Blythe Walker and Keith Chiappa claimed bragging rights in the Bermuda Keelboat Regatta at the weekend despite the number of races being reduced..

Light breeze throughout the three-day event curtailed the programme in the International One Design and J105 classes. but race officials just managed to schedule enough races to constitute a series.

Walker, who competed alongside crew Andre Symonds, Maxwell Curtis and Sam Thomsen, pipped rival helmsman Bill McNiven for the IOD title on a tie-break after both teams finished with nine points from four races.

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club sailor Walker won two of the four races, including the decisive final one to win by a whisker.

Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club helmsman McNiven was also a model of consistency having posted a 2-3-2-2 record with his crew that included Cow Cao, who made his debut in the regatta, and co-helmsman Ray DeSilva.

Craig Davis, the RBYC commodore, rounded off the podium finishers a point back in third alongside crew Ricardo Larranaga, Sarah Fletcher and Christine Whitestone.

The light air conditions took a heavier toll on the J105 fleet, who were only able to compete in two races.

Spanish Point Boat Club helmsman Chiappa topped the six-boat racing fleet by three points over nearest rival Trevor Boyce, of the RHADC.

Rounding off the podium in third a further point adrift was the team representing Sandys Boat Club and RHADC, led by multiple regatta winner and former Olympian Peter Bromby.

Somers Kempe, the principal race officer, was thankful that enough races were able to be completed in the trying conditions.

“From a race officer’s perspective, it was a tricky weekend,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“Based on the forecast, it was very hard to plan a full regatta but I think we got lucky on both days, Saturday and Sunday, by getting two races in for the J105s.

“Sunday was a little bit longer of a longer wait to try to see if any breeze would develop, and it did. Five knots came through and a nice patch of breeze on the Great Sound lasted for about a half-hour before it dropped away again.

“It was a weekend of waiting around to see what would develop and it’s good to get it in the bag.

“The volunteers on the race committee boats worked hard and did an excellent job when the breeze came up to quickly set a course and get a race away.”