Conviction wins Round Antigua Race in dramatic style

(MENAFN- Caribbean News Now)

ST JOHNS, Antigua – The Bajan TP52 Zingara (Conviction), chartered by Canadian Richard Reid, won the Peters and May Round Antigua Race in dramatic style. The team including Olympian and Volvo Ocean Race winner Richard Clarke, took Line Honours and the Peters and May Trophy for the overall win, after a tangle with the 100ft SHK Scallywag right at the start. Second overall was Pamala Baldwin's J/122 Liquid, with a young team skippered by Jules White. Ker 46 Lady Mariposa, skippered by two-time Olympic Gold Medallist Jesper Bank, was third.

The Peters and May Round Antigua Race is the spectacular prequel to Antigua Sailing Week. Thirty-three yachts entered the 53-mile race around Antigua, with high drama right from the get-go. The Dovell 100 SHK Scallywag tore their enormous mainsail after a tangle with TP52 Zingara (Conviction). The magnificent 115ft Farr ketch Sojana was noticeably absent after fouling their propeller before the start.

"We didn't really expect to have a run-in like that with Scallywag, we ended up having to race with no instruments after the windex was ripped off the top of the rig," commented Richard Reid. "However after that, it was awesome! First of all, because we raced around a beautiful island and we worked really well together as a team. You know, adversity always does pull a gifted team together - we are really looking forward to a great week!"

Pamala Baldwin's J/122 Liquid, skippered by Jules White, put in a great performance, scoring second overall and winning CSA 2 ahead of two well-sailed teams; Ross Applebey's Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster and Bernie Evan-Wong's RP37 Taz.

"We didn't really sail to our potential but we came in first place for our class. There is plenty to come from Liquid because it's a great crew. We have come in on podium the whole season and we are definitely here to sail hard this week, work her really hard on our home at Antigua Sailing Week!"

In CSA 1, Zingara (Conviction) was the winner, with Lady Mariposa, a newcomer to Antigua Sailing Week, in second place. On Deck's Farr 65 Spirit of Juno, skippered by Arran Chapman was third; a great start to the defence of their class win at last year's Antigua Sailing Week.

In CSA 3, Michael and Chloe Hough's Spirit 64.5 Chloe Giselle, class winner at last week's Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta was the winner, ahead of Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners II, skippered by Adrian Lee who has won class several times at Antigua Sailing Week with his former yacht, a Cookson 50. Mark Jagger's Bordeaux 60 Theia of London, skippered by James Richmond, was third.

In the Double-Handed Class, Philip Asche's Swan 44 Freebird was the winner, racing with Ronald Canizares, representing the New York Yacht Club. Hotel California too was second. Owner Stephen Schmidt is famous for sailing around the Caribbean single-handed and was joined for the race by Han de Bruyn Kop. In third place was Henry Rourke's Open 40 Raucous, racing with Mark Hodgkin.

Race sponsor Peters and May was represented by Craig Stanbury, global operations director for racing, who explained the attraction of supporting Antigua Sailing Week:

"Antigua Sailing Week is the last big regatta of the Caribbean season and we have brought many of the yachts over here and we will be taking many of them back home. It is great for us to support the event, and personally, I have been coming to Antigua for 18 years and it holds a big place in my heart; it's a second home for me," commented Craig Stanbury.

"By supporting Antigua Sailing Week, people have got to know who Peters and May are, and we have seen a gain in momentum. Sailors from Europe and North America know we can get their boats out here and back again. Peters and May have been transporting yachts for over 45 years; we have a fleet of about 3,000 shipping cradles for all different designs of boats in Miami, Genoa and Southampton."

A cultural parade from the Antigua Yacht Club to Nelson's Dockyard, showcasing Antiguan carnival and folk traditions, made for a vibrant and colourful start to the regatta entertainment. The Peters and May Round Antigua Race Prize Giving and the official ASW Opening Party was held on the lawn of the historic Copper and Lumber Store Inn. After the Antigua and Barbuda national anthem, the day's winners were announced in the presence of Rodney Williams, governor general of Antigua and Barbuda.

President and commercial director of Antigua Sailing Week, Alison Sly-Adams gave her thanks to all the sailors for choosing to come to Antigua Sailing Week and to all the hard-working team in Antigua that have made the event possible. Senator Mary Claire-Hurst spoke on behalf of the government of Antigua and Barbuda, offering a warm welcome to visitors from overseas.

Antiguan Reggae and Rock sensation, The Strays played a high octane set to give a lively ending to a memorable day with DJ Kaspa spinning the tunes into the night. English Harbour Rum Race Day kicked off the 52nd Antigua Sailing Week Sunday, April 28.

English Harbour rum race day one

Brilliant sunshine, solid trade winds and Caribbean surf made for the perfect start for the 52nd edition of Antigua Sailing Week. The cocktail of heaven-sent conditions was very apt for English Harbour Rum Race Day. The six CSA racing classes were on the Windward Course enjoying some epic downwind legs straight off the front of the brochure!

"We are a mixture of professionals and Corinthian sailors, but everyone has an important role to play - there are no passengers," commented two-time Olympic Gold Medallist, Jesper Bank, skipper of Lady Mariposa. "We had excellent conditions today and close competition and the last downwind leg was a big part of our race win. When you are going at full speed in a high-performance boat, it is a fantastic feeling for everyone on board."

Photo Caption: Sir Peter Harrison's Farr 115 Sojana, holder of the Lord Nelson Trophy, started their campaign with a win in CSA 1. Fully powered up, the British supermaxi completed the 20-nautical mile course in under two hours. TP52 Zingara (Conviction) with Canadian Richard Reid at the helm, was second. Lithuanian Volvo 65 Ambersail, skippered by Simonas Steponavicius was third.

In CSA 3, Ondeck Antigua's Farr 65 Spirit of Juno, skippered by Arran Chapman won today's race and celebrated loud and proud at the English Harbour Rum Race Day prize giving! Adrian Lee's Irish Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners II was just 20 seconds behind Spirit of Juno after over two hours of racing. Mark Jagger's British Bordeaux 60 Theia of London skippered by James Richman was third.

In CSA 4, British Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster won today's hotly contested race by just 16 seconds on corrected time from Pamala Baldwin's Antiguan J/122 Liquid. Diego Aguirre's J/122 Team Inka from Peru, was third by just 18 seconds from the Canadian Reflex 38 Touch2Play Racing, skippered by Rob Butler.

"We are in a tough class; it's full on!" commented Ross Applebey, skipper of Scarlet Oyster. "Less than two minutes separated the top five boats and it is very easy to miss the podium all together. Jules (White), skipper of Liquid has his team on the pace. Inka Team sailed really well, and Taz and Touch2Play are also well-sailed boats. In this race, the run to the finish worked well for us as we could use our waterline length. However, on the races to come, with shorter legs, the boat handling is harder for us. We will have a celebration but I think we will be reasonably early to bed tonight!"

Sir Richard Matthews has enjoyed success at Antigua Sailing Week for decades. His newly acquired ST37 Holding Pattern took the race win today in CSA 5 by just over two minutes from Jonty and Vicki Layfield's Antiguan J/11s Sleeper. British First 40 Optimus Prime, skippered by Martyn Oldroyd was third by just 14 seconds from Rocket Dog II, skippered by Jon Tyrrell.

CSA 6 produced the closest race of the day, with Jules Mitchell's young Antiguan team racing 1720 NSA Spirit to victory by just 7 seconds from Raymond Magras and Patrick Bernier's St Barths' team racing Dufour 34 Speedy Nemo. Tough luck for Raymond Magras who was celebrating his birthday on the stage with his team. Raphael Magras racing x-34 Maëlia CEPAC Antilles, also from St Barths was third, and led the chant of Happy birthday!

"It's tight racing and our awesome teamwork had to be good today. We have taken on a new team member and it was his first race with us. Tyrique Adamns is 14 years old and will be representing our country at the Optimist Worlds in Antigua this summer. The French teams in our class have come over with some speed this year and we will be retaliating the same way!"

In the Multihull Class, Robert Szustkowski's Polish HH66 R-SIX, skippered by Robert Janecki flew around today's 20nm course to win on corrected time. However, Stephen Bourne's Rapido 60 trimaran Ineffable took line honours in the high-speed battle. The Double-Handed Class produced a close battle between two American teams. David Kinsey's Oyster 49 Buckaroo crossed the finish line just nine seconds ahead of Philip Asche's Swan 44 Freebird after over three and a half hours of racing, including a run and a beat along the beaches of the West Coast of Antigua. Australian Henry Rourke racing his Open40 Raucous was third.

Jon Constantine's British Feeling 39 Imagine of Falmouth won today's race in Club Class by just 26 seconds after time correction from James Gardner and Jerry Bethell's St. Lucian Jeanneau 54 INDY - Loosha Sails. David Tipton's British Jeanneau 479 Mischief was not far off the pace in third.

The bareboat classes enjoyed a series of short, sharp legs on the Rendezvous Course. Solid victories went to Alexander Pfeiffer's German team racing KH+P Bavastro in Bareboat 1, Peter Zauner's Dufour 500 Tintoret in Bareboat 2, and reigning bareboat champion, Canon and Harvey racing American Dufour 412 KH and S Contractors in Bareboat 3.

Hundreds of spectators packed Shirley Heights Lookout earlier in the day, eager to watch the impressive fleet and to enjoy the celebrated breakfast bash. Many more race fans enjoyed the VIP experience of Chase the Race on board Wadadli Cats, with a ‘ringside seat' for the racing action.

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