32-33 ASailing week - Antigua Sailing Week

32-33 ASailing week - Antigua Sailing Week

os navegantes vienen a Antigua para
experimentar una navegación emocionante y repleta de adrenalina y los
competidores de la 44ª Edición de la Antigua
Sailing Week sin duda encontraron lo que vinieron a buscar. Casi todos los días fuertes
vientos y el mar picado le aportaron emoción
a la acción y vientos de 20 nudos o incluso
más se transformaron en una constante durante la mayor parte de la semana y le otorgaron a la regata condiciones excepcionales
bajo el espléndido sol del Caribe.
Muchos de los navegantes que se mantuvieron fieles a la Antigua Sailing Week en años
anteriores tuvieron un desempeño excepcional. El Farr 115 Sojana de Peter Harrison tuvo
una gran semana en la que obtuvo seis puntos que le permitieron quedarse con el premio al Mejor Barco en la Regata. “Vengo a
Antigua desde 1995, para mí es como un segundo hogar”, explicó Peter Harrison. “Pero
no puedo recordar otra edición pasada que
haya sido mejor: la tripulación se ha desempeñado muy bien; muchos de ellos son viejos
amigos y eso es muy importante”.
Los barcos locales también tuvieron una actuación muy positiva y el O’Day 35 Seal de
Vincent White obtuvo el puntaje perfecto de
seis puntos. “Éramos un grupo de locales divirtiéndonos. Creo que la tripulación del Seal
es la prueba de que cualquiera puede participar en la Antigua Sailing Week, pasar un
buen momento e incluso ganar”.
El momento destacado de la semana fue el día
jueves por la noche cuando Shirley Heights
tuvo máxima ocupación con más de 2.000
personas en un concierto inolvidable de la leyenda del reggae, Maxi Priest. Durante 25
años Shirley Heights Lookout ha sido la sede
de ocasiones muy especiales y este concierto
es una de ellas, sin duda alguna.
Luego de una semana de magníficas regatas,
la ceremonia de entrega de premios de la Antigua Sailing Week se realizó el viernes por la
noche en el Event Village. La regata más antigua y prestigiosa del Caribe sigue más vigente que nunca.
Para obtener más información, visite la página Web oficial de la Antigua Sailing
Week: www.sailingweek.com
L
Alive and Kicking!
44th Antigua Sailing Week
44ª Edición de la Antigua Sailing Week
By/Por Louay Habib | Photos/Fotos © Ted Martin - photofantasyantigua.com
ailors come to Antigua for thrilling,
adrenalin-pumping sailing and the
competitors at the 44th Antigua Sailing
Week certainly got what they came for. Virtually every day, big breeze and lumpy seas
spiced up the action with 20 knots or more of
wind being the norm throughout most of the
week. It was a wet, wild ride upwind but with
a sea temperature of 25ºC, a true labor of love.
Big wind and big waves provided Antigua
Sailing Week with some outstanding racing
in glorious sunshine with those who could
stay in control downwind coming out on top.
Whilst Antigua served up some classic racing conditions, there were quite a few
changes to the Caribbean’s oldest and most
well known regatta. Antigua Sailing Week
has undergone a change of guard this year
with a new Regatta Organizing Committee.
“The new team brings a committed, experienced
group of sailors together to resolve the critical
planning and strategy issues required for a successful event,” commented new Regatta Chairman, Ian Fraser. “Robust and constructive
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debate surrounding boat classification, ratings,
courses and other essential details has brought
an exciting and invigorating atmosphere.”
Many of the sailors who have been loyal to
Antigua Sailing Week in recent years had an
exceptional event. Peter Harrison’s Farr 115,
Sojana had a tremendous week scoring six
bullets to seal the award for Best Boat in the
Regatta. “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.”
Richard Matthews, owner of Oystercatcher
XXVIII, has also been a loyal participant in past
Antigua Sailing Weeks and he was back this
year with his latest Oystercatcher, a brand new
Humphries 54. After Race Day Two, Richard
Matthews comment, “It was just champagne
sailing today and a special one for me as it was
the first race win in my new boat. Everything
really came together today and I am delighted
for all of the crew who performed so well.”
Local boats also did exceptionally well with
Vincent White’s O’Day 35, Seal, scoring a perfect six bullets. “We are just a bunch of locals
having fun. I think that the crew of Seal is living proof that anybody can come to Antigua
Sailing Week, have a great laugh and also win.”
Rick Gormley’s First 38, Elethea, also did exceptionally well with its first class win at Antigua Sailing Week to Rick’s delight! Other local
boats battled it out on the water with very respectable showings over a wide range of classes.
Away from the race course, the Event Village
in Nelson’s Dockyard provided a comfortable
atmosphere ashore where sailors and friends
gathered daily to chat about the day’s event
and enjoy some food, drink and entertainment. The Chivas Lounge also created a sophisticated chill-out environment where the
sailors gathered for the Captains’ Cocktail
party to relax and exchange a few stories.
The party highlight of the week was on Tuesday night prior to Lay Day when Shirley
Heights was jam-packed with over 2,000
people for an unforgettable concert by reggae
legend, Maxi Priest. For 25 years Shirley
Heights Lookout has been the spot for some
very special occasions and this concert must
surely rank amongst them.
After a week of superb racing the Antigua
Sailing Week prize giving was held on Friday night in the Event Village. The buzz
throughout the evening was about the positive changes that had been made on the
water this year which, along with collecting
a few trophies, put the sailors in a very good
mood indeed! “We made a lot of changes on
the water this year and the feedback we have
received to date is overwhelmingly positive.
There is still work to be done to continue to
improve the event but we are encouraged by
the enthusiastic response we have had from
the majority of the sailors,” commented
Kathy Lammers, Chairman of the Regatta Organizing Committee.
The oldest and most prestigious regatta in the
Caribbean is very much alive and kicking!
For more information visit the official Antigua
Sailing Week web site: www.sailingweek.com
www.sailingweek.com
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