Sojana retains the Lord Nelson Trophy
The 52nd edition of Antigua Sailing Week will be remembered for a cocktail of superb sailing, thrilling racing and a great party atmosphere ashore. Teams from 21 different countries from all over the world chose Antigua Sailing Week as their destination. The trade winds blew for all six days of racing; mixed in with tropical heat and a rollercoaster ride of Caribbean swell, Antigua delivered world class sailing. Racing was incredibly close with the majority of the classes enjoying thrilling competition.
New marks introduced provided the opportunity for longer coastal courses, allowing the boats to stretch their legs and take in the beautiful west and rugged east coasts of Antigua. The introduction of new top and bottom marks on the Windward Course allowed for better windward-leeward race tracks, testing the technical abilities of the international fleet.
Sir Peter Harrison’s Farr 115 Sojana was the overall winner of Antigua Sailing Week, retaining the coveted Lord Nelson Trophy. It has been 20 years since Larry Ellison’s Sayonara achieved the last successful defence.
Sojana was the best boat racing in CSA Overall, winning the Corum Cup, second overall in CSA winning the Peter Deeth Trophy was Scarlet Oyster, and third overall winning the Catamaran Marina Cup was Lady Mariposa. The Bareboat Overall Champion, winning the Dream Yacht Charter Trophy, and a voucher for one week’s bareboat charter from Antigua Sailing Week 2020, was Hans Steidle’s KH+P Barbuda.
Sojana was the winner of CSA 1, scoring six race wins. Lithuanian Volvo 65 Ambersail2, skippered by Simonas Steponavicius won the last race to take runner up. With Jean-Pierre Dick’s French JP54 The Kid in third.
In CSA 2, Ker 46 Lady Mariposa, skippered by Jesper Bank, scored six bullets to lift the English Harbour Rum Trophy. Lombard 46 Pata Negra, skippered by Adrian Fisk’s Itchenor SC team won the last race to claim second, a point ahead of Jeremy Thorp’s British GP42 Phan.
In CSA 3, Adrian Lee’s Irish Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners II scored five bullets and was also declared Best Swan at Antigua Sailing Week. Mark Jagger’s CNB 60 Theia of London was second, and OnDeck Antigua’s Farr 65 Spirit of Juno was third.
In CSA 4 Ross Applebey’s British Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster won arguably the most competitive CSA Class, lifting the Sanhall Trademarks Trophy and the Hinckley Cup for best racing charter yacht. Pamala Baldwin’s Antiguan J122 Liquid was second and also the winner of the CSA Travellers’ Trophy. Andy Middleton’s British First 47.7 EH01 was third in class.
CSA 5 featured close racing with races won or lost by seconds. Jonty and Vicki Layfield’s Antiguan J/11s Sleeper battled to a class win, lifting the Governor General’s Cup.
See here for full results.
The 53rd edition of Antigua Sailing Week will take place on April 25th – May 1st, 2020.
Story by Louay Habib
