Antigua Sailing Week – It’s Good to be Back!

CSA Racing 4

Most of the boats in this class have been racing against each other all season, winning class at a number of regattas. Peter Lewis’ Bajan J/121 Whistler, Peter Corr’s Blitz from St Thomas, and local Antiguan boats, Pamela Baldwin’s J/122 Liquid, Chris Body’s J/122 El Ocaso and Bernie Evan Wong’s RP37 Taz. Competing at their first regatta for 2022 is Sir Richard Matthew’s ST37 Holding Pattern. The J/121 Wings is in superb condition and is chartered to Andrew McIrvine with a British team of long-time friends. All of these boats sail to a very high level, have similar length and hull factors, and in terms of competitive edge, this could be a class to watch.

CSA Racing 5

A variety of designs, mainly charter boats will be racing in CSA 4, which will be a highly competitive class. Ross Applebey’s British Swan 48 Scarlet Oyster has a crew from the Guernsey Yacht Club competing at their fourth regatta with the boat. The team have won their class and been runner-up on two occasions. Scarlet Oyster will be a central character for another chapter of close racing with Carlo Falcone’s Antiguan Caccia a la Volpe, and Andy Middleton’s British First 47.7 EH01. Well-known competitors returning this year include two British First 40s; Susan Glenny’s Olympic Tigress and Optimus Prime, this year skippered by David Latham. The Canadian Salona 45 Panacea X will be skippered by Katy Campbell with a majority female crew. Mike Pickering’s Escapado and Patrick Halloran’s Caipirinha are set for a First 40.7 match up. The lowest CSA Rating for the class has the longest waterline length; Sebastian Gylling’s Finnish Swan 51 Eira will be hoping for the top end of the wind forecast to suit the classic Frers design.

CSA Pogo 12.50

Historically, designs like the Pogo 12.50 have not fared well against different designs with a similar CSA Rating. This year three Pogo 12.50s, all with British crews will form a new class and the intention is to attract more 12.50s and Class40s for future regattas. CSA Pogo 12.50 may have a combined start with another class, giving the thrill of a busy start line, followed by their own course that lets them shine “setting the ‘shute and go!”

CSA Sportsboat

There will be an interesting mix of six fast planing boats with three, or possibly four, windward leeward races per day. CSA Sportsboat has a lot of young crew from the National Sailing Academy (NSA), plus some highly experienced skippers. Jonty Layfield (Lord Nelson Trophy winner) will be racing 1720 Sleeper Scrounger. Jules Mitchell will skipper a young Antiguan team racing 2019 class winner 1720 NSA Spirit. Both 1720s are from the National Sailing Academy in Falmouth. Ashley Rhodes will be racing with a hot Antiguan team on Melges 24 Whiplash. The 24ft Surprise Archambault GFA Caraïbes – La Morrigane, which is the only symmetrical boat in the class, will be making its Antigua Sailing Week debut. Skippered by Tristan Marmousez, the well-drilled young crew hail from Martinique. New to Antigua Sailing Week will be the Dehler 30 One Design Flying Nemo, skippered by the highly experienced Patrick Bernier from Saint Barth. Rocco Falcone, with another young Antiguan team, is racing the 34ft one-off Scia. Scia was sailed solo across the Atlantic by Dan Lenard without the help of GPS, autopilot, or engine. Dan navigated “by sight, stars and sun alone”.

START BOAT B – Irene MacNeill (RO)

CSA Bareboat

 Antigua Sailing Week sponsor, Dream Yacht Charter has experienced high demand for bareboats with 29 teams entered across four classes, including the one-design CSA Bareboat 2, with all teams racing identical Dufour 460s. Over half the teams in CSA Bareboat come from KH+P Yachtcharter based in Stuttgart Germany. The Bareboat family will all be based in Nelson’s Dockyard providing a wonderful party atmosphere after racing. Teams come from at least seven different countries including, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Spain Switzerland, and the United States.

CSA Performance Cruising

 This is a new class and the response has been phenomenal. Eleven boats, all of different designs, ranging from 35-52ft will duke it out. CSA Performance Cruising is for teams who wanted to get out of CSA Racing classes, but still race on testing courses. Lord Nelson Trophy winner, Sir Hugh Bailey will be racing his Antiguan Farr 45 Rebel. Racing under jib and main, this fast yacht is the scratch boat. Cannon and Harvey’s Dufour 455 KHS&S Contractors is a proven winner in CSA Bareboat, but have flipped into the class. CSA Performance Cruising has teams from all over the world; Antigua, Curaçao, Great Britain, Guadeloupe, Ireland, Italy, Tortola BVI, and the United States.

CSA Double Handed

“There are only two boats racing double handed this year, but we are talking with all the teams and the intention is to give the class their own start and a style of course that meets their expectations. We hope to see short-handed racing grow at Antigua Sailing Week. The biggest boat at 52ft is David Hobbs’ Pleione vs the smallest, Nicholas Mcghee’s Ranger 33 Java Jive,” commented Jaime Torres.

CSA Club Class

Ten boats will race in Club Class, designed for teams who love the on-the-water action, but take the fun ashore more seriously! Regatta legend Sandy Mair has moved into the class, racing his Antiguan First 35 Cricket. Club Class is an eclectic mix of boat designs with sailors from all over the world; Antigua, Canada, Denmark, England, Scotland, and the United States. Ian Galbraith’s Oyster 53 Jigsaw is the archetypal Club Class entry. Jigsaw is always one of the first boats to enter Antigua Sailing Week and the first team on the dance floor. Jigsaw is no slouch on the race course either; the team will be defending their Club Class win from 2019.