ANTIGUA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA

As the registration desk closed last evening the committee confirmed that this year's regatta has the largest entry ever!  With 65 plus entries the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta is now without any doubt, the biggest regatta of its kind in the Caribbean.

Hosted by the Antigua Yacht Club, the Regatta is the first of nine classic yacht regattas sponsored worldwide by Panerai as the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge.

The judges of the prized Concours d'Elegance competition had a tough job and some agonizing decisions to make whilst assessing the overall condition, effort made by crew/owners and provenance of the 21 yachts competing for this much prized honour. The judge's job was made even harder this year under the overcast conditions and passing showers whilst the proud owners and crew stood by with 'chammies' to hand in the event of any rain spots marring the sparkling brightwork!

The overall winner, the beautiful, Latifa, was finally chosen and announced at the trophy presentation party, held on the Antigua Yacht Club lawn and kindly sponsored by the Luneneburg Shipyard Alliance.  This was preceded by the skippers' briefing held upstairs at the Yacht Club.

Following the judging of the Concours d'Elegance, the 24 competitors entered in the 12th annual single-handed race left the dock for a 2.00 pm start this afternoon to race around a 12-mile course off Falmouth Harbour. The single-handed race features two classes: Large Classics (over 45 feet) and Small Classics (45 feet and under).  Each yacht is skippered by one sailor, with a second person on board to help only in the event of an emergency. The largest to leave the dock under cloudy skies and in light winds was the 109' staysail schooner, Kairos.

The winner of this competition will be announced tomorrow evening - Friday - following the first of the four races in the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta schedule.