Only Months in a New Boat, SVG Sailors Finish Just One Place Outside Top Five 

By S.Browne. Updated 4:26 p.m., Friday, August 7, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Two Vincentian sailors who had been competing in a new class for only a matter of months came within one place of a top-five finish at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, delivering an encouraging performance against some of the region’s most experienced crews.

Scarlett Hadley and Kai Marks Dasent represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the i420 Class during the sailing competition, held from August 1 to 7 at Salinas Beach in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The pair finished sixth overall after a 12-race regatta, narrowly missing out on fifth place to Barbados.

While the result fell just short of the top five, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sailing Association said the achievement was particularly impressive given the team’s limited experience in the i420 dinghy and the fact that it was their first competition together in a double-handed boat.

“Competing against some of the region’s most experienced sailors, in a series of 12 races, Scarlett and Kai demonstrated determination, resilience and rapid improvement throughout the regatta, ultimately finishing in sixth place overall, just losing out to Barbados in a closely fought battle over fifth place,” the association said in a release.

It added: “What makes this particularly noteworthy is that the team has only been sailing the i420 dinghy for a matter of months, and this was their first experience competing together in a double-handed boat. Simply reaching the start line at this level of competition represented a major achievement and required an extraordinary commitment of time, energy, and dedication.”

The association said the performance highlights the steady development of sailing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the growing ability of local athletes to compete at the highest regional level.

The country’s international sailing campaign continues this month, with 14-year-old Joshua Weinhardt currently representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the ILCA 4 Class at the Youth World Championships in Denmark.

Meanwhile, Marks Dasent will travel directly from the Dominican Republic to Denmark to compete in the ILCA 6 World Championships next week, extending what the association described as an exciting period of international representation for Vincentian sailing.

“The SVG Sailing Association is proud of the dedication shown by all of its athletes, coaches, fun sailors, volunteers, and supporters. Every international appearance helps place St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the global sailing map and inspires the next generation of sailors,” the association said.

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