Friday’s 18-knot easterly seemed almost benign compared to the rush of trade winds that have been blasting through Antigua Sailing Week. There was some intense action amongst Start Boat A boats. The Race Committee set a series of tight coastal courses that had the competitors vying for clear air in the tightly compressed fleet for the last race of Antiqua Sailing Week. Start Boat B boats raced back from their overnight stay in Jolly Harbour to the finish off Rendezvous Bay.
Antigua Sailing Week 2011 - © Tim WrightAntigua Sailing Week 2011
Hugo Stenbeck’s Dubois 90, Genuine Risk, left it until the last race to snatch overall victory in Class 1 from Richard Matthews’ Humphries 54, Oystercatcher XXVIII by a single point.
Hugo Stenbeck shared the driving role this week with Olympic medalist and America’s Cup helmsman, Andy Beadsworth who has sailed at prestigious regattas throughout the world and he was very complimentary about the 44th Antigua Sailing Week. “On Genuine Risk, we said at the start of the week that we would improve as the regatta went on and I can safely say that we sailed our best race today. The Genuine Risk team has really learned a lot this week. The fantastic conditions have definitely helped our development but also the excellent race management, which has provided us with excellent courses.”
Antiqua Sailing Week 2011 has witnessed some awesome multi-hull madness all week. The cool cats from Cape Town have been zooming around the coastal waters with white water hissing along the carbon fibre hulls. Puerto Rican, Eduardo Perez-Bengochea has been spotted having barbeques on board as his Gunboat 62, CucuBelle, was fizzing around the race course. The well-fed crew has pulled out an impressive string of races to win the class. Lloyd Thornburg’s Lamborghini Orange Gunboat 66, Phaedo, was second and the St. Barth’s resident sounds like he really enjoyed the week. “That was just fantastic sailing and really cool to be in a pack of Gunboats. CucuBelle sailed well but we have learned a few things this week and we are pretty sure we can get the boat going a lot faster, especially with a bigger kite, which was the big difference today.”
Antigua Sailing Week 2011 - © Tim WrightAntigua Sailing Week 2011
In Class 2, Peter Harrison’s Farr 115, sailing yacht Sojana had a tremendous week, taking a sixth win today to seal overall victory. “I have been coming to Antigua since 1995, it is like a second home to me”, explained Peter Harrison. But I can never remember a better week – the crew has performed extremely well, a lot of them are old friends and that is so important. We all love a good battle on the water but tonight we will all meet up and share each other’s company regardless of which team we are on.”
Class 3 produced an intense battle between two yachts, Phillip Lotz’s Arethusa won the class by a fair margin, but Dig Van Der Slikke’s Grand Soleil 43, D-Trip was a worthy adversary that scored just as many race wins as Arethusa. A rudder problem in Race 4 forced D-trip to retire and in the end that was a deciding factor, with virtually every other race going to the wire.
Class 4 was won in style by Tampa Florida based First 40.7, Elandra. Calvin Reed and his team sailed smartly and had very impressive boat speed all week. Carlo Falcone’s Caccia alla Volpe finished the regatta in style with a it’s first win of the regatta. Carlo was no doubt helped by son, Shannon trimming the spinnaker for his father today. Shannon Falcone raced with Puma in the last Volvo Ocean Race and was part of the BMW Oracle team that won the last America’s Cup.
Antigua Sailing Week 2011 - © PAUL WYETH pwpictures.com
Jonty Layfield’s immaculate Swan 44, Sleeper, scored its fifth win at Antigua Sailing Week to take the Class 5 title. Gennaro Aversano’s First 47.7, Alcor V was second overall having held off a strong challenge from Andy Middleton’s Global Yacht Racing. Middleton has had a busy and highly successful season, including winning class in the ARC and placing well in the RORC Caribbean 600.
The prize giving was held in the confines of the Event Village in Nelson’s Dockyard. This year’s Antigua Sailing Week has been blessed with outstanding racing conditions and beautiful weather. The shoreside events and logistics have required the energy and hard work of an army of volunteers led by Alison Sly-Adams and Paddy Prendergast. The outstanding race management team led by Kathy Lammers has been getting rapturous applause from the competitors for its preparation and execution of racing.
After the prize giving ceremony, Laviscount Brass rocked out Antigua Sailing Week. But despite no further racing the fun didn’t stop there! Saturday was Dockyard Day followed by the Cavalier Rum Street Party and the closing event on Sunday with the Big Beach Bash at Dickenson Bay.
