Antigua Racing Cup: high-tech racing with a pinch of antiguan flair

This week, the inaugural Antigua Racing Cup will burst onto the Caribbean scene, blending cutting‑edge race technology with Antigua’s spectacular natural racecourse.

The first edition of the Antigua Racing Cup will run 8-12 April and is open to a wide array of keelboats and multihulls under IRC, CSA, and multihull rating rules. Class splits are nearly finalised. The Race Committee, led by Neil Andrew, have set their goals as designing courses that maximize racing time and exciting racing across the diverse fleet.

“The Antigua Racing Cup has been designed from the ground up to provide the sort of technical racing that so many teams have been crying out for,” commented race manager Jaime Torres. “We’re blending the traditional virtues of Antigua’s natural racecourse with modern technology to deliver courses that are precise, challenging and fair. By incorporating virtual marks alongside conventional buoys, we can shape courses that react to the conditions and the strength and racing desires of our fleet. That flexibility means boats get everything from short, tactical windward/leewards to long coastal courses. A good mix of reaching legs will be in there to honour slick crew work and smart sail selection. Above all, the aim is to offer a serious racing experience that rewards the full range of yacht racing skill levels.”

With a four-day programme and up to three races per day, the emphasis is on top quality racing in tropical conditions followed by daily post-race Happy Hours with the local grills fired up offering Caribbean and international fare.

The Antigua Racing Cup has attracted a wide range of race boats from 82-24ft (25-8m). With entries coming from across North America, Europe, Scandinavia and the Caribbean, the fleet is a rich cocktail of racers. The inaugural Antigua Racing Cup fleet includes seasoned campaigners, spirited Corinthian challengers and charter boat teams.

The largest boat competing at the Antigua Racing Cup is the 25m (82’) Oyster Zig Zag. This performance-cruising superyacht will have some strong competition in the form of record-shattering ocean racing legend, the 79-foot Kialoa III which remains, arguably, one of the most iconic Sparkman & Stephens maxis ever built, having dominated global racing with a 21-year Sydney-Hobart record. Now raced by Swedish skipper Lennart Davidsson. The fastest boat rated at the regatta is Dan Gribble’s Tripp 65 Prevail (USA).

Undoubtedly the quickest boat at the Antigua Racing Cup will be the HH66 catamaran Lee Overlay Partners III with Ireland’s Adrian Lee at the helm. The multihull is very capable of scorching through the Caribbean surf at speeds approaching 30 knots and will be vying for Line Honours with Prevail in CSA 1.

From 46-36 feet (14-11m), eight or more high performance boats are destined for hot competition in CSA 2. Bruce Chafee’s custom RP 42 Rikki (USA), fresh from class victory in the RORC Caribbean 600 and Nelson’s Cup series, will be taking on a pack of raceboats with proven pedigree. Fellow North American opposition is in the shape of Donald Nicholson’s Apollo (USA) and Raymond Rhinelander’s Bella J (CAN). GS46 Belladonna (GBR) is chartered to 2025 Lord Nelson Trophy winner Steve Rigby with a top British crew. Class 40 Rock ‘n’ Roll (GBR) adds depth to the class designs and is very quick downwind in a blow. Local Antiguan talent is top draw with the custom RP37 Warthog (ANT) skippered by Jules Mitchell.

In CSA 3, two very fast local boats will put up a fight for the podium. Poul Jensen’s Danish Blue (ANT) and Bernie Evan-Wong’s High Tension (ANT) which has been racing in these waters for ages. New to the scene is Van Reynders’ Flying Tiger 10m Apache (ANT). He is sailing with a local team, and his boat is the smallest, lightest and arguably fastest downwind flyer. David Crums’ Quintessence III (USA) and Katy Campbell’s Panacea X (CAN) are virtually level rated and have been battling each other all season. Gary Weisberg’s and his Heatwave team have chartered J-aguar for a third event this season and is looking fast. French skipper Mark Zamaria with Team Strada Awaken is the class’s scratch boat, an Archambault 40.

An eclectic mix of boats are set for CSA 4. Patrick Holloran’s family crew on Caipirinha (GBR) & a youth team representing Antigua, namely Ashley Rhodes’ Melges 24 Whiplash (ANT). International opposition comes from Marlene Brudbek’s JPK 1030 Heartbeat2 (GER), Jean Mallory’s Montebello Pepsi (FRA) from Guadeloupe and Lee Oldak and his Long Island-based team on The Project (USA).

The first ever Antigua Racing Cup is shaping up to be a spectacular addition to the Caribbean racing calendar. Building on the island’s rich yacht‑racing heritage, this new regatta offers a platform for high‑performance race yachts and competitive cruiser-racers with a good pinch of Caribbean flair dockside. After racing, in the historic surroundings of Nelson’s Dockyard, ‘the lantern will most definitely be swinging’. Everyone in Antigua is welcome to the vibe in the Dockyard, English Harbour.