WITH the completion of the second annual Best of the Best Regatta, the focus of attention switches to Exuma for the Bul Reg New Year’s Day Regatta.

It’s scheduled for the weekend of December 29 to January 1 in Black Point, Exuma, and according to organiser Buzzy Rolle, all systems are go for the 16th version of the C Class regatta.

“We are still looking for some more sponsors to come on board,” said Rolle over the weekend as his Bul Reg competed in the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources’ Best of the Best Regatta in Montagu Bay.

“We need more funding so we can bring in more boats. We need at least 15-16 boats, but we’re down to about 12 right now. So we are still looking for the funding so we can bring in the other boats.”

Rolle, the owner and skipper of the Bul Reg, said they intend to have the Lady Eunice from Black Point, Exuma, in the fleet to defend her title.

Beerly Legal out of Long Island and the Aliv WG Thunderbird from Andros are expected to be among the list of boats competing.

Rolle confirmed that they have about 10 boats already lined up to compete directly out of Exuma. But they are hoping to get possibly three more boats that competed in the Best of the Best to make up the final list.

It Ain’t Right won the Best of the Best C class title with the Whitty K coming in second. Both boats hail out of Long Island. The Bul Reg got third.

The next four boats in order of finish were Xena, Smashie, Fugitive and the Termite.

“We’re still looking for two more out of Nassau or Long Island to compete,” Rolle stressed. “That will make the competition a lot more interesting.

“We have the 10 boats in Exuma, but we want to get some boats from the different islands so that it can be more competitive. We’re hoping that we can have at least 15 boats participate.”

Since its inception, Rolle said the community of Black Point and Exuma, in particular, have looked forward to the regatta being staged during the New Year’s Day celebrations because it gives them something exciting to look forward to.

“We are trying to do our best to make it bigger and better,” Rolle said.

“This year, for the first time, we will have two B class boats come in to put on a show.”

Lady Sonia and Tari Anne will put on an exhibition race as they compete against each other. Hopefully next year, Rolle said they are looking to increase the number of participating boats to at least four. The Lady Sonia and the Tari Anne finished third and fourth respectively in the B Class of the Best of the Best Regatta behind champions Lonesome Dove and Susan Chase.

Rolle said the competition would begin on Friday, December 29 with the kids’ races.

On Saturday, December 30, the first series race will take place, while the B class exhibition will be held on Sunday, December 31.

The final of the C Class will take place on Monday, January 1 before the closing ceremonies take place. “We’re looking forward to putting on another exciting New Year’s Day Regatta,” Rolle said.

“This is a great economic boost for the residents, who have something to look forward to like they do in Nassau with junkanoo.”