The 39th ARC comes to a close in Saint Lucia

Beneteau 57 Blue Ocean (POL) powering into Rodney Bay to win ARC cruising class A © Tim Wright / photoaction.com

The ARC rally ethos of collective endeavour, friendship and support took centre stage at the awards ceremony on Saturday night in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia. After crossing almost 3000NM of Atlantic from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, crews came together to celebrate and remember.

As Daniel Sebald, skipper of the Colin Archer Ostwind (DEU), built by his parents over 40 years ago said, "Why do we all do this? A boat is not just sails and a rudder, it is about what a boat means, and to me it means freedom". The themes of freedom, adventure, camaraderie and collaboration have echoed through this year's rally.

First to finish on Friday 6 December in just under 12 days was the largest boat in ARC 2024, the Southern Wind 105GT No Rush (IMN), owned by Ghada Barsoum and skippered by Diogo Cayolla. Last boat to cross the line before the prize-giving was the British Moody 37 Good Mood 4, the young crew arriving on 19 December to huge celebration after 25 days and five hours at sea.

During the crossing sailors experienced a wide range of conditions, from periods of calm to 40 knot squalls, as well as solid downwind tradewind sailing. Markus and Marit Renlund's Finnish-flagged Beneteau Another Brick lost the boom during an accidental gybe in a squall but sailed the remaining 8 days under jib alone and were still the 43rd boat to arrive in Rodney Bay.

Spirit of the ARC

There was only ever going to be one worthy recipient of the 2024 Spirit of the ARC Award, and that was Gerald and Christina Smith and their three crew from Cinderella di Sanremo (GBR) who rescued the crew of Leopard 45 catamaran Karolina Viking (SWE) 300NM west of Cape Verde.

The successful transfer of the five Karolina Viking crew was completed in difficult conditions with 4-5m seas and strong winds. Cinderella di Sanremo completed the subsequent 11 days to Saint Lucia with double the complement of people onboard than planned, everyone working together to sail the boat and provide an additional 165 meals.

The combined Cinderella di Sanremo and Karolina Viking crews accepted the award to a three-minute standing ovation from the assembled sailors and dignitaries, including the Saint Lucia Minister of Tourism, Dr Ernest Hilaire.

The sad loss at sea of Swedish sailor Dag Eresund has been in everyone's thoughts since 2 December, and his memory was honoured last night with a period of silent reflection.

World Cruising Club Managing Director, Paul Tetlow said, "Every year in December, Sweden celebrates Saint Lucia Day when the light is let in to the dark northern winters. It is a link between here and home. Tonight, a light burns here to represent that whilst we celebrate, we haven't forgotten, and we never will forget".

The ARC is more than sailing

Everyone's Atlantic experience is unique. The Kaprys Award for overcoming adversity was awarded to Tradewind 35 Cara of the South (IRL). Sailing double-handed, skipper Gary O'Grady and crew David Cant suffered multiple system failures, but their ingenuity and dogged determination kept them on course, crossing the line after 24 days at sea. The sextant workshop in Las Palmas with astro-nav guru Stokey Woodall giving Gary the confidence to navigate safely to Saint Lucia mainly by sextant. This is Gary's second double-handed ARC, having crossed in 2022 in the 8.7m Westerly Konsort Katy (GBR).

Another double-handed crew, father and daughter duo Wilhelm and Caroline Klaas sailed the Hallberg-Rassy 54 Bluewater Mooney (DEU) to Saint Lucia in 17 days and three hours, making them the first double-handed arrival and 31st boat to finish. Kevin and Geerte Prinsen on Hanse 575 Chillalot (NED) won a special double-handed award for crossing with their young sons Joep (7) and Guus (10). In the New Year, the Prinsens will start their round the world adventure with World ARC 2025-26.

The ARC is a family affair, and fifteen children sailed with their families this year. Liv on Dutch-flagged Outremer 5X Lana won 'line honours' as first young person to arrive, while the Rongoni family on Neel 47 trimaran Ferdinand (FRA) had the best family performance on corrected time. The youngest sailor, Madeleine on Leopard 50 Tranquilla (FRA), celebrated her fourth birthday at sea.

Other special awards went to Catherine Gueguen, skipper of French-flagged Boreal 52 Perak Ta in recognition of the citizen science projects carried out during the crossing, while Anders and Ann Fredholm received the Philip Hitchcock award for preparing their Hallberg-Rassy 54 Aglaia (SWE) and passing the safety equipment inspection with flying colours. By popular consensus, the crew of Piropo Primero (ESP) were jointly awarded the Arch Marez trophy for their boundless enthusiasm and ability to get any party started.

Sailing awards

The ARC is the only World Cruising Club rally with an IRC racing division, won by Jean Philippe Blanpain's Vismara 62 Leaps & Bound 2 (MLT), with JV43 Red 2 (CHE) in second after a blistering crossing of 13 days and 22 hours, and Beneteau First 40.7 Escapado (GBR) in third.

The multihull division attracted the largest-ever fleet with 43 catamarans and 2 trimarans. The first multihull to finish was MC75 Jack (GBR) skippered by Morgan Hayes crossed the line just 30 minutes ahead of Laurent Chatelenat's Outremer 5X Addiction (CHE). On corrected time, class winners were: Class A, Maksims Fausts' Catana 50 Samourai (CHE) and Class B Massimo Guardigli's C-Cat 38 Bellamossa (ITA). Samourai was overall multihull division winner.

The cruising division is the backbone of the fleet with designs from almost every yard from the last five decades. First to arrive in Saint Lucia were the two Italian Swans. Alessandro Fabbri's Swan 75 FD Maimai (ITA) crossed the line in Rodney Bay on Sunday 8 December, followed almost six hours later by Daniele Banchini's Swan 82 S Nazca 2 (ITA).

After many thousands of sea miles, the boats converge on Saint Lucia with exciting outcomes. On 12 December, Beneteau First 44.7 Another Brick (FIN) skippered by Markus Renlund and Rubicon 3's Clipper 60 Bluejay (GBR) finished within 36 seconds of each other, one of the closest finishes in ARC history.

On corrected time, cruising division class winners were: Class A, Arkadiusz Laskowski's Beneteau 57 Blue Ocean (POL); Class B, Ken Wisdom's Arcona 435 Ohana (USA); Class C, Sebastian Gylling's Finnish-flagged Swan 51 Eira; and Class D the Colin Archer Ostwind (DEU) skippered by Daniel Sebald. The Challenge 67 Albatros (FRA) skippered by Loic Blanchard won the cruising division line honours for no motoring.

2024 is the 39th edition of the ARC, and the 35th time the rally has finished in Saint Lucia. The Honourable Dr Ernest Hilaire, Minister for Tourism and Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Lucia reminded participants of the history of Saint Lucia, saying "The first European visitors called Saint Lucia 'the Helen of the west' after the famous beauty Helen of Troy. The ARC is part of life in Saint Lucia and we thank you for being part of our beautiful landscape."

Still at sea is Hanse 385 Salacia (GBR), sailing steadily and expected to make landfall around Christmas. Four boats retired to Gran Canaria or Cape Verde with medical or mechanical problems.

ARC 2025 will start on 23 November 2025, and almost 100 boats are already registered to take part.