ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK
HOMEWARD BOUND AT ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK: FINAL DAY OF SAILING DELIVERS CLOSE RACING AND LEISURELY CRUISING
English Harbour – Better than forecast breeze arrived from the southeast as the final leg of Antigua Sailing Week got off to a 10 kt start after departing Ffryes Beach on Sunday morning. A humid Caribbean pressure system sat on top of the island’s west coast, making for a fast upwind beat as boats travelled south, dodging light but refreshing rain. The fleet arrived at the finish in the afternoon, with the earliest boats seeing 18-20 kts of breeze amid wide 6-10 ft swells just outside English Harbour.
Paul Bennett aboard the overall second-place finisher in CSA Class 3 said that Caipirinha got off to a challenging start but moved into podium position once the fleet started to spread out past Pelican Island. “Some guys could reach, and some guys were on the wind,” Bennett said, describing a phenomenon common to Antigua that sees sailors near-adjacent to one another experiencing different weather patterns. “All day long, the wind kept shifting,” he added.
Patrick Holloran’s Beneteau First 40.7 Caipirinha © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Race Officer Chris Mansfield, who set today’s course so sailors could complete a full circumnavigation of Antigua, said it was exciting to see boats like Westwind, Sete Mares, and others moving up the ladder and performing well in the different conditions. “We had a lot more wind today than any other day. It was exciting to see some of the boats that struggled early in the week just absolutely flying today,” Mansfield said.
Westwind ‘Snubbers’ from the Netherlands and Hotel California Too © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
CSA Class 1 delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the day, with the second and third place finishers completing their weekend rivalry bow-to-bow. “Eira and Ilios crossed the finish line within one second of each other,” Mansfield said, adding that the overall takeaway of the weekend was the impressive talent and endurance of all of the teams competing.
In the cruising fleet, sailors aboard Mystic Lee embraced the varied conditions and chance to round the island in lively breeze, taking their time along the way and lingering when the mood struck. “Our crew elected to make it a leisurely sail and just enjoy the vast beauty this island has to offer,” said crew member Rob Britts. “The day started off a little windy with some cloud cover. We stopped to enjoy a nearby beach and do some snorkelling, and it turned into a beautiful day.”
On the final leg back to English Harbour © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Back at Nelson’s Dockyard, crews filtered ashore, greeted by music, English Harbour Rum, and the buzz of stories from a full week on the water. Meanwhile, the stage is set for the final prizegiving where class winners and overall champions will be recognized, bringing the 2026 iteration of Antigua Sailing Week to a close.
For all the news, results and images of the regatta, please visit www.sailingweek.com.