Over the last two decades, Antigua Sailing Week has become one of the biggest events in the international sailing calendar. It attracts some of the top Olympic yachtsmen in the world, giving us the opportunity to compete against them. It is also one of the most fantastic ways to visit Antigua and take advantage of an island-wide party.
Consisting of six challenging days of top class racing, in what are regarded as the best sailing conditions in the world, the regatta has developed into a world-class event and now includes an Ocean Series for boats that prefer ocean racing.
This yachting regatta started from small beginnings back in 1967 when Peter Deeth, who owned the Inn Hotel at English Harbour and Desmond Nicholson, owner of the Admiral’s Inn formed a racing club. They met every Sunday morning and raced their Sailfish. The Club had no finances in the beginning so relied entirely on people’s voluntary help. Later as finances improved and interest grew, the Club got planning permission for a Club House to be built at Falmouth Harbour. In 1972 the club announced its new name of “The Antigua Yacht Club”. Things have moved on fairly quickly since then!
The Island will be alive with carnivals, music and parties over the island during this time.
VC Bird International Airport (Google Map)
The safety briefing and first day of training starts at 12:00 noon on the 23rd of April.
Arrival in Antigua and welcome on board at noon. You will be met by your skipper and other team members, followed by a safety brief and the regatta programme. The day will include getting to know your crew, cleaning and organising the boat, and making final preparations for the regatta.
Over the first 3 days you will be able to get to know the team, get the boat ready for the regatta and training to bind the team into a racing crew.
06:00 — Roadrunners Cycling Chase the Race starts
08:00 — Peters & May Round Antigua Race starts
15:00 — Official Bareboat Skippers Briefing – Nelsons Dockyard
18:00 — Peters & May Round Antigua Race Prize Giving and Official ASW Opening – Wear team shirts or outfits for the chance to win spot prizes.
08:00 – 11:00 — Shirley Heights Lookout Breakfast – local breakfast and the best place to watch the starts
10:00 — English Harbour Rum Race Day 1 starts
15:00 – 18:00 — Prize Giving AYC
17:00 — Prizes
10:00 — Y2K Race Day 2 starts
15:00 – 18:00 — Prize Giving AYC
17:00 — Prizes
18:00 – 20:00 — Captains Cocktail – Location to be announced
10:00 — Race starts
15:00 – 18:00 — Prize Giving AYC
17:00 — Prizes
TBD — Reggae in the Park 13th edition
The Lay Day Beach Party is an all day affair. After the challenging first half of racing and the Reggae in the Park festivites, we all deserve to head down to Pigeon Point beach, to enjoy the hot barbecues, cold beers and fun games throughout the day.
Event starts at 11am, and a full schedule will be announced nearer the time but will include fun activities in and out of the water include dinghy racing, swimming challenges, Stand Up Paddle Board rally, tug o’ war and much more.
12pm Pigeon Point Beach
10:00 — Locman Italy Women’s Race starts
15:00 – 18:00 — Prize Giving AYC
17:00 — Prizes
10:00 — Race starts
14:00 – 17:00 — Prize Giving AYC
16:00 — Prizes
19:00 — Final Prize Giving Party
17:15 — Beating of the Retreat
