Saturday 28 April 2012, Antigua
Thrills & Spills: Yachting World Round Antigua Race
Louay Habib
Stefan Lehnert's Tripp 56 Passion 4 C, win CSA Overall in the Yachting World Round
Antigua Race
There was drama right from the start of the 2012 Yachting World Round Antigua Race:
Squally conditions intensified the trade winds to churn up the swell into a foaming
powerful sea state with rogue waves reaching over three metres. The feisty conditions
caused at least two retirements due to gear failure. Allyn Salomon's Beneteau Oceanis
473, Hermosita suffered a damaged rudder and South African Jan Rupert entry, Tripp
75 Blackbird was another casualty. The Mini Maxi suffered a ripped indexsail as the
mighty yacht pounded through the surf. This was much to the frustration of the crew
including David Glenn, Editor of Yachting World who had joined Blackbird for the
day.
In CSA 3 two Antiguan yachts came to the fore. Stephen Carson's Dehler 34 Hightide
was the eventual winner, but the smallest yacht in the entire fleet, Tanner Jones'
J/30 Blue Peter raced with great aplomb in difficult conditions to claim second.
Rick Gormley's First 38, Elethea was third.
Start of CSA3 in the Yachting World Round Antigua Trophy Credit: Tim Wright/photoaction.com
In CSA 2 First 40, Smile and Wave, skippered by Mario Martinez won by less than
two minutes on corrected time from Nick Burns' First 40, Lancelot II. Matthew Shafer's
First 40.7 Cheeki Rafiki was third.
The Yachting World Round Antigua Race was quite an experience for the crew of Smile
and Wave, as Jaime Torres explains: "Mario Martinez is skipper for the week and
our only real preparation for this race was to sail to the start line, but the team
did exceptionally well. However, I didn't take into account Sunken Rock off Indian
Creek and as a result we hit. Nobody was hurt and we continued racing, but the error
let Lancelot get away and we could only match them for speed downwind around the
windward side. However, we played the shifts well on the beat to finish and managed
to make a big gain. I have to say I am really looking forward to Sailing Week, I
am sure we are going to have a great battle with Lancelot."
Mario Martinez skipper's the First 40, Smile and Wave to victory in CSA2
Credit: Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com
In CSA 1, Peter Harrison's Farr 115, Sojana got a great start and powered away upwind
as a torrent of spray engulfed the magnificent ketch's bow. Working the maneuvers
on Sojana is a skillful and hugely energetic team effort, which is fraught with
danger and later in the race that peril was to manifest itself in no uncertain terms.
Sojana had a cracking race, touching close to 20 knots of boat speed down the windward
side of Antigua. Crew work had to be slick, even on a long race, corners come up
alarmingly fast and with pressure loads measured in tens of tons, even a small
error can be a real problem. One hyper gust sent Sojana's enormous spinnaker bellowing
to leeward, the index sail boom perilously close to digging a sizeable whirlpool
into the hissing blue water, the big ketch was pushing hard.
Sojana had a cracking race and claimed the Yachting World Trophy for fastest monohull
Credit: Ted Martin/www.photofantasyantigua.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001CTowlTFyHNl2yaOo2Au3HcOg3MdmqTPLchC1S8qTjbpzW622ROJaPfnkxB6XDFyKRUCbYPm3e6aj2u58MSFFGSDyjZH8beBZLjAXF-s-YMN9IczaR2fZ3QYhobQWFqOr]
With just nine miles to go, Sojana needed to average 10 knots to break the record
when foredeck crew Maurice Belgrave fell off the bow to leeward. With Pol Ho-Jensen
at the helm, Sojana pulled off a text book recovery. Without using the engine, Maurice
was in the water for less than five minutes before the bow crew plucked him to safety,
pulling Maurice out of the water and up a full three metres of freeboard. Apart
from a small gash, he was unharmed in the incident, which is a credit to the entire
crew of Sojana.
"Maurice usually dives the boat so it was no big surprise!" Joked Sojana's skipper
Marc Fitzgerald after the race. "To be fair, I don't think we would have broken
our record even if Maurice hadn't gone for a swim. That time set in 2009 was a very
good one and today, the square beat to finish meant a lot of tacking to stay out
of the tide and I think that is where we fell behind, but we are delighted that
Maurice is fine and it is great to start the week by winning the Yachting World
Trophy."
Despite Sojana's excellent efforts, on corrected time the German Tripp 56, Passion
4C steered by Admiral's Cup winner, Stefan Lehnert corrected out to win CSA 1 by
just over two minutes with Sojana second. Hector Velarde's Peruvian NM92, Locura
was third. Peter Aschenbrenner's 63ft trimaran, Paradox blistered around the 55
mile course in 4hrs 15mins 39 seconds.
Peter Harrison's Farr 115, Sojana retain the Yachting World Trophy for the fastest
monohull around the course, completing the race in 4 hours 50mins 46 seconds. Credit:
Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com
After the prizegiving for the Yachting World Round Antigua Race, the Antigua Sailing
Week Welcome Party kicked off in Nelson's Dockyard. Hon. John Maginley MP, Minister
of Tourism joined the Antigua Sailing Week organisers in welcoming competitors to
the 45th regatta. With the official English Harbour Rum caps being distributed and
entertainment courtesy of the Vision Band and DJ Prebble, a fantastic night was
is store of all. It is sure to be a great night in historic surroundings.
Tomorrow marks the start of Antigua Sailing Week with racing for all classes. The
forecast conditions are for a full on foam up for the first day of the Caribbean's
most famous regatta.
Peter Aschenbrenner's 63ft Paradox takes line honours Credit: Ted Martin/www.photofantasyantigua.com
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001CTowlTFyHNl2yaOo2Au3HcOg3MdmqTPLchC1S8qTjbpzW622ROJaPfnkxB6XDFyKRUCbYPm3e6aj2u58MSFFGSDyjZH8beBZLjAXF-s-YMN9IczaR2fZ3QYhobQWFqOr]
Stephen Carson's Dehler 34 Hightide winners of CSA3 Credit: Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
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