The regatta will feature 20 junior sailors from West End, joined by 7 from Freeport, competing for various trophies. The junior sailors, all under 15 years old, will compete in “Optimist”, and “International Laser” (Laser) class sloops in their respective categories.

The Optimist is a small, single-crew sailing dinghy for children up to the age of about 15. Today the boats are usually made of fiber reinforced plastic, although wooden boats are still built. It is one of the most popular sailing dinghies in the world, with over 132,000 boats officially registered with the class and many more built but never registered.

The International Laser, also known as Laser Standard or Laser One, is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy. According to the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes simplicity and performance.

Last year’s event saw the West End Community “come alive” with a shoreline dotted with Optimist dinghies, expertly sailed by the youth of West End and Freeport. “The ambiance was a festive one, reminiscent of what West End represents; the smell of good food, the sound of down home music, and the area was transformed into a seaside “walking" community”, remarked Betty Bethel, General Manager of the Ministry of Tourism’s Grand Bahama office.

Organizers of the West End Junior Regatta & Festival Committee invite all residents of, and visitors to Grand Bahama to spend a day enjoying the fun activities/games, craft and food vendors as well as entertainment that will be a crowd pleaser for the entire family.

This event is a joint effort of the West End Eco-Fishing Camp Association, the Grand Bahama Sailing Club and The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism.