Photo: Ellinor Walters
From our friend Gilly Gobinet, who has a very long title, but generally just makes things work at ACYR...
Now in its 32nd year, ACYR has a new look for 2018 – a new Committee, new courses, new upwind starts and two new classes.
The new Chairman is Olympic sailor Carlo Falcone, owner of the magnificent 80' Alfred Mylne yawl Mariella built in 1936 by William Fife, a regular and highly competitive participant in the Antigua Classics for many years. Vice Chairman is Cameron Fraser, owner of the 1946 Kettenburg sloop Janley, Overall Winner in 2016. Other new members of the Committee include Don Ward, former owner of Winsome and Frolic and now of a brand new Eagle44 Willpower, built by Leonardo Yachts in the Netherlands, Gerald Rainer, owner of the magnificent 1926 Herreshoff schooner Mary Rose and double Olympic Gold medallist and multiple Dragon Champion Poul Hoj-Jensen. Tommy Paterson, experienced and passionate Antiguan sailor, currently Harbour Master at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina, joins the team as Competitor Liaison.
The traditional Cannon Race has been replaced by a more interesting and safer course, and other courses have been modified, all with windward starts designed to suit all classes and sizes of yachts. Meanwhile the traditional Parade of the Classics after Race 3 on Sunday 21st April in English Harbour will take place as usual together with the very successful Sea Shanty Competition and Open Mic Night for which musicians and singers from participating boats – and from those who are just there for the fun and the spectacle – are invited to contribute. The Concours d’Elégance and the Classic Single-Handed Race will be held on the Thursday (19th April) and Gig Racing and Cream Teas at the Admiral’s Inn on the last day will round off the event with plenty of fun, rum and relaxation.
We are delighted to have Locman Watches from the Italian island of Elba as our main sponsor and they will be presenting specially engraved watches at the Prize Giving. Our dockage sponsor will be Brova Idea together with the Antigua Yacht Club Marina as usual. Of course a Caribbean regatta without beer is a contradiction in terms, so we are delighted to have Mount Gay Rum and Carib Beer as our sponsors to satisfy the thirst and wet the whistle. Digicel is our Internet provider and Lyman-Morse Boatyard and Sailing Classics are also sponsors, with Mill Reef Yacht Club as our Clothing Sponsor and Admiral’s Inn, Nelson’s Dockyard the Concours d’Elégance sponsor. We are also fortunate in having the Friends of Antigua, a group of anonymous benefactors that contribute regularly to the smooth running of this illustrious Regatta. Classic Boat Magazine (UK) and WoodenBoat Magazine (USA) are our international media sponsors and we have many generous local sponsors who help make it all work.
So sign-up now and come and join us for some glorious racing one some of the world’s most spectacular yachts in the company of like-minded people!
