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THE JEWEL OF THE CARIBBEAN REGATTA SEASON Arguably THE event of the Caribbean sailing calendar, Antigua Sailing Week has drawn sailors from far and wide for nearly 50 years. Sunsail’s US Marketing Manager, Britt Weatherby, fills us in on her experience at this year’s regatta. The 47th Annual Antigua Sailing Week 2014 was a spectacular event bringing participants from all over the globe to the sunny island of Antigua to race over 5 days in a variety of conditions. Antigua Sailing Week is known as one of the most beloved of the Caribbean regatta’s with the trade winds blowing between 15-25 knots all week making for ideal sailing conditions. Sunsail was part of this year’s 28 boat bareboat fleet, a large group of which came from Germany’s KH+P. Coleman Garvey’s all-Irish entry was the winner of Bareboat 1 on board KH+P Bagael, Sunsail Sun Odyssey 44i. “Last year we were second, so this was unfinished business. The racing was incredibly close, one mistake and you are out of it. We were pushed very hard by the Ukrainian team led by Rodion Luka who is an Olympic Silver medalist. The atmosphere ashore has been grand, the team have made a lot of friends from all over the world during the regatta and with all of the bareboats moored together in Nelson’s Dockyard, there has been a great buzz right through the fleet.” Each year the Bareboat Class races head to head to win the Overall Bareboat Trophy at the glamorous prize giving which was won this year by Max Katinov from Russia on board Cayenne, who was the winner of the coveted $2,500 voucher towards a Sunsail charter for next year’s Antigua Sailing Week. While the sailing is close and the competition is high during the day there is always a great festive air throughout the week. This year the evenings were highlighted by a daily prize giving followed by music and dancing hosted by Antigua Yacht Club, Cloggy’s and the always delightful Club Sushi. Shirley Heights was the place to be on Tuesday with over 3000 people joining together for the musical stylings of Shaggy, who sang all of his best known hits including, “Boombastic” and “It Wasn’t Me”. This was an event not to be missed and was fortunately followed up by a lay day at Pigeon Beach where crews were able to race in the Nonsuch Bay RS Elite Challenge or simply hang out on the beach listening to local music and dining on a great Antiguan BBQ. The 47th Annual Antigua Sailing Week was a huge success capped by the Final Awards Ceremony at Nelson’s Dockyard. The crowd was overflowing through the yard while a slew of awards were presented to crews by the Governor General of Antigua & Barbuda, Her Excellency Dame Louise Lake-Tack. This was followed by a final concert by Asher Otto & popular Antiguan band Itchyfeet. The 48th Edition of Antigua Sailing Week will take place from April 25th through May 1st, 2015. Join us in the fun as Sunsail expects to have the largest fleet of Bareboat participants yet! FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.SUNSAIL.CO.UK/ANTIGUA-SAILING-WEEK 0845 163 5716 www.sunsail.co.uk


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