Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Jaime Torres sets sights on St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

by Michele Korteweg on 17 Jan 2012
St. Maarten Heineken Regatta 2012 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta http://www.heinekenregatta.com
Beneteau First 40.7 Smile and Wave's skipper, Jaime Torres, may not be the most experienced skipper that is making preparations for the upcoming edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, which is now under two months away, but he certainly is one of the most passionate.

Torres and his Smile and Wave crew sailed their first Heineken event last year—they finished fifth in the ultra-competitive Class 5 division, and led the pack of five Beneteau First 40s in that 15-boat fleet—and are scheduled to compete in the full slate of Caribbean regattas this spring. Last year, the team notched a half dozen top three finishes in nine regattas throughout the islands. Considering that Torres purchased the boat, his first, less than a year before, it was an impressive season.

Of all those events, however, Torres has a favorite. 'I tell my crew that if we could only do one regatta, it would be the Gill Commodores Cup (the one-day series on March 1st that kicks off the 3-day St. Maarten Heineken Regatta) and the Heineken,' said Torres.

'It has the perfect mix of challenging courses—windward/leewards and point-to-point races,' he continued. 'There are so many good sailors, and you’re surrounded by guys who’ve sailed in the America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race, who’ve dedicated their lives to the sport. That’s a rare and wonderful gift. The race committee is first-class and the parties are out of the park. All the elements are there.'
 
And for Torres, it’s not just the venue that makes the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta a winner. 'What’s unique about the event is that you’re not just welcomed by the race organizers, you’re welcomed by the whole island,' he said. 'The people and businesses on the island are very friendly and make you feel special from the minute you arrive at the airport or pass through the bridge to Simpson Bay.'
 
The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, however, will not be the year’s first event for the Smile and Wave crew. Before then, they will compete in the 'offshore' Caribbean 600, a distance race that starts and ends in Antigua beginning on February 12th, which will leave Torres plenty of time to make his way to St. Maarten.
 
Though he admits it’s a different discipline than the inshore competition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, he recommends the Caribbean 600 for other Heineken skippers. 'It will be a big challenge for us but it will also help us get ready for the Heineken Regatta,' he said. 'The pace is different, but the two events complement each other. When it blows 35-knots in St. Maarten, we will be very well prepared.'
 
Smile and Wave’s 2011 record could serve as inspiration for other fledgling racers looking to break into top-flight Caribbean racing. Though Torres was a lifelong sailor and Heineken veteran—he’d raced aboard the famous Caribbean maxi Titan several years ago—other than his right-hand man and crew chief, Carlos Hernandez, many in his crew were not experienced racers…or even sailors.
 
'We had a steep learning curve,' said Torres. 'There was a lot of on-the-job training.'
 
This year, his crew—key personnel include fellow Puerto Rican sailors Jose 'Yoyo' Berrios, Javier Andrades and Raul de la Torres; Caribbean ace Peter Kingsbury; and pro sailors Anson Mulder and Joe Goulet, among others—are hungry and committed. It’s just about time to go racing.
 
'Right now I’m stoked,' said Torres. Yes, Smile and Wave will be there on the starting line of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. So the question is: Will you?
 
St. Maarten Heineken Regatta website
Zhik 2024 DecemberSelden 2020 - FOOTERHyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Related Articles

Rolex Fastnet Race Start - David Maynard Galley
Here's his great collection from Cowes and further west as the fleet exited the Solent David Maynard has been out taking great photos at SailGP, the Admiral's Cup, and now the Rolex Fastnet Race start. Here's his great collection from Cowes and further west as the fleet exited the Solent.
Posted today at 5:36 am
Admirals Cup: Day 5 - Rolex Fastnet gets underway
The final triple scoring race in the 2025 Admirals' Cup got underway on time The final triple scoring race in the 2025 Admirals' Cup got underway on time starting in front of The Castle in Cowes. The 30 boat fleet representing 15 teams and 12 countries encountered conditions much as forecast - 12-15kt westerly and outgoing tide.
Posted on 26 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race gets underway with record fleet
Spectators in their thousands swarmed Cowes Green and the shores of the western Solent Spectators in their thousands swarmed Cowes Green and the shores of the western Solent to witness the starts of the 51st Rolex Fastnet Race from 1120 until 1320 BST today.
Posted on 26 Jul
2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior Worlds, day 2
Strong performances, tight racing, and growing excitement The 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships finally got under way on the water today in Brest with an intense second day of racing for the 379 young windsurfers representing 38 nations.
Posted on 26 Jul
100th edition Rolex Fastnet Race begins
Ahead lie 696 nautical miles of technically challenging, resilience testing waters. The 100th anniversary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race underlined its position as the world's largest offshore race as 444 yachts set off from Cowes, England.
Posted on 26 Jul
Admiral's Cup: Explosive Rolex Fastnet Race start
The fleet launched into action with a full-on start right in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron line The Red Arrows heralded the return of the Admiral's Cup for the centenary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race.
Posted on 26 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race Start - Tom Hicks Photo Gallery
Stuunning shots from as 444 yachts start the centenary edition of the race! Tom Hicks is out on the Solent for all the major events and has captured some stunning moments from today's start of the Centenary Rolex Fastnet Race. Take a look at the shots below and far more in the gallery above!
Posted on 26 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race Start - view from Hurst Castle
A video montage as the fleet went out of the Solent I went out to Hurst Castle with his camera and drone to capture the action as the boats, ranging from the mighty Ultim trimarans, through to the IMOCAs and grand prix yachts competing in the 2025 Admiral's Cup went through the narrrows out of the Solent.
Posted on 26 Jul
Snipe Women's World Championship day 3
A strong thermal build into the afternoon again at Enoshima, Japan Weatherwise, day three was pretty much a carbon copy of day two with a strong thermal that built into the afternoon. Racing got under way a half hour earlier, again to start before the breeze built over the regatta limit.
Posted on 26 Jul
Ugotta Regatta Day 1
The GL52 fleet sailed their first three races Nine boats strong, the GL52 fleet sailed their first three races of the 2025 Ugotta Regatta on Friday.
Posted on 26 Jul