ANTIGUA YACHT CLUB

Antigua Yacht Club has been holding its regular summer programs throughout the month of July which include two-week certificate programs and a one-week fun camp which includes sailing games, snorkelling, wakeboarding, kayaking, beach games and all sorts of other water games.  Attendance has been excellent and the Antigua Yacht Club instructors have had a busy but fun summer once again.

Karl James, Head Instructor for Antigua Yacht Club and Antigua's National Sailing Academy, is pleased to report that as a result of the ongoing programs of both organisations, Antiguan youth sailors continue to excel in a great variety of events.

The Antigua Team won the Premier's Cup Youth Regatta held in the British Virgin Islands earlier this month.  This group of youth sailors has participated in many events from regattas such as the Premier's Cup to the Jolly Harbour Valentine's Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week, at which they have registered great success on a regular basis.

In addition, some of Antigua’s young Optimist sailors were proud to represent their country at the St. Thomas International Optimist Regatta held in June which featured close to 100 Optimist sailors ranging in age from 8 to 15.  Antigua's sailors put on an excellent showing at this event and made Antigua proud!

Louis Bavay and Rocco Falcone also just finished participating in the 51st Optimist World Championships in Lake Garda, Italy.  This event hosted the best Optimist sailors from around the world and Antigua’s sailors finished a very respectable 187th (Louis) and 216th (Rocco) overall, excellent finishes particularly as they are only 12 years old while much of the fleet is 15 years old with considerably more experience under their belts.  In class, they had some excellent results including a 13th for Louis and a 16th for Rocco.  Full results of the Optimist World Championships can be found here.

Also during the summer months, Nonsuch Bay Resort features Sunday racing on RS Elite sailboats which is open to all including local sailors.  Karl has been taking some of the youth sailors to participate and they have registered great success!  Both Louis Fitzgerald and David Jackson have helmed boats and have, on occasion, managed to beat top Antigua sailors including Bernie Evan-Wong and Tony Sayer!

Finally, four of Antigua’s youth sailors - Janield Smith, Stephon Dundas, David Jackson and Lewis Fitzerald - are doing an Introduction to Basic Navigation Course in preparation for the Day Skipper Course which they hope to start in late summer.

Congratulations to all of Antigua's youth sailors for their continued success.  And, of course, congratulations to Karl James who continues to teach and develop some of the Caribbean's and indeed the world's best sailors who continue to make Antigua proud!