Fope Team Wins Aboard The Moorings 4000
The Caribbean Multihull Challenge IV held over the weekend of 4 – 6 February on the Dutch Island of Sint Maarten congratulates the Fope Fine Italian Jewelers sponsored Women’s Sailing Team on winning their class during the three-day racing. Stephen Burzon, Director of Marketing for the regatta, says, “This enthusiastic team led by champion skipper Annie Gardner and assisted by her first mate Betsy Senecu, quickly knit a team of six local Sint Maarten female sailors of all ages together to sail their almost new chartered Moorings 4000 to overall victory in their cruising class. It was amazing to see a group of disparate female sailors turn one day’s pre-regatta training into such a magnificent effort. The crew consisted of women of all ages from 16 to 65. Their excitement projected all over the varied race courses.”
My Treasure in close competition with a Lagoon 45 who they defeated in the series. This was the second time the management of Fope and their local Front Street retailer Ballerina Jewelers entered a team; having done so in CMC II in 2020 before the Covid crisis shut Fope’s sponsorships down. The CMC ladies team received the go-ahead from Janelle Couts, Fope’s Director of Business Development in November, and from then on the regatta organizers pulled together the talent and gear to make it all happen. Betsy Senescu working with Ian Pedersen, The Moorings Senior Marketing Manager, collaborated on the charter and Annie and Betsy picked up their winning boat – My Treasure – at the The Moorings charter base in Marigot – French St. Martin. .
The above picture shows My Treasure power reaching towards a mark of the course. Mary Wrigley – long-time French St Martin resident and sailor helped recruit the talented group of ladies that celebrate the island’s diversity. Mary and Jordan Pieterse (South Africa) were on the team in 2020. Kippy Gilders (Sint Maarten), Magdelena Komorowska (Poland), and Aygeleyn Bregita, (Curacao) filled out the roster making for a total crew of seven. Aygeleyn – nicknamed IG – is a local gal trained in sailing by Sint Maarten’s not-for-profit Kidz at Sea organization and was an outstanding catch for the team. Burzon concludes, “Everything clicked…We even hired a diver to clean the yacht’s bottom before the racing and after he ducked below he popped up and said nothing to clean…all was sparkling down there…nice going The Moorings! We cannot wait for CMC V in 2023 where we can do it all again.”
Photo credit: Laurens Morel, Salty Colours
Contributor
Leslie Montenegro
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