ANTIGUA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA

Registration for Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta will commence on Tuesday, April 16 and continue through Wednesday, April 27.  The Welcome party will be held on the lawn at Antigua Yacht Club beginning at 6 pm on Wednesday evening and the docks will be open so everyone will have an opportunity to view the yachts.

On Thursday judging for the Concours d'Elegance will take place throughout the day with the Concours prize giving to be held on the lawn at Antigua Yacht Club at 6 pm.  The famous Classic Single Handed Race will be held on Thursday and there will be a skippers' briefing upstairs at Antigua Yacht Club at 5 pm, just prior to the prize giving party.

The first of four Classic Yacht Regatta races will take place on Friday, April 19 (the Old Road Race) followed by the Single Handed Sundowner Celebration and prize giving on the Yacht Club lawn at 6 pm.

Saturday will feature the second race of the regatta (the Butterfly) and will be followed by a special presentation on the Yacht Club lawn at 6 pm.  The ever-popular Musical Night will follow at 8 pm.

Sunday's Race 3 (the Canon) is followed by the Parade of Classics in English Harbour starting at approximately 1:30 after the first boat finishes the race.  This is a fantastic opportunity to get a close up view of all of these spectacular boats!  The now-famous Sail Maine Party will be held as usual on the Yacht Club lawn at 6 pm.

The final race - Race 4 (Windward) will take place on Monday, April 22nd and will be followed by a quiet evening left open for crew dinners or just to recover from several days of non-stop activity!

Tuesday features afternoon Gig Racing beginning at 2 pm followed by the Cream Tea Party at 3 pm at the Admiral's Inn.  The final awards presentation will take place on the lawn on the water side of the Copper and Lumber Store Hotel beginning at 9 pm.

What an action-packed week of events!

There are currently 67 online entries including several Carriacou sloops which will enjoy great competition in their class. The biggest boat currently on the entry list is Zaca a te Moana at 120 feet, an Oliver Van de Meer design, followed closely by Kairos, a Klaus Roder 109.  The smallest boat currently showing on the entry list is 24-foot Springtide.

Three beautiful Nathaniel G. Herreshoff designed 27.5-foot yachts have been shipped from Newport, Rhode Island, USA to share their beauty in Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.

Visit the website regularly for updated information, results and photos throughout the event:  www.antiguaclassics.com.

Article by Kathy Lammers.  Photos by Kevin Johnson, www.kevinjohnsonphotography.com.