ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, July 29th, 2011  – The sloops are set and the challenge is on for the Eighth Annual Great Festival Sloop Shootout on August Tuesday, on August 2, when crew members representing Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE take on the crew of Acting Governor Mrs. V. Inez Archibald during the festival aquatic events.

The hour-long competition will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Road Harbour from the Road Town Jetty.Race coordinator Mr. Geoffrey Brooks, who is the curator of H. Lavity Stoutt Community College’s (HLSCC) Virgin Islands (VI) Maritime Museum, told the Department of Information and Public Relations the event is promoted as a challenge between the governor and the premier, adding that HLSCC also has a sloop competing in the race.

“At HLSCC, through the Centre for Applied Marine Studies, we continuously strive to revive the traditional sloop races and we are dedicated to preserving the story of local boat building as the key to understanding the maritime culture of the Virgin Islands,” Mr. Brooks said.

Mr. Wellington “Butch” Romney who comes from a family of shipwrights is captain of Premier O’Neal’s 20-foot “Sea Moon”, which was built in Anegada in 2003 by master shipwright Mr. Watson White, while former Olympic sailor of the VI Mr. Elvet Meyers is the first mate.

At the helm of the acting governor’s 20-foot “Moonbeam”, built in 1988 by Mr. White, will be Head of the Governor’s Office Ms. Jenny Lock. She will be accompanied by 40-year veteran sailor Mr. Richard Wooldridge.
President of the HLSCC Dr. Karl Dawson will skipper HLSCC’s 25-foot “Youth Instructor”. He will be assisted by veteran sloop racer and senior lecturer at the college’s marine centre Dr. Lianna Jarecki.

This sloop race is organised and sponsored by the Centre for Applied Marine Studies at the HLSCC and sponsored by the Loyal West End Yacht Club, the Royal BVI Yacht Club and VI Powerboat Association. The governor’s crew has won for two consecutive years, 2009 and 2010.

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