The Virgin Islands were for once overfilled with rain as Finlands Staffan Lindberg sailed over the finish line three boats lengths ahead of the USAs Sally Barkow to win the Finals 3-1 in the Carlos Aguilar Match Race. For their win, Lindberg and his team were each awarded a distinctive Ulysse Nardin precision timepiece. In addition, the team received an invitation to the prestigious Stena Match Cup Sweden 2012, in Marstrand.
"It wasn't easy," says Lindberg, who is currently the 15th match racer in the world. "The conditions were very tricky and I was amazed by the quality of the other sailors at this regatta."
Lindberg lost to Barkow in the first race of the Finals and came back to win the next three and the championship.
"Sally made good work of me in the first three starts," says Lindberg. "In the last race, we were able to pull ahead and sail one long tack to the finish."
Robert Skarp, Carl-Johan Uckelstam and Björn Andersson sailed with Lindberg as crew.
Photos by Virgin Islands-based photographer, Dean Barnes.
FINAL RESULTS
Finals
Staffan Lindberg, FIN vs. Sally Barkow, USA 3-1
Petite Finals
Taylor Canfield, USVI vs. Dave Perry, USA 2-0
Places 5 through 13
5. Stratis Andreadis, GRE
6. Tyler Rice, USVI
7. Stephanie Roble, USA
8. Colin Rathbun, BVI
9. Sandy Hayes, USA
10. Nikole 'Nikki' Barnes, USVI
11. Jorge Santiago, PUR
12. Louise Bienvenu, USA
13. Mauricio Gallardo, ESA