March 2, 2010 (Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten) – Peter Holmberg, Ben Beer and Maurice Kurg won the Budget Marine Match Racing Regatta for the second year in a row. Holmberg’s team sailed the Jeanneau Sun Fast 20’s better than the rest of the international field with helmsmen such as Gavin Brady, Peter Isler, Chris Nesbit, Colin Rathbun, Marc Fitzgerald, Jakub Pawluk and Eugeny Nikiforov. Holmberg's experienced team from St. Thomas, USVI won $5,000 for their first place effort.

The exciting match racing took place near the mouth of Simpson Bay while the docks and piers along its edges filled with racing yachts, charter boats and mega yachts preparing for the 30th Annual Heineken Regatta, the largest regatta in the Caribbean.

Robbie Ferron, Commodore of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club and Regional Manager of Budget Marine, looked on with pride as the Grade 5 match race, that attracted a lot of big names, took place in perfect conditions. “Many of the sailors were going to be here for the Heineken Regatta, so it made sense to host an event that would access the big names and be media friendly.”

Said Peter Holmberg, “I love what Robbie (Ferron) is doing and have supported him from the beginning. It was terrific that he moved the venue closer to the yacht club and the marina basin to attract more spectators. It’s a smart concept.”

As for Gavin Brady, who heads to the Louis Vuitton series in Auckland as the helmsman for Malcazone Latino, “In one day I sailed nine races and raced against an America’s Cup skipper, Peter Isler, top locals and really good up and coming guys. You’re never going to do more match racing than that anywhere in the world and I’m in Sint Maaten where we’re guaranteed wind and shifty, tricky conditions.”

Cary Ferron, who carefully organized every detail of the regatta said, “It has grown from the original regatta concept. We never thought that we would have a team from Poland flying here specifically to sail in the match race.”

Jakub Pawluk and his team of Jakub Wierusz and Maciei Wierusz have been sailing on the Polish Match Race Tour and saw the Heineken Match Race Regatta as an opportunity to enjoy the sunshine and to race against stiff competition. Pawluk, whose team only won one race, joked, “We had small satisfaction in that we beat the Russians in the regatta.”

The petit final and final was sailed after a three-way tie for third was broken. Peter Isler, Artie Means and CT Orlander beat Chris Nesbit, Brian Janney and Isao Toyama to claim $1,000 and third place.

Peter Holmberg’s team defeated Gavin Brady, Marc Plaxton and Tucker Thompson in the final.

Everyone goes into full swing to prepare for the Commodores Cup and the Heineken Regatta later this week. Some of the crews from this match racing regatta will be filling key positions on Sojana, Teton, Highland Fling, a Melges 32 and a multihull.