(Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands)- Anthony grew up in St Thomas on the U.S. Virgin Islands – just 30 miles
away from the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda in the BVI. And he
will readily acknowledge that throughout his life he has regarded the
skippers who were invited to compete in the BEYC’s Pro-Am Regatta as
sailing’s “Hall of Fame.” When Kotoun got the opportunity to skipper
one of BEYC’s matched IC-24s in this year’s 28th annual Pro Am Regatta,
he did not squander it.His regatta began on an inauspicious note with an OCS call in the first fleet race, and a last place finish. But from that lowly spot, the former J/24 World Champion and current Moth National Champion charged straight uphill. After the 12 scheduled fleet races, with guests of the BEYC rotating through his crew list, Kotoun had climbed his way into fourth place, a single point ahead of Pro-Am veteran Dave Ullman. That fourth place standing qualified Kotoun for the event’s match racing championship round.
Dave Perry won the fleet racing portion of the Pro-Am Regatta, and quickly exercised his option to select Kotoun as his opponent in the initial round of match races. Pro-Am skipper Stephanie Roble fittingly dubbed that match, “the Legend and the Local.” Kotoun was only three years old when Perry won the first of his many US Match Racing Championships – and was just four years old when Perry won his first Congressional Cup Regatta. That obviously did not intimidate Kotoun who won their tightly contested series, 2-1.
So Pro-Am rookie Anthony Kotoun had made it to the finals of the event he’d looked up to all of his life (clearly the J/24 World Championship training was helpful!). And his opponent was Taylor Canfield – the 2012 BEYC Pro Am Champion and reigning World Match Racing Champion. Interestingly, Kotoun once coached Canfield in Optis when the two were growing up in St Thomas, so any intimidation factor was simply non-existent.
Three great match races followed in magnificent trade wind conditions, and for the third consecutive year it was a rookie who prevailed to claim the BEYC Pro Am Championship. This year the only rookie in the event was Anthony Kotoun.
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