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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

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Second Annual Barts Bash 2015

by tacogirl 28/09/2015
written by tacogirl 28/09/2015
Barts Bash Belize

The Nation’s Youngest Sailors Beat Their Elders in Belize’s Segment of the 2nd Annual Bart’s Bash International Regatta

And the race is on

And the race is on

On Sunday, September 20, 2015, at 9:30 AM prompt, 26 sailing vessels manned and crewed by Belizeans were at the line when the horn sounded the start of the 2015 Bart’s Bash Belize in the waters off Caribbean Villas Hotel in San Pedro. The skies were murky grey, and the skippers tried to find and catch the mere puffs of wind that rose and died from varying directions here and there along the course. The fleet was so becalmed that it took a few frustrated skippers more than 10 minutes just to cross the start line. The windlessness lasted well into the race, but at long last one of the squalls approaching from the northeast arrived, and with it winds up to 25 knots. The course circuit that had taken one Hobie Wave over an hour to complete on its first lap took 14 minutes to complete the 2nd and last time around.

Jorge Sanchez skippering the Hobie 18, Shalom, came screaming across the finish line ahead of all others, one minute 45 seconds ahead of Jorge Olivarez’ Laser Radial and 2 minutes ahead

Barts Bash Belize

Helter Skelter Lasers & Opties

of Antonio Ricardez’ Laser Radial. However, after the handicaps are applied to these and the other boats, seven of the children sailing Optimists swept the top 7 places. Kevin Velasquez of San Pedro was the first of them and won First Place overall. Second was Nashira Ricardez of Belize City. Both of them had competed in the North American Championships at Antigua. W.I. Mitchell Sersland captured Third place. Fourth through Seventh went to Caroline Sersland, Gracie Brown, Nicholas Lausen, and Alexandra Lausen, respectively. The next seven places were won by all the Laser Radial sailors in the race, with Laser skippers Jorge Olivarez, Antonio Ricardez, and Sarah White taking Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth, respectively. No results have been posted on www.bartsbash.com as of yet.

We will wait to see how Belize sailors compare to others around the world this year.

Background and Significance

This year, Belize had a sailing reputation to defend. Did it succeed? How long will it take before we know?

Barts Bash San Pedro Belize

Waves & Lasers

First launched in 2014, Bart’s Bash Regatta is a legitimate international sailing race in which sailors all over the world and in every kind of sailboat imaginable take to their home waters on the same day and sail courses that have been designated as comparable by a computer program in the hands of the Bart’s Bash Committee, who also have a computer program to handicap the various classes of boats sailing against each other. The Guinness Book of World Records recorded last year’s inaugural Bart’s Bash as the largest sailboat race in history.

It was created to commemorate a beloved champion sailor and philanthropist, Andrew “Bart” Simpson and to support The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation. Bart lost his life at age 37, practicing aboard Sweden’s 72-foot America’s Cup catamaran that cartwheeled in preliminaries on San Francisco Bay on May 8, 2013.

Why the pressure on Belize this year? All of Belize’s 2014 skippers finished in the top 15% of the 2014 record-setting 16,780 entrants. The Belizean children aged 8 to 15 sailing Optimist Dinghies last year all finished in the top 8% of the 1,174 competing in their class.

The upshot of these performances last year is this: They stunned the sailing world and encouraged Belizeans such as those

Barts Bash Belize

Helter Skelter Lasers & Opties

who are members of the Belize Sailing Association to send young Belizean skippers into the international sailing arena. That occurred this past summer when Belize’s 4 top Optimist skippers – 2 boys and 2 girls – entered the North American Optimist Championship Regatta on the island of Antigua, W.I., and competed against 158 other sailors from 22 other countries. The following week, 2 sailors – a boy and a girl – from Belize’s small fledgling cadre of Laser XD Radial skippers attended the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) week-long clinic on Antigua, for which both were rewarded with virtually total ISAF scholarships to compete in the 2015 Youth World Championship Laser Regatta in Malaysia at the end of December 2015, and into the new year. To have competed even in only one such Youth World Championship regatta on an Olympic class boat such as the Laser XD Radial thereafter opens wide the doors to a career in professional sailing for those who pass through that portal, as our two young Belizeans will. It also leaves those doors tantalizingly ajar for the youth of Belize who wish to follow in their wake. It appears that without doubt, the Belizeans who embraced the first Bart’s Bash last year and sailed in it probably did more to promote recreational sailing in Belize than anything else aimed at that goal.

Respectfully submitted, Forrest Jones, Press Officer, San Pedro Sailing Club.

Related

tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
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Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
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Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s... always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
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I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
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20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and... local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
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I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
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13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do... what everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
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Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
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Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

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3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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