Success for Lady Mariposa racing in Antigua Sailing week!
Boris De Bel, Managing Director of Swisspath Yachting, spent last week racing onboard Lady Mariposa in the 52nd Antigua Sailing Week. Lady Mariposa is a race boat under Swisspath’s management with a very impressive track record.
Antigua Sailing Week is one of the sport’s most famous regattas with a reputation for spectacular racing and a key event for many sailors. Starting from small beginnings, this regatta has developed over 50 years to become one of the prominent and prestigious yacht racing events not only in the Caribbean but worldwide.
After a rainy start, Lady Mariposa had a great first day of racing finishing in second place in the CSA 1 followed by a win on day two having a mid-length coastal course in CSA 2 in some great Caribbean sailing conditions.
Day three was a day of highs and lows with Lady Mariposa taking another first in race one, and then a sixth in race two placing them in the lead in the CSA 2 overall, followed by another two wins on day four.
On race day five, two clean race wins were had in a bigger breeze setting them up for the final day of racing where the team came third in the final race of the event resulting in a win in the CSA 2 overall!
Massive congratulations to all!
A bit about Antigua Sailing Week….
Well over 100 yachts participate each year, ranging in size from 24 feet to over 100 feet. The regatta attracts all types of yachts from serious racing boats including state-of-the-art, high-tech racing machines to a variety of performance and cruising boats and even features a Club Class for less serious racers who want to be part of the on-the-water action.
The sight of all these yachts is unforgettable, both from vantage points on the shore and from spectator boats carrying onlookers alongside the races. The reputation of Antigua Sailing Week allows the event to attract some of the world’s top sailors, from Olympians to amateurs.
For five days crews are challenged with a variety of coastal race courses encouraging tacking duels around the buoys – all in the picture-perfect setting of the deep blue Caribbean Sea off Antigua’s south coast with the ever-present trade winds. The idyllic racing is enhanced by sailors retiring to Antigua Yacht Club for passionate post-race analysis and daily prize giving ceremonies which carry on into the evening. Hundreds of locals and visitors will continue partying well into the late hours, but yacht crews know there is another day of racing, so they leave the late-night revelry for the others to finish.
The event is closed by Dockyard Day where the Antiguan flag is lowered to signal the close of the week for yet another year.
(images and videos credit to Lady Mariposa Facebook page and www.sailingweek.com)
