Antigua shines as a sailing destination - the Caribbean island has proven this countless times. April offers ideal conditions: constant trade winds of 15 to 20 knots from the north-east, little rain and temperatures above 25 degrees, both in the air and in the water.
This ideal setting has been home to the Antigua Sailing Week takes place. The traditional event at the end of April is one of the oldest in the region and is the festive finale for many regatta crews before they return to Europe or North America with their boats.
However, the number of participants has fallen recently. The organisers attribute this to an increasingly busy regatta calendar in the Caribbean. What's more, the season in the Mediterranean and on the US East Coast starts earlier, which is why many racing yachts are leaving the Caribbean early.
Antigua Racing Cup: New regatta with a new concept
The organisers have now reacted and adapted their concept. Instead of one Sailing Week at the end of April, they are now spreading three races over the whole of April. The aim: to restructure the class division and do justice to the changed ratio of racers, cruisers and charter boats.
The event kicked off with the new Antigua Racing Cup, which clearly focusses on the racing classes. From Grand Prix yachts to performance cruisers, the teams competed in four classes - CSA 1 to CSA 4. The conditions also largely played along. Apart from a few squalls that occasionally swept through the area, the races were characterised by constant easterly winds of 12 to 17 knots on a total of three race days.
Impressive insights from the Antigua Racing Cup:
The results of the Antigua Racing Cup:
CSA 1:
1st place: "Prevail", Tripp 65, USA, Dan Gribble and Dean Ziehls
2nd place: "Kialoa III", S&S 79, Lennart Davidsson
3rd place: "ZigZag", Oyster 82, GBR, John McMonigall
CSA 2:
1st place: "Belladonna", GS46, GBR, Steve Rigby
2nd place: "Warthog", RP37, ANT, Jules Mitchell
3rd place: "Rikki", Reichel/Pugh 42, Bruce Chafee
CSA 3:
1st place: "Danish Blue", ANT, Poul Hoj
2nd place: "Panacea X", Salona 45, CAN, Katy Campbell
3rd place: "Team Strada Awaken", Archambault A40, GBR, Mark Zamaria
CSA 4:
1st place: "Whiplash", Melges 24, ANT, Ashley Rhodes
2nd place: "The Project", Sigma 38, USA, Lee Oldak
3rd place: "Montebello Pepsi", First Class 10, FRA, Mallory Rousseau
More about the Antigua Racing Cup you will find here.
German participation in Antigua
German sailor Marlene Brudek also took part on her "Heartbeat 2", a JPK 10.30. In December, she crossed the Atlantic as one of the smallest boats in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) - She had previously taken part in regattas in the Mediterranean and prepared the boat. Her plan is to sail as many Caribbean regattas as possible before returning to her home port of Hooksiel on the North Sea.
"Sailors put on a fantastic show"
Race Director of the Antigua Race Cup, Jaime Torres, was delighted after the races:
"For a premiere edition, this regatta could not have had a better field. The sailors put on a fantastic show. We are grateful that they believed in the event and hope they share their experience and come back next year."
The Antigua Racing Cup is the prelude to a three-part regatta series. The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta follows from 15 to 19 April - dominated by classic, traditional sailing boats. The final event is the newly revamped Antigua Sailing Week (22 to 26 April), which continues the decades-long tradition of one of the most renowned Caribbean regattas.
Warm and windy: More Caribbean races at a glance
- The Heineken Regatta on Sint Maarten is one of the biggest sailing events in the Caribbean and takes place every year at the beginning of March. Known for its motto "Serious Fun", the regatta combines four days of intense competition with evening parties that have already achieved cult status. 107 boats from 30 countries took part in the 45th edition of the race this year.
- The St. Barth's Bucket Regatta is particularly popular with fans of large yachts. This exclusive event for superyachts takes place every year in March on st. Barthélemy every March. Around 30 superyachts, whether sloop, ketch or schooner, as well as prominent sailors, including many America's Cup veterans, took part in this year's 31st edition. In addition to the sporting competition, as with many Caribbean events, the socialising of the participants also plays a major role.
- The RORC Caribbean 600 is a challenging offshore sailing race that starts annually in February from Antigua. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the 600-mile course leads around eleven Caribbean islands. It is popular with top international sailors and high-calibre yachts. Three German teams took part in this year's 16th edition.
- The Spring Regatta, which takes place in the British Virgin Islands at the end of March, is known for its diverse racing categories and spectacular sailing conditions. This year, the fun regatta took place for the 51st time with 61 boats from 13 countries and attracted numerous sailors to the Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola. Fun is the top priority of the race. Similar to Antigua Sailing Week, guests can also take part via bareboat or berth charter on one of the regatta boats.
Fabian Boerger
Editor News & Panorama
