SPORTS SECTION E
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025
OARSOME
Bahamas’ largest ever junior team at Fairfax regatta
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net THE largest ever contingent of junior rowers from the Bahamas competed at the Occoquan Chase Regatta in Fairfax, Virginia over the weekend. The event featured 46 clubs and more than 1200 athletes competing across high schools, collegiate, and master’s levels on the same course, making it one of the most premier regattas in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Bahamian delegation included 23 rowers, six from Nassau Rowing Club, eight from the Windsor school, and nine from King’s College school. Their participation drew widespread attention from local teams. John Simbulan, Assistant Coach at Nassau Rowing Club, who previously coached at Capitol Rowing
Club in Washington, D.C., played a key role in organizing the experience. “I hope the passion that I
developed here at home can be replicated if not made better, in the Bahamas so that many others
can enjoy rowing and the opportunities it can provide,” Simbulan said. For a lot of the rowers,
it was their first time competing abroad. Parents and supporters joined them on the trip, including Adriana
Pineda, whose child rows for the Windsor school. ROWING - SEE PAGE THREE
TRIBUTES PAID TO FORMER MINISTER DR NORMAN GAY 72 TOP AMATEURS
AT WHITE SANDS By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net
FAMILY of the late Dr Norman Gay, former Cabinet minister and parliamentarian, pay their respects at the lie-in-state in the foyer of the House of Assembly. Photos: Letisha Henderson/BIS
THE Ministry of Tourism has announced that 72 of the world’s top amateur golfers will compete in the White Sands Bahamas Men’s Invitational, taking place December 13-16, at the iconic Ocean Club Golf Course at the Atlantis Paradise Island. The tournament continues The Bahamas’ long-standing tradition of hosting world-class golf events, joining a legacy that includes the PGA Tour, LPGA, and celebrity tournaments. The international aims to showcase the next generation of elite golfers while further establishing The Bahamas as one of the premier destinations for golf worldwide. Among the notable early commitments are the US Junior Ryder Cup standouts Miles Russell and Luke Colton, 2025 European Amateur Champion Filip Jakubic, Walker Cup member Tommy Morrison, All-American Connor Williams, US Junior National Team member Kihei Akina, and 2025 Southern Amateur winner John
Daly II. Additionally, top players are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The champion will receive a sponsor exemption into a full-field PGA Tour event, either the 2026 Puerto Rico Open (March 5-8) or the 2026 ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic (May 4-10). The runner-up will earn an exemption into the 2026 LECOM Suncoast Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour, while all participants will be awarded World Amateur Gold Rankings (WAGR) points. The White Sands Bahamas Men’s Invitational will be managed by SPORTFIVE, the same organisation behind the Puerto Rico Open, ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, and LECOM Suncoast Classic. The tournament is also a milestone for Bahamian Sports tourism. Latia Duncombe, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, emphasised the event’s broader impact. “This tournament exemplifies the power of sports tourism in the islands of GOLF - SEE PAGE THREE