The 47th edition of Antigua Sailing Week featured five days of racing (April 27-May 2) with a fabulous party atmosphere ashore. Yachts flying the flags of 23 different nations were welcomed by fantastic weather, with the trade winds pumping at 15-25 knots during the day and the entertainment pumping the volume each night.
Antigua Sailing Week closes out the 2014 Caribbean season, which scheduled 10 events over the past four months.
Piet Vroon’s Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens 3 was the overall champion of Antigua Sailing Week. Piet is in his 80s and has raced just about every major regatta in the world, including Antigua Sailing Week in the past. Tonnerre scored eight straight wins, the only yacht racing in any CSA Class to do so, and was rightly awarded The Lord Nelson Trophy.
“The team have been racing in Key West, RORC 600, St. Thomas, BVI and Antigua and our worst result in any race has been second,” exclaimed Piet. “The Tonnerre crew has been together for many years and we have been racing her for six years now, so she is extremely well sailed and highly optimised. Many of the races we had at Antigua Sailing Week were close, which shows it is never easy to come here and win, but I am obviously delighted with the result.”
Irishman David Cullen racing his J/109, Pocket Rocket came so close to a perfect score, but lost out to Norwegian entry, Aage Kristensen’s Frileans in the last race of the regatta. David has lived in the Caribbean for years and is based in St. Barths. Pocket Rocket won CSA 7, Best Caribbean Yacht Start Boat B: “I have been to Antigua Sailing Week for many years and I have to say that this edition has been exceptionally well run on the water, with a very friendly atmosphere ashore. I am sure Pocket Rocket will be back.”
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