ANTIGUA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA WRAPS UP WITH PRIZE GIVING Wednesday 21st April 2010
The 23rd Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, hosted by the Antigua Yacht Club and sponsored by Panerai and part of the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge, wrapped up last night with a sumptuous buffet and barbecue outside the Copper & Lumber Store Hotel in Nelson’s Dockyard accompanied by an impressive big screen slideshow presentation of the Regatta highlights as photographed by the many press photographers who covered the racing for newspapers and magazines around the globe.
Earlier in the afternoon competition on the water in front of the Admiral’s Inn was fearsome when captains and crew were joined by local families and children to enjoy the fun annual gig racing and cream tea party. All manner of traditional (and not so traditional!) gigs and small craft were skillfully sailed, rowed and skulled around a short, fun course giving spectator’s an entertaining afternoon in the beautiful setting of the Admiral’s Inn gardens. Wearing straw hats and elegant dress the volunteer tea ladies have become very much part of this event serving English style cream teas and other assorted cakes and teatime treats. This afternoon’s event was generously sponsored by Watermaker Services and Lord Jim’s Locker of Antigua.
The elaborate prize-giving ceremony, this year staged on the waterfront in Nelson’s Dockyard, kicked off with Regatta Chairman, Kenny Coombs giving a big and much deserved thank you to John and Julie Riley the owners of Sinbad, the committee boat. The prize-giving commenced at a pace, with much enthusiastic applause for the first trophy to be awarded; the A & F Sails Trophy for the Best performance of a local yacht to Andrew Robinson of Woodstock Boatbuilders, a sponsor of the regatta, and his recently restored Carriacou sloop, Summer Cloud. John Bertola of ‘Superyachts Supermodels’ this year donated a stunning half model Carriacou sloop trophy for the first overall Traditional Class and who better to collect this stunning prize than Alexis Andrews and his Carriacou sloop, Genesis. Keeping the trophies in Antigua, Famous Mauro, (of pizza fame!) collected the Hinkley Yachts Trophy for Classic GRP Class. The party boat of the regatta, and another local contender, Old Bob won the Dunlin Trophy Best Performance of a Gaffed Rigged Yacht ( as well as the Tree House Body Shop Trophy for the best dressed crew!) Lone Fox took the Nicholson Yacht Charters Trophy for best charter boat and coincidently Ashanti 1V was placed first overall in the Classic Class for the Ashanti of Saba Trophy. Velsheda beat Ranger to first in the Spirit of Tradition Class A and Captain ‘Sparky’ of the stunning ketch Rebecca picked up the Ticondoroga Trophy for overall winner in the Spirit of Tradition Class, the Ann Wallis White Trophy for the Largest Classic AND the Antigua Sails Trophy for the Best Elapsed Time Spirit of Tradition Class! First Overall in the Classic & Vintage Class and collecting the Wayfarer Marine Trophy was Sumurun and this year’s winner of the Mount Gay Rum Trophy the beautiful schooner, Ashanti 1V. There was an uproar of applause when the owner/ crew of Galatea were called up on stage to receive the Spirit of the Regatta prize and equally for the ‘Pink Ladies’ who received a special bottle of ‘Rose de St Barth’s’ and for Peter Hutchinson and Rainbow awarded a bottle of Old Bob Ale for competing in 20 out of 23 Classic Yacht Regatta’s!
The moment everyone was waiting for came at the end of the evening when the proud and longtime owner of the beautiful William Fife ketch Sumurun, Mr Robert Tobin, was awarded the much prized Panerai Trophy and the stunning and special edition Radiomir Panerai Timepiece,a fitting ending to a highly successful 2010 23rd. Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta.
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