Archive for March 29th, 2012
Sailors paint scoreboard at Optimist Championship
(CISA): Cayman’s youth sailors have done the Cayman Islands proud with a fabulous overall result at the inaugural 2012 Race Cayman Optimist Open & Western Caribbean Optimist Championship hosted by the Cayman Islands Sailing Club (CISC). The youth competitors representing the Cayman Islands finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 8th overall and 1st female after the three day championship held over 15th – 18th March 2012 in the North Sound in Grand Cayman. USA sailor Jordan Wiggins – who just a few weeks earlier narrowly missed out on a place on the American Optimist team – was the overall winner with a dominant performance, winning 11 of 15 races.
It was not as easy as the score line might suggest. There were some very close finishes in every race with Florence Allan (Cayman), (pictured above), Evan Langford (Jamaica), Tyler Cartwright (Bahamas) and Allena Rankine (Cayman) all pushing Jordan but his experience paid dividends in the end.
Cayman sailors Florence Allan (first female), Pablo Bertran, Allena Rankine and Finley McDougall came in second, third, fourth and eight respectively – results which the Sailing Centre coaches are extremely proud of considering it’s only their second regatta against international completion. Andrew Moon, the Commodore of the Sailing Club said, “All the hard training paid off. The kids showed huge dedication in the pre-championship training programmes and the results speak for themselves. We really have some very talented youth sailors in the Cayman Islands”.
The regatta took place about 150 metres off the sailing club dock in Red Bay – which meant that parents, family and well-wishers could all eye ball the intense action. The regatta was over three days (Friday – Sunday) with winds speeds of up to 19 knots in the gust at times. This did not make racing any easier for our light and relatively inexperienced local racers. Head coach Raph Harvey said, “At times I wished the wind would just drop off (if only just for the upwind legs) a few knots, to make it a bit easier on their tiny frames, but they dug deeper and got on with the task-at-hand, and for efforts like that you can ask for no more. I am very proud”.
The regatta was a major success and the CISC is already looking forward to Race Cayman 2013. All the competitors were raving about what a good time they had (both on and off the water) and can’t wait to return next year. “This is a world class venue you have got here – we will be spreading the word back home” said Bill Wiggins (Jordan’s dad and avid sail boat racer).
The Sailing Club and National Sailing Centre would like to thank the Ministry of Health, Environment, Youth, Sport & Culture, and HSBC for being major sponsors. Without their support this championship would not be possible. Flowers bottled water continue to support the racing team in their development.
Burst pipes in capital causing traffic delays
(CNS): Two water pipe line breaks earlier this morning in central George Town are likely to cause traffic problems in the capital this morning as the Water Authority – Cayman repairs the pipes and cleans up after the early morning spill. This work is taking place on Elgin Avenue near the Piccadilly building and on Shedden Road near the Royal Bank of Canada building. Motorists are asked to drive with caution and obey all traffic signs. The Water Authority appreciates the patience and understanding of the motoring public as they continue to provide services to all of their valued customers and apologizes for any inconvenience.
Shot fired in 7MB robbery
(CNS): Updated 12:45: A visitor to the Cayman Islands and two residents became the victims of an early morning robbery Thursday at a West Bay Road condo, police have said. Officers from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service have begun investigating the home-invasion at an apartment at Seagull Condominiums in the heart of the tourist district in Seven Mile Beach, which happened at around 4am. Two of the men were reportedly tied up with duct tape during the incident while a third was said to have slept through the ordeal. A shot was fired inside the condo, police said, but no one was injured. Three robbers are said to have entered the unsecured apartment armed with a handgun. They reportedly escaped with an Apple Mac laptop, an iPod and cell phones.
Officers decribed the robbers as tall black males of slim build, one of whom was around 6’ 3”, and all of the men were wearing hoodies and denim jeans with their faces covered.
Unrepresented robber found guilty by judge
(CNS): A West Bay man who chose to defend himself in a judge alone trial for robbery and possession of an imitation firearm was found guilty of the crimes by Justice Seymour Panton on Wednesday afternoon in the Grand court. Ryan Ebanks was convicted of stealing just over $520 from the Three N's grocery store in Batabano Plaza in West Bay last March. Although he was wearing a bandana and a hood when he entered the local shop and demanded cash, Ebanks was identified by a customer, the cashier from the store and an anonymous witness by his voice and walk.
The robbery, which occurred on a Saturday evening at around 7:30pm, was one of four robberies that had happened that week. Police arrested Ebanks shortly after the crime based on information received from witnesses at the scene as he was a regular customer at the store.
During his trial Ebanks denied his part in the crime, however, saying he was not the robber but that he was the victim of a malicious plot by the police and the witnesses, who did not like him and wanted to see him convicted of a crime he did not commit.
The judge rejected this claim and despite some discrepancies he accepted the evidence of the various witnesses. He said that because Ebanks did not have an attorney he had been given a considerable amount of “elbow room” in conducting his own defence.
Justice Panton explained in his verdict that he had allowed him every opportunity to robustly cross examine the witnesses even though this had led to the defendant repeatedly asking the witnesses the same questions several times over.
Ebanks had dismissed his attorney as he accused the lawyer of not doing what he had asked. As a result, the West Bay man had opted to defend himself as he wanted a speedy resolution to his situation, believing that he could defend himself, despite the seriousness of the charges.
Following the conviction, Ebanks’ sentencing hearing was set for Friday.