THE SUPERYACHT CHALLENGE ANTIGUA

14TH SUPERYACHT CHALLENGE
ENGLISH HARBOUR, ANTIGUA
5 to 9 MARCH 2025
NOTICE OF RACE

The Superyacht Challenge Antigua (SYCA) has one clear objective; to provide all the facilities to stage an ideal event for an exclusive selection of superyachts, where fair racing and good companionship are valued above all else.

Designed to be solely for the pleasure of superyacht owners, their guests and crew, the magnificent fleet takes part in four days of spectacular racing. Together with laid back social events, the Superyacht Challenge Antigua is a wonderful celebration of sailing and parties.

The racing is competitive, but the SYCA is dedicated to pure fun afloat and ashore, where all participants enjoy a relaxed party atmosphere, free from commercial endorsements. The regatta includes an optional race around the island of Antigua, the record for which was set at the 2022 SYCA by the 218ft ketch Hetairos at 3 hours 46 minutes and 8 seconds. A yacht that breaks the record will be awarded the skipper’s weight in rum! A new Stan Pearson Trophy will be awarded to the winner of the Round Antigua Race.
1 ORGANIZING AUTHORITY
The organizing authority is Superyacht Challenge Antigua Ltd, which is affiliated to the Antigua and Barbuda Sailing Association.

2 RULES
The regatta will be governed by:
a) The 2025-2028 rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).
b) Appendix SY, Superyacht Racing Rules, to the RRS.
c) The ORC Superyacht Rule (ORCsy, orc.org/superyacht).
d) The government of Antigua and organizing authority health and safety requirements and guidelines.
e) The safety requirements designated by the yacht’s flag state, classification society and/or code of compliance.
f) No national prescriptions will apply.
g) If the organizing authority receives corroborative or substantiated reports of a yacht being handled in an overaggressive, unseamanlike or unsafe manner, it may excuse the yacht from the regatta and/or declare the yacht and/or its afterguard members ineligible for future SYCA regattas, with or without a hearing. This changes RRS 63.1.

3 ADVERTISING
The regatta has a no sponsorship policy so yachts shall obtain prior approval if they wish to promote and/or display their own sponsor.

4 ELIGIBILTY, ENTRY & CANCELLATION
4.1 The Superyacht Challenge Antigua is an invitational event, open to superyachts in excess of 30 metres with a valid ORCsy rating certificate. Yachts less than 30 metres but greater than 25 metres with a valid certificate may request entry.
4.2 Yachts are requested to apply by no later than 1 December 2024. The entry fee is due by 1 January 2025.
4.3 Late entries may be accepted at the sole discretion of the organizing authority, subject to a late entry fee.
4.4 Completed entry forms shall be sent via email to the SYCA Race Office at info@superyachtchallengeantigua.com.
4.5 The organizing authority reserves the right at its absolute discretion to accept a yacht’s entry. Entry will only be confirmed on receipt of a completed entry form, full payment and notification of acceptance by the organizing authority.
4.6 The organizing authority reserves the right at its absolute discretion to cancel the regatta completely by written notification to each yacht via email to the email addresses provided on the Entry Form. In the event of cancellation of the regatta:
a) Each yacht’s entry fee that has been received by the organizing authority will be refunded fully to the yacht.
b) This agreement in respect of this regatta will be terminated forthwith.
c) Each yacht, owner and captain hereby expressly agree that no claim of any nature whatsoever against the organizing authority will be permitted or entertained and each yacht, owner and captain hereby expressly undertake to indemnify the organizing authority in respect of any claim brought by anyone associated with them and/or their yacht and any costs incurred by the organizing authority in relation to such claim.
 

5 FEES
5.1 The entry fee is US $9,500 + an ABSAR donation of US $500, a total of US $10,000.
5.2 The fee covers entry to the regatta, the Welcome Cocktail Party and the Prize-Giving Ceremony.
5.3 A late entry fee of US $1,000 will be assessed for payments made after 1 January 2025.
5.4 Payment may be made by either credit card or bank transfer at:
ECAB USD Wire Instructions
Beneficiary: SUPER YACHT CHALLENGE ANU LTD; account no: 122000067
 

6 DOCKAGE
Please contact Nelson's Dockyard Marina as early as possible to secure your regatta berth: info@nelsonsdockyard.com, +1 268-464-6941, or call Paul Deeth on +1 268-464- 7081.
 

7 SCHEDULE
7.1 Three series races and an optional Round Antigua Race are scheduled over four days. The weather outlook will determine the date and start time of the Round Antigua Race, which will be advised no later than the pre-regatta briefing. Each series race day there will be a briefing at 0900 with a start at 1100.

7.2 The organizing authority and race committee reserve the right to modify the schedule depending on weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.
7.3 The detailed social programme will be emailed to yachts prior to the event.
 

8 RATING CERTIFICATE
Yachts are required to have a 2025 ORCsy certificate. A description of the ORCsy, the ORCsy Rule, and application instructions are available at orc.org/superyacht.
 

9 VENUE
The racing area is around and off the south coast of Antigua.
10 RACE OFFICE
The race office is located at the National Parks Antigua Events Center, Nelson’s Dockyard.

11 REGISTRATION
Yachts shall complete registration at the race office no later than 16:00 hours on 5 March 2025. The following shall be presented:
a) A valid 2025 ORCsy certificate.
b) The name, local mobile telephone number and email address of the yacht’s Captain, the designated RRS Afterguard Member and the Communications Officer.
c) Confirmation of the RRS Afterguard Member Compliance and Information Form.

12 NOTICES TO COMPETITORS
Notices to competitors will be posted on the online official notice board located on the regatta website.

13 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
The sailing instructions will be available from the race office at registration and afterwards on the official notice board.

14 BRIEFINGS
14.1 A pre-regatta briefing will be held at 17:00 hours on 5 March, at the Admiral’s Inn. Attendance is mandatory for the Captain, the RRS Afterguard Member, the Communications Officer and the Racing Tactician.
14.2 A daily briefing will be held each series race day at 09:00 hours at the Capstans in English Harbour. Attendance is mandatory for any two from the Captain, the RRS Afterguard Member, the Communications Officer and the Racing Tactician.

15 STARTING FORMAT
Starts will be staggard, with slower rated yachts starting before faster rated yachts.

16 PENALTY SYSTEM
The Scoring Penalty, RRS 44.3, will apply (a yellow flag will be required).

17 SCORING
17.1 The Round Antigua Race will be scored separately from the three-race Series, and scored overall (there will be no classes).
17.2 For the Series, there will be up to three classes, which will be scored individually (there will be no overall score); one race is required to be completed to constitute a series; no score will be excluded.

18 DESIGNATED RRS AFTERGUARD MEMBER COMPLIANCE
18.1 Each yacht shall designate one member of the afterguard who is currently active withand has a thorough understanding of the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS). Required andrecommended credentials and experience are listed in the Appendix to this document.
18.2 The RRS Afterguard Member may be the yacht’s helmsman, navigator, racing tactician or communications officer if they meet the stated criteria. This individual’s role is to interact closely with the other members of the afterguard.

19 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
19.1 Each yacht shall designate a Communications Officer who will monitor and communicate on the VHF safety channel, who has a good understanding of the RRS and Appendix SY, as well as experience with radio protocol.
19.2 Captains should not be the designated RRS Afterguard Member or the Communications Officer due to the fact that the overall safety of the yacht is their responsibility.

20 PRIZES
20.1 A selection of rum barrels suitably filled.
20.2 The Stan Pearson Trophy will be awarded to the winner of the Round Antigua Race.
20.3 The Gosnell Trophy is awarded to the yacht who in the opinion of the competitors and race committee has competed in the spirit of the regatta, both afloat and ashore.

21 DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors agree to be bound by the World Sailing RRS, by the notice of race and the sailing instructions. Competitors agree to take any and all responsibility for the nautical qualities of their yacht, the rigging, the crew’s ability, and the safety equipment. Competitors also agree to take any and all responsibility for damages caused to third persons or their belongings, to themselves or to their belongings, ashore and at sea as a consequence of their participation in the regatta, relieving of any responsibility the organizing authority and all persons involved in the organization under whatever qualification and to accept full responsibility for the behaviour and dress of the yacht’s crew, representatives and guests. Competitors are to be acquainted with RRS Fundamental Rule 3: “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.”
Competitors agree that the organizers and their agents have no responsibility for loss of life or injury to crew members or others, or for the loss or damage to any vessel or property.

22 INSURANCE
Each yacht shall be adequately insured. It is the responsibility of each yacht’s Captain and Owner to certify that all crew and guests aboard are properly insured against all liabilities and injuries incurred for the duration of the regatta.

23 AUTHORIZATION TO USE NAME & LIKENESS
Competitors agree to provide the organizing authority and the event’s sponsors authority to use and show at all times, static or moving photos, films or TV recording and all duplicates of them during the event. They also give authority to use without any compensation their own images on any event material.

24 FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information please contact the race office:
Email: info@superyachtchallengeantigua.com
Phone: +1 268-460-1059
Or contact Paul Deeth on: +1 268-464-708