The first edition of the Antigua Racing Cup has stamped its mark on the Caribbean racing calendar, delivering exactly what it set out to achieve: pure competition in paradise.
Created as a new international regatta, the Antigua Racing Cup has brought together high quality racing, professional race management and the unmistakable spirit of Antigua on and off the water. Set against the spectacular backdrop of Antigua’s south coast, the regatta combined tactical race courses, steady trade winds and a warm Antiguan welcome. From grand prix boats and performance cruisers to sportsboats, the Antigua Racing Cup showcased the depth and diversity of the sport in one of the world’s great sailing venues.
CSA 1
Dan Gribble & Dean Ziehl’s Tripp 65 Prevail (USA) took line honours and a straight six bullets for the regatta after CSA time correction. The battle for second went to the wire and was only decided in the last race. Lennart Davidsson’s S&S 79 Kialoa III took second place in the last race of the six race series to finish on equal points with John McMonigal’s Oyster 82 Zig Zag (GBR), skippered by Carl Raynes. Kialoa III was second for the series by virtue of countback with Zig Zag in third.
Prevail’s Dean Ziehl: “It has been a great regatta for us and a real pleasure to be part of the first Antigua Racing Cup. We used to come here for Antigua Sailing Week, and this feels like a fantastic new event. You only have to look around tonight to see the spirit of it, everyone is having a good time, the setting is beautiful, the weather has been superb and the people are incredibly friendly. Our crew has loved it every day. We are a happy team because we are all friends, and some of us have been racing together for 20 or 30 years. That makes it very special. We will definitely be back.”
CSA 2
In the performance boat class, the battle for the top three remained fiercely contested to the final beat to finish. Steve Rigby’s GS46 Belladonna (GBR) and RP37 Warthog (ANT), skippered by Jules Mitchell, were tied at the top for a thrilling showdown on the final day. Belladonna won the penultimate race by just over a minute after CSA time correction, Warthog suffered a broken halyard but came out fighting for Race 9, winning the final race. Belladonna held onto second for that last race by just 49 seconds from Rikki. After nine races Belladonna and Warthog had equal points but Belladonna won the class on countback.
Belladonna’s Josh Redgrave: “We came back to Antigua because it felt like the obvious choice after winning the Lord Nelson Trophy at Antigua Sailing Week last year. We knew this event was going to give us the best racing in the shortest amount of time, real bang for buck. With boats like Warthog and Rikki in the class, we knew it would be a proper fight, and that is exactly what it was. Every day we came in tied on points with Warthog, which shows just how close it was. The boats are very different, but the racing was fantastic and it really showed the quality of the rating systems as well. This is high level racing in the Caribbean, and that is why we came. We had a brilliant time and we would absolutely come back next year.”
Bruce Chafee’s Reichel/Pugh 42 Rikki (USA) finished the regatta third in CSA 2 but under the dual scoring IRC rating scored five bullets to win IRC 1.
Rikki’s Bruce Chafee: “I am really glad we made the choice to come back to Antigua, we have had a fantastic time here. The team was built around the same core group from the Nelson’s Cup and the RORC Caribbean 600, with a few new faces, and they fitted straight into the Rikki vibe of camaraderie, humble learning and pushing the boat hard like dinghy sailors. It has been a joy. I also really liked the courses. The Antigua Racing Cup race team asked for suggestions, listened, and then delivered with proper windward leewards and varied racing. To still get nine races completed showed they were focused on giving the sailors the best possible regatta.”
CSA 3
Poul Hoj Jensen’s Danish Blue (ANT) scored eight race wins for an emphatic victory in CSA 3 and was also the winner of IRC 2, also with eight bullets. Runner up in both CSA 3 and IRC 2 was Katy Campbell’s Salona 45 Panacea X (CAN). Just three points separated a trio of teams aiming for the CSA 3 podium. A40 Team Strada Awaken (GBR), skippered by Mark Zamaria, took the prize in CSA 3, while Bernie Evan-Wong’s Mumm 36 High Tension (ANT) was third in IRC 2. J-aguar Powered by Heat Wave, skippered by Gary Weisberg (USA), retired from Race 8 after being in a strong position to make the top three in CSA.
Danish Blue’s Poul Hoj Jensen: “We had a very, very good team, and in at least two races we would not have won without that teamwork. We got the spinnaker up faster, got clear, and that made the difference. I really liked the courses, they were absolutely perfect, with very good racing and good starting lines but for me the virtual marks are not for this level of racing. However, I am sure many more boats will come to future editions. I think the Antigua Racing Cup has made a very strong start, and I will do everything I can to support it.”
CSA 4
Ashley Rhodes celebrated his birthday during the Antigua Racing Cup and his all-Antiguan crew gave the skipper of Melges 24 Whiplash (ANT) a perfect present. Not only did Whiplash win CSA 4 but they did so with a perfect scoreline of nine bullets. Sigma 38 The Project, skippered by Lee Oldak (USA), had a consistent regatta with podium finishes in every race to secure class runner up. Completing the class podium was the Guadeloupean team racing Mallory Rousseau’s First Class 10 Montebello Pepsi (FRA).
Whiplash’s Ashley Rhodes: “It was not easy at all, and the conditions were not always perfect for Whiplash, so I really have to take my hat off to the team. They were the ones who made it happen. I always say that I just sit at the back and steer the boat, but without the people around me, the kids, Rhone (Kirby), my brother, none of it would be possible. What I would really love to see now is more sportsboats coming here, because that is what this regatta needs. When people see the racing, the courses and the standard of competition at the Antigua Racing Cup, I hope they will be motivated to come next year. I would say to them, bring it.”
The Final Prizegiving for the inaugural edition of the Antigua Racing Cup was held at Nelson’s Dockyard. Master of Ceremonies was Antigua Racing Cup race logistics & marketing manager, Rana-Jamila Lewis. Official representative of the Government of Antigua & Barbuda was permanent secretary Sean Cenac from the Ministry of Tourism.
“This evening is not simply the close of a competition, it is the celebration of a remarkable beginning,” commented secretary Cenac. “The inaugural Antigua Racing Cup has already shown the strength of Antigua and Barbuda as a world class sailing destination and we are very proud of what has been achieved here. We see this event as the opening chapter in a three part celebration of racing in Antigua, alongside the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week. Together, these events underline the depth of our sailing culture and the unique appeal of our waters. Over the past few days, we have seen thrilling competition, great sportsmanship and a wonderful sense of community. We are especially pleased that this event has created real opportunities for our young Antiguan sailors through the Youth to Keel programme (Y2K). That is hugely important for the future of the sport. This is only the beginning, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year.”
Antigua Racing Cup Race Manager Jaime Torres presented the prizes and commented: “It has been a long journey, but I have not had this much fun running an event in a very long time. For a first edition, this regatta could not have asked for a better fleet. The sailors were the real rock stars of the Antigua Racing Cup, and they put on a fantastic show on the water. We are hugely grateful that they believed in the event, and we hope they will spread the word, share the experience, and come back next year.”
A glittering night to remember was held in the historic surroundings of the UNESCO World Heritage Site with prize winners acclaimed on the main stage, and Antiguan super-band Asher Otto and Itchy Feet played an energetic live set.
For the first ever, Antigua Racing Cup, Nelson’s Dockyard provided the ideal stage ashore, while the race area off the south coast delivered the kind of close, technical competition that sailors travel the world to find. Prestigious but accessible, serious yet full of Caribbean character, the Antigua Racing Cup has launched with confidence and style.
The success of its first edition suggests it has all the ingredients to become a major fixture in the international regatta scene. Mark your calendar for the second edition of the Antigua Racing Cup in 2027. We look forward to seeing you next year.