Antigua Sailing Week 2013 - Fun, games and an exciting new event

by Trish Jenkins on 14 Dec 2012 Warm trade winds and Caribbean surf are the norm for five days of scintillating competition for the 46th edition of Antigua Sailing Week. Lay Day, which provides a mid-week break from racing on Wednesday, May 1, will be the setting for fun and games and an exciting new event for the Caribbean's most prestigious sailing regatta.

Hundreds of people enjoyed Lay Day last year which will be returning to Pigeon Beach in 2013. The beach is walking distance from both Falmouth Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard. There will be activities for all ages with beach side barbeques and music with fun and games for everyone. However, there will be one significant addition to Lay Day in the coming year.

In 2013, Antigua Sailing Week's Lay Day will have a fresh and thrilling racing event, The Nonsuch Bay RS Elite Challenge. This invitational event will feature a fleet of RS Elites and will offer high-quality one-design racing for accomplished skippers and their teams. First prize will be a week's stay for two at Nonsuch Bay Resort, Antigua with complimentary use of its outstanding sailing and water sports activities.

'Antigua Sailing Week's reputation goes before it. Surely every sailor has it on their list of one of the regattas they'd most love to do and I think it is really cool to have the RS Elites racing there,' commented RS Sailing Managing Director, Martin Wadhams. 'The Stadium racing format, with small courses and short races close to the shore really compliments the Elite's attributes. They're very manoeuvrable boats, so expect tightly fought start lines and plenty of very close quarters manoeuvres all around the track.'

'With some of the regatta's best sailors set to take part, I reckon the racing will be fascinating to watch with very little separation between the boats. The whole concept of knock-out heats and a winner-takes-all final will make for a great spectacle - choose your favourite team and cheer them on, rum in hand!'

Double Olympic Gold Medallist and multiple World Dragon Class Champion, Poul Høj-Jensen, has confirmed his participation: 'Racing in Falmouth Harbour is tricky and exciting; doing so against top quality racing sailors will be challenging and good fun for spectators to watch. Thanks to the Nonsuch Resort for allowing us to use their fleet of RS Elites,' commented Poul.

The Nonsuch Bay RS Elite Challenge is an invitational event for teams of three sailors including the skipper. If you would like to be invited to this event please contact Antigua Sailing Week at roc@sailingweek.com.

With just over four months to go to Antigua Sailing Week 2013, the Regatta Organising Committee for the 46th edition of the Caribbean's most prestigious yachting regatta has been hard at work. The Notice of Race for the 2013 edition of Antigua Sailing Week is now online. After the Guadeloupe to Antigua Race on Friday, April 26 and the Yachting World Round Antigua Race on Saturday, April 27, Antigua Sailing Week will kick off on Sunday, April 28 and conclude on Friday, May 3. All races will take place in the waters surrounding the south coast of Antigua. This will allow all competitors to base themselves in one location for the duration of the event.

On behalf of the Regatta Organising Committee, we would like to wish all of our friends around the world a very Merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in Antigua next April.

For more information visit: Sailing Week.