ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK

The opening day of the main Antigua Sailing Week series served up glorious sailing conditions for nine classes racing in 12-16 knot tradewinds. A 40-mile course to Barbuda gave the biggest boats including, Pyewacket 70, the VO65s I Love Poland and Sisi, plus Adrian Lee’s HH66 catamaran Lee Overlay Partners III to stretch their legs, with the latter flying a hull off the start line.

Competitors in CSA Racing Class 3 enjoyed super-close competition, with the top three boats separated by only 40 seconds on corrected time at the end of their first race. All three started close together, with double Olympic gold medallist Poul Høj Jensen’s Danish Blue closest to the pin end of the line, Sir Richard Matthews’ J/122 Team Oystercatcher, right on their windward quarter, and Steve Rigby’s El Ocaso just to windward.

However, line honours went to a local boat with a young Antiguan crew, Jim Vos’ Reichel Pugh designed RP37 Warthog. Nevertheless, they slipped to fourth place on corrected time, leaving Rigby’s team to take victory, just 32 seconds ahead of Danish Blue, with Team Oystercatcher taking third a mere 8 seconds later.

Today they were one of three classes with two races scheduled. El Ocaso took another win in the second race, with Danish Blue again second, while Marc Emig J/133 Credit Mutuel - Jivaro squeezed into third place, 14 seconds ahead of Team Oystercatcher.

The Club Classes, which account for almost one quarter of this year’s entries, are an integral part of the atmosphere here. “Antigua Sailing Week has lots of high-end carbon raceboats participating, as well as really cool race charter boats like Salona 45s, the J/122s and so on,” says race director Jaime Torres.

“But one of the unique things about Antigua Sailing Week is the Club Class – it originated here and is designed for live-aboard boats and people who maybe never even thought about bringing their boats into the world of yacht racing.”

“I love it because you can pretty much turn up here with any type of boat and still have a good time and enjoy the racing,” says Gary O’Grady, who sailed here from the UK on his 35ft long keel cruising yacht, Cara of the South, and is competing for the second time.

“The handicap system used for the Club Class makes it much more of a possibility that we can get on a podium,” he adds. “So that's what I'm looking forward to: a podium finish and a few beers, of course.”

As a largely single-handed cruiser, O’Grady is joined by two friends from home, plus a pair of young sailors from Antigua’s National Sailing Academy. What advice does he have for other cruisers? “Just get here, bring the boat you have and enjoy yourself. Just get here.” O’Grady only narrowly missed achieving his ambition in his first race, finishing with fourth place in CSA Club Class B.

Equally, Bareboats have long been a popular element of Caribbean regattas, enabling crews to sample tradewind racing, as well as Antigua’s captivating shoreside atmosphere and camaraderie, without chartering a full-on racing yacht.

KH+P Revival, a Moorings 44.3 skippered by Swiss sailor Jakob Oetiker, won today’s race in the CSA Bareboat class. They were first away at the favoured left-hand end of the start line, before going on to take victory with a 2 minute 9 second advantage.

“We had great conditions, with moderate winds and waves,” says Oetiker. “We've been to Antigua before, so knew a little bit about how to approach the race, going up towards the shore on the windward leg, and the same back downwind.

“I'm a lake sailor from Switzerland – where I sail a competitive 27ft sportsboat – but once in a while I like to go to sea. This is a great event, I think it's my 10th time here – the first was in 2004. There’s great sailing with great parties and all-round feel.”

Second place went to Sorrel, another Moorings 44.3, skippered by American sailor Stephen Clarke. Donna Syers’ team from the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club in New Jersey took third place on KH+P Joya, just 24 seconds after Sorrel.

After racing, the Antigua Yacht Club grounds were again packed for the prize giving sponsored by English Harbour Rum, which was followed by an evening of live music. Racing at Antigua Sailing Week continues tomorrow with the Marina Resort Women’s Race Day.

For more information about Antigua Sailing Week including racing, watching the action and the fun-packed shoreside entertainment, visit the official website: www.sailingweek.com