ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK

After three days of racing and equal days of celebrating at Antigua Sailing Week, it was time for sailors to enjoy a little downtime on Lay Day, which offered a change of pace for both Antigua Sailing Week crews, the local community, and visitors to the island. The day started with fun dinghy racing on short courses just off Pigeon Point Beach where there was a festive atmosphere all day, including live music, DJ and a wide variety of beach games.

The barbecues were fired up, Heineken beers chilled, and a fun afternoon of beach games was served up…. For those still eager for a little on-the-water action, dinghy racing on RS Feva’s saw ASW teams take on some of the local sailors in a series of fun relay races. With ASW Race Manager Jaime Torres comparing the racing and plenty of fellow sailors and friends shouting support from onshore, F-U-N competition was the order of the day.

Those who have never sailed before were invited to join race crews from Antigua’s National Sailing Academy (NSA) in their dinghies, creating a memorable experience for all involved. Meanwhile, others chose to simply chill out on the beach, or in the shade of the trees, ahead of an afternoon of beach games, capped off with live music. 

ASW Event & Marketing Manager, Rana-Jamila Lewis explained: “Lay Day is an opportunity for crews to take a pause from racing and provides an opportunity for local people to enjoy the regatta festivities and interact with the sailors.”

Local vendors provided an array of delicious food for the hungry beach-goers; from homemade pineapple ice cream, fresh tropical fruits and coconut, to BBQs serving mouth-watering jerk chicken, ribs and all the regular favourites. Bringing the beats and a lively crowd to the beach at Catherine’s Café, to more local vibes and the famous cocktails at Bumpkins beach bar & restaurant, Lay Day at ASW was once again a perfect day for all.

“There’s always a great turnout and it’s good to see the friendly competition amongst beachgoers and sailors in some of the games," continued Lewis. "Fun games included a fast-paced obstacle course, tug-of-war and arm wrestling, as well as the ever-popular giant Jenga, plus colour mania speed challenges. Prizes from our sponsors included Gill swag bags, Sailing Week merchandise, hats and Harken Derm sunscreen. DJ Who compared the afternoon and the vibe continued into the early evening with the Venom X band as the sun went down on another great Lay Day at Antigua Sailing Week."

Racing continues at Antigua Sailing Week, with two more days of competition (Thursday: Falmouth Ocean Club Youth to Keel Race Day & Friday: Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority Race Day) before the final prizegiving and party at Nelson's Dockyard on Friday May 2, 2025.

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.