ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK

The Antigua Sailing Week marketing team was pleased to have once again had an opportunity to sponsor a cocktail party at the Triskell Cup Regatta in Marina Bas-du-Fort, Guadeloupe.  In conjunction with Antigua Sailing Week sponsor English Harbour Rum, the team arrived in Guadeloupe with several cases of English Harbour 5 Year Old to be poured for the enjoyment of participating sailors.  Hundreds of cups were lined up with shots of rum and when the go ahead was given sailors rushed to the bar to sample the delicious spirit which was served along with ice, mixes and snacks.  Antigua Sailing Week’s Ashley Rhodes and Alan Scholl took on the challenge of trying to pour as fast as the rum was consumed and did a great job with their hard work was well appreciated!

The Cocktail Party provided Antigua Sailing Week with an opportunity to spread the word about the upcoming 47th annual regatta to be held from April 26 to May 2, 2014.  Prior to the awards presentation on Saturday evening, Kathy Lammers, Chairman of the Regatta Organising Committee for Antigua Sailing Week, was introduced by the Triskell Organisation’s Jean Michel Marziou and provided with an opportunity to say a few words to the hundreds of sailors, family and friends who were in attendance.  Kathy thanked the Triskell Organisation for the opportunity to host the party and invited all of the attending sailors and their friends to come to Antigua to participate in Antigua Sailing Week and Antigua’s other sailing events throughout the season.  She explained some of the recent changes to Antigua Sailing Week and offered the assistance of the ASW team in making plans to participate.

Jean Michel thanked Antigua Sailing Week and the Antiguan sailors for their continued support of the Triskell Association’s events and invited them to continue to participate in regattas in the French islands in future.  Antigua was represented on the water by James Dobbs’ J122 Lost Horizon which finished 2nd in CSA Spinnaker 1 Class with Antigua Sailing Week representatives Ashley Rhodes, Hans Lammers and Kathy Lammers on board.  Antigua was also represented by Bernie Evan-Wong’s Mumm 36 High Tension which finished 3rd in the same class on a tie-breaker with Lost Horizon.  In addition to Bernie, ASW representative Alan Scholl and three of Antigua’s National Sailing Academy’s youth sailors raced on board High Tension - Jules Mitchell, Rhone Kirby and David Jackson.

A special thanks to the youth sailors who were great ambassadors for Antigua, assisting the Antigua Sailing Week team by handing out ASW brochures along with Antigua Yachting Calendars and Caribbean Sailing Association calendars.

Once again a great time was had by all and the sailors from Antigua enjoyed sharing stories and experiences with their French friends from Guadeloupe and Martinique.  Antigua Sailing Week is delighted to continue to work with the Triskell Organisation and looks forward to continued mutual support and joint endeavours in the future.

By Kathy Lammers