J/Teams battle at Antigua Sailing Week
by J/Boats 14 May 2022 10:05 PDT
30 April - 6 May 2022
All classes had a great day on the water on Antigua Sailing Week English Harbour Rum Race Day 1 © Paul Wyeth /
www.pwpictures.com
After a two-year hiatus, the 53rd edition of Antigua Sailing Week was brimming with success. The trade winds blew all week, with the international fleet enjoying exhilarating racing in sailing paradise.
The compliments from sailors from the four corners of the earth are over-flowing for Antigua Sailing Week which is back and here to stay. All of the class winners, bareboat overall and the Lord Nelson Trophy winner at Antigua Sailing Week were awarded Locman Italy watches at the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Final Awards Ceremony in Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua.
Guests of Honour at the ceremony were: Hon. Chet Greene Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Trade, and Hon. Darryl Matthew, Minister of Sports, Culture, National Festival, and the Arts. To loud applause from the capacity crowd, Chet Greene announced: "After two years Antigua Sailing Week is back. I commend the organizers, Alison Sly-Adams and her team, and the event sponsors. Racing this year were 85 boats from 20 countries. It has been an incredible week and the Government of Antigua & Barbuda will continue to invest in Antigua Sailing Week as the main element of our chosen events. I welcome all competitors and look forward to their return in 2023."
The Caribbean's most famous regatta welcomes interest from supporting partners and race entries from around the world. Commercial Director & President of Antigua Sailing Week Alison Sly-Adams commented. "The trade winds kicked in, the racing was competitive and tight, resulting in some class decisions being fought right up to the wire, and the atmosphere was electric! It's been an idyllic comeback week and we're already planning for the next one." The 54th edition of Antigua Sailing Week will take place April 29th - May 5th, 2023.
In CSA Racing 4 Division, it was a tight battle for the podium. Local Antiguan team, Pamala Baldwin's J/122 LIQUID finished second, with Chris Body's J/122 EL OCASO taking third. Just behind them is Andrew McIrvine's J/121 WINGS in fourth and Peter Lewis' J/121 WHISTLER is in sixth place.
Pamela Baldwin's Antigua J/122 Liquid has been a bedrock of the Y2K program in Antigua, a program designed to get young Antiguan sailors aboard the larger racing boats. This year LIQUID's crew includes 17-year-old Malik Charles who has already competed on LIQUID in the RORC Caribbean 600, BVI Spring Regatta, and Les Voiles de St Barth.
"The Y2K Program has helped me to understand big boats and maybe one day I will own a boat myself," commented Malik Charles. "When I got the call from LIQUID, I was so excited. I help the bowman and I would love to take that role in the future. My dream is to race on a Volvo boat. At Antigua Sailing Week you see these big sails coming past you with great speed, but I need to work through the process to get a position on a boat like that."
Chris and Caroline Body's J/122 EL OCASO has an all-amateur crew with four members of the Body family on board, including daughters Jessica and Annabelle. The Body family are all members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble, UK.
"We won our class at Antigua Sailing Week in 2016 but we have waited two years without a regatta, so it's fantastic to be back this year. Seeing everyone back on the water and in the race village is just great. We had a great battle with LIQUID, for second place," commented Annabelle Body. Jessica Body said: "It's great to be back in the sunshine and we are enjoying Antigua. In 2016, we did get a bit dehydrated after lay day, so we have learned our lesson and made sure we didn't make that mistake again!
In CSA Performance Cruising A Division, Jim Ryan's J/120 JAGUAR comfortably took third place. Similarly, in CSA Performance Cruising B Division, Remco van Dortmondt's J/105 JENK also took third place.
More information at sailingweek.com