
Special thanks to our volunteers:
- The Banderas Bay Regatta Committee
- Our Race Committee
- A special shout-out to our PRO, Al Garnier, and the voice of the Race Committee, Yoshie Butts
And above all, thank you—the sailors, crews, volunteers, supporters, storytellers, and cheerful survivors of another unforgettable edition of this regatta. You are what makes this event the amazing thing it is every year.
One more gift before we all go home and start pretending to rest: event photographer Charity Palmatier has made her photographs of the event free to all. That is a classy move, and a good one. Go take a look, relive the spray, the sunshine, the costumes, the whales, and all the rest.
Photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dN8gyGQSTLAUG8288
Thanks again to everyone who volunteered, everyone who raced, and everyone who sponsored.
We’re going to take a breath, rinse off the salt, and maybe sleep for a minute.
Then we’re going to get right back to work on Banderas Bay Regatta XXXIV.
Fins UP!
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