THE SUPERYACHT CHALLENGE ANTIGUA

Photo on board Adela by Louay Habib.

The majority of The Superyacht Challenge Antigua fleet were out on the water Thursday 30th January, honing their boat handling skills and manoeuvres in feisty conditions. The magnificent yachts got a real taste of spectacular Caribbean sailing. 20 knots gusting up to 25 with 3 metre swell, provided for exhilarating sailing on the south coast of Antigua.

A skippers' briefing was held at the Admiral's Inn, followed by a Welcome reception cocktail party held at the Gunpowder House, the beautifully restored 18th-century gunpowder store was a splendid setting to open the proceedings.

With a hedonistic cocktail of a few drinks and some of sailing's well-known characters, there was plenty of plotting for an early bath in the infinity pool! The opening reception was a fun-filled affair with rival crews enjoying plenty of laughter. The Superyacht Challenge Antigua is the first superyacht event of the year and many of the sailors were meeting up for the first time in 2014.

The first race is scheduled to be just over 22 miles long. The predicted weather is for strong Trade Winds of 20 knots or more and a significant sea state. Spectators in Antigua can views the racing from Fort Charlotte, Rendezvous Bay and Curtain Bluff.

Starting and finishing just outside Nelson's Dockyard, the fleet will enjoy a fast close reach at the start, followed by a tactical downwind run in deep ocean. A broad reach back inshore is followed by a tricky windward leeward. Then the penultimate leg, which will have the magnificent fleet powering to windward for a 6 mile beat with a sprint broad reach to finish, just outside Nelson's Dockyard.

Racing starts Friday 31 January at 1200 local time (1700 GMT). The yacht trackers will be activated 15 minutes before the start, go to the Live Tracking page at the event web site: http://www.thesuperyachtchallenge.com.