“It went great!” says Peter Parles, President of the Anguilla Sailing Association (ASA), commenting on the Anguilla Regatta which took place over the weekend of 9 -11 May. Boats registered all over the world, from Hobart to London, took part in a series of races for Local Racing Sloops, Cruising, Spinnaker, Multihull and Open Class Yachts.

Yachts Race at the Anguilla Regatta

The event opened with a Skipper’s Briefing at Roy’s Bayside Grill on Thursday 8 May, at which the details of the individual races were distributed.

Friday saw the first race, for Yachts, which took the twenty competitors from Road Bay to Rendezvous Bay via markers at Meads Bay, Anguillita and Maundays Bay. Spectators lined the beaches to witness the spectacle and cheer on the participants. The Open Class was won by Anguilla’s own Juluca, Steve Donahue at the helm. Domani, captained by Lorenz Einogg was second. Cruising honours went to Antares, captained by Colin Percy with Eddie Baretto’s Moonshadow second. The Spinnaker race was won by Frits Bus’s Pelican Marine Residences. French Connection, skippered by Didier Rouault was second. Herve Harel in Harel Yachts took the Multihull Race. There was a special cheer for Hearts Desire, skippered by Glen Schroeder, one of the two 1925 Alden Schooners taking part, which sailed the 26 nautical mile ‘Beach Jam Course’ in a sedate 6 hours and 11 minutes.
His Excellency the Governor, Mr Andrew George, presented the prizes at the end of the day.

The Battle for the Marker, Eagle forced inside

Saturday had perfect racing conditions for the triangular course to the northeast of Sandy Island. Herve Harel on Harel Yachts beat Paul Stoutenbeck on Lagoon Tri Umph in the Multihull race. Lorenz Einogg on Domani pipped Steve Donahue on Juluca in the Open class. Colin Percy on Antares and Eddie Baretto on Moonshadow repeated the previous days order in the Cruising class but Robbie Ferron on Budget Marine Too took the honours from Frits Bus on Pelican Marine Residences in the Spinnaker class.

Saturday morning also saw the West End Trophy race aboard the 12 metre yachts, True North 4, crewed by CuisinArt Resort and Spa and Stars and Stripes, crewed by Temenos, the defending champions. This hotly contested race covered the ‘Beach Jam Course’ and a large contingent of CuisinArt supporters on Rendezvous Bay beach cheered as True North 4 took the marker turn first, ahead of Stars and Stripes. They kept this lead to the end and took the West End Trophy. There was a rapturous welcome awaiting the victorious CuisinArt crew on their return to Sandy Ground.

The Afternoon saw the Battle of the Banks. The National Bank of Anguilla (NBA), sailing Stars and Stripes was desperate to regain the trophy from the Caribbean Commercial Bank (CCB), on True North 4. NBA looked the more confident crew from the beginning and it was obvious that they were out to win! After a thrilling race along the ‘Beach Jam Course,’ CCB challenging all the way, NBA was victorious.

Winner Real Deal Captain Alvin Richardson (red shirt) and Crew Peter Parles ASA President (with microphone) Rawle Hazel chair AXA Boat Race Committee - Photos courtesy Penny Legg

Mother’s Day dawned with blue sky and calm waters and the racing yachts made an early start on the Prickly Pear course, with markers on Crocus Bay and Meads Bay. Frits Bus on Pelican Marine Residences took the Spinnaker class once more with Panic Attack skippered by Jan vanden Eynde in second place. Eddie Barretto’s Moonshadow finally beat Colin Percy in Antares in the Cruising class and Herve Harel on Harel Yachts took the Multihull race. Once again Anguillian boat Juluca with Steve Donahue at the helm took the Open class with Lorenz Einogg’s Domani coming in second.

The day was dominated by the Sir Bobby Velasquez Anguilla Local Boat Race in which nine boats took part. Rawle Hazel, Chairman of the Anguilla boat Race Committee, commented, “This was the first race of the season after a difficult start due to bad weather for the last scheduled races.” Several of the vessels have been refitted over the off season and crews were eager to try out the refinements. Amidst much shouting and rivalry the wooden racing sloops sped off around the ‘Beach Jam Course’ which has given so much entertainment this weekend to locals and visitors alike. There was some controversy at the marker, CJ2, just outside Maundays Bay on the return leg, when three boats, Sonic, Blue Bird and Eagle all converged on the marker at once. The Eagle was forced inside the marker and did not sail around it as the rest of the competitors did. This provoked much loud debate from the spectators following the race in a flotilla of small boats. The victor, Real Deal, captained by Alvin Richardson, led the field from a very good start and was a worthy winner.

In all, the Anguilla Regatta, a joint venture between the ASA and the Anguilla Tourism Board, with technical assistance from the St Martin Yacht Club, which raises money for the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club, was a huge success. As ASA President, Peter Parles commented at the end of the weekend event, “Anguilla is a great sailing destination and the Anguilla Regatta is like the old fashioned regattas of the Caribbean... special.”

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