The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta to celebrate its 40th anniversary in March 2020

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta invites Sailors and Festival lovers to celebrate its 40th anniversary in March © St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

The organizers of the world-famous St. Maarten Heineken Regatta are excited about heading into its 40th anniversary celebrations and are inviting all sailors, island visitors and music lovers to join them on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten for "Serious Fun" on March 5 - 8, 2020.

The focus for the anniversary and beyond will be the continued commitment to offer excellent Race Management in every class. Michele Korteweg, Regatta Director explains, "In the past couple of years, the Regatta Race Management has significantly developed, and we have been able to offer exciting and challenging courses for the professional teams, the Corinthian racers and the chartering classes. We have relentlessly collected feedback over the years, and we are proud to be able to further improve our operations based on our competitor's input."

The 2019 Edition saw 115 participating yachts, a significant increase from the previous post-hurricane year and the event's organizers are keen to grow the number further by inviting sailors and festival lovers from around the world to partake in the 40th Anniversary year from March 5 - 8, 2020.

"Our main goal is to offer exceptionally high-quality racing. We are already making exciting changes to enhance this 4-day event, combining windward and leeward races with distance and coastal racing. We offer something for every type of boat, from the beautiful Maxi's who graced our shores in great numbers in 2019, to our loyal cruisers who prefer shorter courses and a somewhat later start. It will be a special year as we will add some incredible new features, like a special 40-Mile Anniversary Course, a Caribbean Youth Class, a Kite Foiling Class, and more to come!" adds Korteweg.

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta combines world-class racing with amazing concerts in a festival atmosphere, creating the "Serious Fun" for which the event has become famous. "Music is a beautiful way to unite people and we are bringing everyone together for four nights of world-renowned concerts, showcasing local, regional and international talent. We invite all music lovers and festival fans to make your way down to the blue waters and the white sand beaches of St. Maarten this March as we take you through a journey of music from the past to the future". Describes John Leone Onshore Production Director.

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Organizers will touch upon the historical significance this event has made on both the Island of St Maarten, and the Marine Industry. Furthermore, it will showcase the future of sailing by highlighting the latest in sailing technology in its Regatta Village. "Technology in the sport of sailing is growing at an exceptional rate, just look at the advances in the America's Cup. We also see this annually up-close during the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta when the 12 Metre boats race on the same waters as the Volvo 70s. We want to highlight this in our Regatta Village by means of a Performance Park, where the latest in sailing technology will be on display," concludes Korteweg.

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta will open for registration next month, allowing all participants to enter and start preparations for their stay on island. The Regatta Office continues to offer concierge services for those needing assistance with their arrangements.

The island of St. Maarten and the organizers of the St Maarten Heineken Regatta look forward to welcome you to celebrate his 40th anniversary with some "Serious Fun"!