Thursday, May 2: Racing at Antigua Sailing Week continued with Antigua Yacht Club Marina (AYCM) Women’s Race Day. One hundred and ninety women are racing at the 55th edition of Antigua Sailing Week, representing over a quarter of the sailors competing. 75% of the 88 boat fleet have women on board for the famous regatta.

Antiguan sailor Junella King has been very much in the limelight since victory with Maiden in the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race. Junella returned to Antigua for AYCM Women’s Race Day at Antigua Sailing Week. She started sailing at the National Sailing Academy in 2015 and became a dinghy instructor in 2019. Junella joined the Maiden Factor after meeting Tracy Edwards in 2021. Racing on Maiden, she became the youngest black women to navigate around Cape Horn. Antigua Sailing Week President, Alison Sly-Adams welcomed Junella King to the stage on AYCM Women’s Race Day. To a huge ovation, Junella accepted the award for Inspirational Woman in Sailing; being presented with a Locman Italy timepiece.

Junella King accepts the Inspirational Women in Sailing Award at Antigua Sailing Week. Left to right: Camilla Holme – Locman Italy with previous winners: Lyssandra Barbieri – Second Star Sailing, Pippa Turton – Previous owner Miramar Sailing © 268 Media/Travis Harris

After three days of gentle conditions, the trade winds were in for AYCM Women’s Race Day. White horses were speckled across both spectacular race courses, with 17 knots from the east piping up to over 20 knots in the gusts. As the penultimate day of racing at Antigua Sailing Week, contenders for class honours are beginning to emerge.

Congratulations to all of the provisional race winners on AYCM Women’s Race Day: Wavewalker, Clippers Ship Doub 6, Pepsi Zéro–Montebello, Dawn Treader, Team Budget Marine, Assuage, Credit Mutuel Jivaro, RYU, Absolute Properties Blue Peter, Imagine of Falmouth, Strada Geothermal Escapado, Caccia alla Volpe, Cricket, Botero, Cachucha, Culebra KH+P, Braque-KH+P, Barbuda KH+P, Jabberwock, Simplicity Dragon, Donna, and Team Budget Marine Oozlumbird.

PROVISIONAL RESULTS: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=16104

Nathalie Criou’s Envolee (USA) and Pepsi Zero – Montebello (FRA) enjoyed spectacular racing conditions © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

On AYCM Women’s Race Day, the CSA Racing Classes were in action on the Rendezvous Course, strutting their stuff on short sharp windward leeward courses. On the Windward Course, the Bareboats, Legacy and Club Classes enjoyed courses on long legs at every point of sail. With two-metre swell the Windward fleet experienced spectacular ocean racing conditions.

In CSA 3, Michel Ngo’s J/133 Credit Mutuel Jivaro (FRA) from Martinique has a substantial lead having scored a string of bullets. Chris Woods Swan 48 Assuage (GBR) scored their second race win of the regatta by just two seconds after CSA time correction. Assuage is in second place just 2.5 points ahead of David Crum’s Frers 46 Quintessence III (USA).

Katy Campbell’s Salona 45 Panacea X (CAN) © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Katy Campbell’s Salona 45 Panacea X (CAN) is racing in CSA 3 with seven women on board, including Antiguan Youth 2 Keel sailors Belinda Gilbert and Jhanna Paredes. “To see where past Y2K sailors are right now, like Junella is so inspiring,” commented Jhanna, referring to Antigua’s Junella King, part of the Maiden Crew that has just won the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race – the first all-female crew to win a round the world yacht race. “I see what Junella has done and I look at sailing not just as a sport but as a way of life. It shows that young girls in Antigua have talent and potential,” continued Belinda Gilbert.

In CSA 4 First 40.7 Strada Geothermal Escapado (FRA), with a team from Antibes skippered by Mark Zamaria, leads the class having notched up six race wins. Carlo Falcone’s one-off Caccia alla Volpe (ANT) has scored three race wins to place second, just five points off the lead. Patrick Holloran’s First 40.7 Caipirinha (GBR) is in third.

Lyssandra Barbieri’s Dufour 40 Hatha Maris (ANT) is racing in CSA 4 with an all-women crew © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Lyssandra Barbieri’s Dufour 40 Hatha Maris (ANT) is racing in CSA 4 with an all-women crew. Hatha Maris is based in Jolly Harbour. The sailing school Second Star Sailing organises the Women At The Helm project, open to all women eager to gain sailing and racing experience. “Two of the crew have never sailed before and two more have very little experience. We have progressed as a team to a level where we can pull off sharp manoeuvres. Out on the race course competitors have been encouraging us, which is great. We are really enjoying the parties but always ready to sail as best we can every day too. We have not stopped laughing all week!”

Beth Fleisher’s ‘Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill” (USA) among the Dragon fleet © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Antigua Sailing Week features the classic International Dragon Class, racing in both Falmouth Harbour and on the south coast of Antigua. Antigua Yacht Club Marina is home to a fleet of Dragons available for invitational events. The Dragon Class at Antigua Sailing Week is being dominated by Poul Høj Jensen’s team racing Jabberwock (ANT). Poul is a double Olympic Gold Medallist, has won the Dragon World Championships two times and the Dragon Gold Cup five times!

On AYCM Women’s Day it was a wet ride in the Dragon Class with two-metre seas outside Falmouth Harbour. Beth Fleisher’s astonishingly named ‘Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill” (USA) is from Southold YC, New York. The team didn’t score a race win, but did fish a competitor out of the water who had gone overboard!

“We don’t normally sail Dragons, but they are fast, tweaky and fun to sail. It’s something new and very different to the J/80 that we sail back home,” commented Beth Fleisher who is racing with her son Ben and sisters Caroline and Charlotte Keil. “Everything we are learning here is going to be a great bring-back. This the first Antigua Sailing Week for all of us. Everybody is really friendly, it’s a great community, the spirit of the event is fantastic.”

Shirley Falcone on Caccia alla Volpe (ANT) © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

After racing, the Regatta Bars were lively on the Antigua Yacht Club Lawn. A jam-packed crowd cheered on the prize winners on stage at the AYCM Women’s Day Daily Prize Giving. The fancy dress theme of Ladies Nite in White at the AYCM Platform was accompanied by Antiguan Party-Band Climaxx. Later in the evening, Antigua Sailing Week party go’ers will get a second helping from Black Slate. The British Reggae sensation is all set for a live performance at Lucky Eddi’s in Falmouth Harbour.

Racing at Antigua Sailing Week will come to a thrilling climax on Friday 3 May with Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Race Day, followed by the Final Prize Giving in Nelson’s Dockyard.

Absolute Properties – Blue Peter (ANT) © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Saturday, April 27: The Peters & May Round Antigua Race was blessed with gorgeous conditions. The stand-alone race prior to Antigua Sailing Week was held in a warm gradient wind of 10-14 knots, just south of east, with a smooth sea state.

The overall winner, lifting the Peters & May Round Antigua Race Trophy, was Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR). Second was Jim Vos’ RP37 Warthog (ANT) and third overall, winner of the CSA Racing Class and Monohull Line Honours, was Woody Cullen’s Swan 58 Wavewalker (USA). Justin Scott’s Outremer 51 Uhuru (USA) was the winner of the CSA Cruising Multihull Class, winning the Peters & May Multihull Line Honours Trophy.

RESULTS: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=16164

The Peters & May Round Antigua Race is the perfect way for any team to tune up for Antigua Sailing Week. Local boats are also welcome to enter, even if they are not racing at the famous regatta.

Overall winners of the Peters & May Round Antigua Race – Ed Bell’s JPK1180 Dawn Treader (GBR) © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

All of the Dawn Treader team are from the UK, including three members of the Bell Family. Ed, Cate and their son George Bell are racing with friends from home, with Mark Spearman as Boat Captain. George Bell is taking time out before going to university and has raced thousands of miles on Dawn Treader this year, including the RORC Transatlantic Race and the RORC Caribbean 600.

“This is my first time at Antigua Sailing Week and the Peters & May Round Antigua Race was a great event to get the team up-to-speed,” smiled George Bell. “We had great competition on the water with Apollo and we were checking our watches at every mark rounding against Warthog on corrected time. I will be going back to the UK after Antigua Sailing Week and all the Dawn Treader crew want a really enjoyable last Caribbean regatta for a great send off.”

Winners of the Peters & May Round Antigua Race Trophy – Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR)

After Antigua Sailing Week, Dawn Treader along with many other racing and cruising boats will be shipped back to the UK by Peters & May. Craig Stanbury, Peters & May Global Director of Operations for Racing has been coming to Antigua for over 20 years and explains why Peters & May have supported the Round Antigua Race since 2016 and will continue to do so.

“Peters & May love supporting Antigua Sailing Week and I personally have a big place in my heart for Antigua,” commented Stanbury. “I love everything about Antigua; the people, the friendliness, and it is a wonderful place to come sailing. The Round Antigua Race is the perfect fit for Peters & May and our sponsorship allows us to give something back to sailing. Peters & May are very proud to be involved and support Antigua Sailing Week to give boat owners the option to ship their boats to and from the Caribbean.”

While the Racing classes were set a full anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Antigua of approximately 50 miles, the Cruising classes and smaller race boats were set a 25-mile course, taking in the headlands on the south side of Antigua, plus a taste of Atlantic racing off the windward side of Antigua.

The winner of the Almost Round Antigua Race was Donald MacDonald’s Salona 38 Bonkers (GBR). Andreas Bock’s KK28 Karin (GER) took Line Honours for the race, but was second after CSA time correction by under three minutes. Third was Bernie Evan-Wong’s Cal 40 Huey Too (ANT). Justin Scott’s Outremer 51 Uhuru (USA) was the winner of the CSA Cruising Multihull Class.

“A beautiful day with classic Antiguan conditions for the Peters & May Round Antigua Race,” commented Jaime Torres, Antigua Sailing Week’s Race Manager. “Getting a gentle start to the event was just perfect as none of the teams were too challenged. We are expecting the wind to pick up during the five days of racing for the 55th edition of Antigua Sailing Week.”

Woody Cullen’s Swan 58 Wavewalker (USA)

Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR)

Andreas Bock’s KK28 Karin (GER)

Three Outremer 51’s competed in the CSA Cruising Monohull Class

The Peters & May Round Antigua Race Prizegiving at the Antigua Yacht Club also included the awards for the second edition of the Antigua Wingfoil Championships, which comprised of three thrilling days of racing, including new records and great camaraderie among the competitors.

Local wingfoiler Idani Edwards emerged as the undisputed star of the event, claiming victory in every race and setting a new long-distance record of just 29 minutes. Reflecting on his success, Idani exclaimed, “I am absolutely thrilled with this event! We had a blast, with fantastic racing and incredible Antiguan conditions!”

Farr 40 Punch Croisieres – Perseverare Diabolicm (FRA)

Jim Vos’ Reichel Pugh Warthog (ANT)

Adrian Lee’s Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners (GBR)

Donald Nicholsons’s J121 Apollo (USA)

After racing, Antigua Sailing Week was officially opened with Antigua Sailing Week President Alison Sly-Adams welcoming to the stage Guest of Honour, Hon. ‘Max’ Fernandez. The Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation & Investment gave a rousing speech, welcoming all of the 750 competitors from 22 different countries to Antigua Sailing Week. Live entertainment at the Antigua Yacht Club included wonderful cultural artists and the Original Steel Orchestra, which panned a spirited rendition of the National Anthem of Antigua & Barbuda.

Racing for the 55th edition of Antigua Sailing Week starts tomorrow, Sunday, April 28 with English Harbour Rum Race Day.

Wavewalker – 1st CSA 1 Racing Monohull

Uhuru – 1st Cruising Multihull

Bonkers – 1st CSA Cruising Monohull

Warthog – 2nd CSA 2 Racing Monohull

Huey Too – 3rd CSA Cruising Monohull

For more information about Antigua Sailing Week visit the official website: www.sailingweek.com and follow on social media: #antiguasailingweek #ASW55 #racechasecelebrate #asw2024

ENDS/… Louay Habib

CSA Racing 1 – Adrian Lee’s Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners II (GBR) on English Harbour Race Day © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Sunday, April 28: Racing action got underway for the 55th edition of Antigua Sailing Week with English Harbour Rum Race Day. The international fleet got their first taste of racing in tropical heat on the stunning South Coast of Antigua. An easterly breeze of 7-13 knots with a flat sea state provided sweet conditions, but the competition was full of spice.

The ASW Race Committee led by Principal Race Officer Neil Andrew, set a cocktail of courses including tight coastal short races, and longer races, taking the fleet to the deep water marks of Antigua Sailing Week. Start lines were humming with close competition right through the 88 boat fleet. Stop watches were buzzing with several class wins by seconds after CSA time correction.

Congratulations to all of the provisional Class Winners on English Harbour Rum Race Day: Wavewalker, Lee Overlay Partners II, Pepsi Zéro–Montebello, Sang Neuf Clippers Ship Daub 6, Whiplash, McFly on El Ocaso, Dawn Treader, Credit Mutuel Jivaro, Strada Geothermal Escapado, Absolute Properties (Blue Peter), Huey Too, Saida, Imagine of Falmouth, Braque-KH+P, Lunatic Fringe Island Time, Culebra-KH+P, Nevis KH+P, Barbuda KH+P, Jabberwock, Team Budget Marine Oozlumbird, and Donna.

Provisional Results HERE

J133 Credit Mutuel – Jivaro (FRA) – Class winner CSA Racing 3 © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

The Windward Course featured the majority of the CSA Racing Classes. In CSA 1, Woody Cullen’s Swan 58 Wavewalker (USA) won the first race by a handsome margin; Volvo Ocean 65 Sisi (AUT), skippered by Oliver Kobale was second. The second race of the day was close to a dead-heat for three boats. Adrian Lee’s Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners II (GBR) was the winner by just two seconds from Sir Hugh Bailey’s Farr 45 Rebel (ANT). In third by just 20 seconds was Wavewalker. After two races, Lee Overlay Partners II leads the big boat class on countback from Wavewalker.

Racing on board Adrian Lee’s Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners II was his 19-year-old son Alex Lee. The marketing student from Dublin is taking part in his first Antigua Sailing Week. Alex trims the main under the watchful eye of Volvo Ocean race sailor and Maxi World Champion Jim Carroll.

“I don’t have much ig boat experience. I love foiling dinghies but that was really exciting today,” smiled Alex Lee. “The first race didn’t go well after the start; we went inshore but a big rain squall favoured the boats offshore. In the second race we went inshore again and this time it paid. The finish was ridiculously close; to win it by just two seconds was fantastic. After racing, there is a great vibe at the Antigua Yacht Club, everybody is so friendly.”

Sir Hugh Bailey’s Farr 45 Rebel (ANT) © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Volvo Ocean 65 Sisi (AUT), skippered by Oliver Kobale © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

In CSA 2, the first race of the regatta went to J/122 McFly on El Ocaso (GBR), sailed by Tony & Sally Mack. In second place, just over two minutes behind after CSA time correction was Jim Vos’ RP37 Warthog (ANT). The second race of the day produced a thrilling finish. Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR) corrected out to win by just six seconds from McFly on El Ocaso. Dawn Treader scored a fifth in the first race but finished the first day of racing in second position. Warthog is third after two races, but only on countback from Sir Richard Matthews’ ST370 Holding Pattern (GBR) and Donald Nicholson’s J/121 Apollo (USA).

“We knew when the classes were announced we were in a competitive class and that was certainly the case today,” commented Tony Mack, driver on McFly on El Ocaso. “It is pretty clear now that we will have to sail really well to win this class. Any mistake and we will get punished. We had really great conditions today, especially as back home we would be racing in the Spring Series when the water and the air temperature is freezing!”

J122 McFly on El Ocaso (GBR) topped CSA Racing 2 on the first day of racing in Antigua © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Sir Richard Matthews’ ST370 Holding Pattern (GBR) © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

The Rendezvous Course featured three Bareboat Classes, two Club Classes and the Legacy Class. In Bareboat 1, Tim Ford’s Dufour 520 Braque-KH+P (GBR) won the first race of Antigua Sailing Week. Second was Patrick Henrikson’s Dufour 520 Botero (SWE). Anne-Marie Petersohn’s Hopper-KH+P (GER) won the second race with Braque-KH+P second.

Tim Ford’s team racing on Braque-KH+P are all from Dorset in the UK and go by the name ‘Poole Pirates’. “We had a really good start in the first race but we were a bit early for the second start and that meant we lost our speed as we approached the line,” commented Tim Ford. “Our boat speed was really good and we managed to make up for the bad start and finish the race in second place, all credit to the crew. As Poole Pirates we are already in fancy dress for tonight’s celebrations!”

Tim Ford’s Dufour 520 Braque-KH+P (GBR) Wins CSA Bareboat 1 © Takumi Media

Three Bareboat Classes enjoyed competition on the Rendezvous Course © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

After racing, the Regatta Bars were busy on the Antigua Yacht Club Lawn, followed by a packed house for the English Harbour Rum Daily Prize Giving.

Antigua Distillery is the purveyor of the award-winning English Harbour 5 Year Old Rum and every race winner at Antigua Sailing Week wins a bottle of English Harbour 5 Year Old Rum. Lisa Farara, Executive Director of Antigua Distillery is a direct descendant of the company’s founders; her Grandfather Quin Farara started producing rum in Antigua in 1932.

“No visit to Antigua would be complete without sampling some local rum,” smiled Lisa Farara at the English Harbour Rum Daily Prize Giving. “We chose the name English Harbour because it is the location where Antigua welcomes people from overseas. The rum’s character is laid back and friendly, ‘a welcome to my home’. English Harbour Rum’s long association with Antigua Sailing Week lets us reach out to visitors and we have both grown together over the last three decades. Above all, English Harbour Rum is a part of Antigua that all the sailors can take home with them, especially if they win races!”

After the English Harbour Rum Daily Prize Giving the party continued at the AYCM Platform with a fancy dress Pirate Nite! Party-band HyperActive played a live set to get the dance floor pumping. Racing at Antigua Sailing Week continues on Monday 29 April with Axxess Marine Youth 2 Keel Boat Race Day.

Crews enjoyed the English Harbour Rum Prizegiving after racing © 268 Media/Travis Harris

Breakfast with a view of racing on English Harbour Rum Race Day at Shirley Heights Lookout © 268 Media/Travis Harris

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

Follow on social media: #antiguasailingweek #ASW55 #racechasecelebrate #asw2024

ENDS/… Louay Habib