The popular Antigua Sailing Week annually offers the perfect sailing conditions to the giants of the sailing world off the south coast of the fabulous Antigua yacht vacation destination. Entries are now open for the 49th edition of the Caribbean’s longest running regatta, set to run from April 23 to 29, 2016. One of the early entries for the next year’s event is Philip Rann’s Reichel Pugh 90 sailing yacht La Bête, skippered by John Burnie.
Antigua Sailing Week 2015. Photo Credit to Paul Wyeth
“La Bête is the former Rambler 90, the first racing we will do on the new yacht in the Caribbean will definitely be the RORC Caribbean 600 in February and we fully intend to enter all the races for Antigua Sailing Week as well – we are now standing by to do battle!! Antigua Sailing Week is a must do event in the Caribbean,” said John Burnie.
This year, the organizers are also pleased to announce that for yachts arriving and returning to Europe, Peters & May are offering shipping routes direct from Antigua in both directions. This means that UK and Europe bound race yachts, which over the last few years have had to be shipped out from other islands, will now have time to participate in the Antigua Sailing Week, and then be shipped out the following week.
Daily Prize Giving’s at Antigua Yacht Club where the post race meeting of minds happens. Photo Credit to Paul Wyeth
Craig Stanbury, Operations Director for the Racing Division at Peters & May, said: “Peters & May have two ships with loading windows going out to the Caribbean at the start of high season and two more ships with loading windows after the season has ended. We have a long history in the Caribbean and well established contacts, which allows Peters & May to offer a reliable service and cost effective service to yacht owners. Besides making good business sense to develop options for customers, we see this service as a way of supporting regattas for the good of all. Peters & May have confirmed all the details with the relevant port authorities.”
Next year’s Antigua Sailing Week will start with two stand alone long distance races, which are not part of the regatta series. The Guadeloupe to Antigua Race will be held on Friday 22nd April and the Pearns Point Round Antigua Race will take place on Saturday 23rd April. Racing at the Antigua Sailing Week will kick off on Sunday 24th April and will come to an end on Friday 29th April with the Antigua Sailing Week Awards Ceremony & After Party at Nelson’s Dockyard. There will be also the Big Party Night on Tuesday evening and the recovery Lay Day Beach Party the day after, featuring the Nonsuch Bay RS Elite Challenge, on Pigeon Point.
