Preview: Caribbean Racing Circuit 2010
The 2010 Caribbean Racing Circuit is just around the corner, so if you’re getting tired of the constant winter snow storms and looking to do some fun and exciting racing in some of the most pristine sailing venues imaginable, it might be time to start thinking about a vacation! The circuit is made up of three major events, the Heineken Sint Maarten Regatta, the International Rolex Regatta, and the BVI Spring Regatta, beginning just days from now on March 4th, and continuing on through April 4th. Each event incorporates an option to charter a boat as a group or to register as an individual competitor, providing sailors of all ranges in ability the chance to enjoy a Caribbean getaway this season. It’s time to pull out the summer sailing gear and head south!
The first event on the 2010 schedule is the Heineken Sint Maarten Regatta, taking place on March 4th-7th. This is perhaps the most widely known event of the year, notorious for its reputation of combining near-perfect sailing conditions with massive blow-out parties, of course sponsored by Heineken and Mount Gay Rum. The event features bareboat, PHRF, beach cat, and one-design classes and boasts a serious party line-up each night after racing highlighted by popular reggae and rock bands from around the islands and beyond. If you plan on attending just one racing event this season, this should be it!
The next stop on the list is the International Rolex Regatta, hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club in the U.S. Virgin Islands, on March 26th-28th. Of all the regattas in the Caribbean each winter, this is the premier racing event, with world-famous entries in the IRC division and a massive IC-24 fleet, one of the most competitive one-design classes in the Caribbean. The IC-24 is essentially a J-24 retrofitted with a Melges 24 style cockpit and sailing hardware. The class features strict rules such as legs-in hiking and prohibits kinetics used on similar small keel boats in order to place an emphasis on tactics and to attract a group of sailors with a wide range of abilities to the class. For the hard-core racer or somebody looking to improve on their skills, the International Rolex Regatta is not to be missed.
The BVI Spring Regatta is another widely popular event, held in Tortola, BVI, and in conjunction with the International Rolex Regatta, beginning just one day after the St. Thomas event on March 29th and continuing until April 4th. This regatta is a more laid-back option to the Rolex Regatta, sporting a large bare-boat entry list, a competitive windsurfing event, and both cruising and racing multi-hull classes. The event is run out of the beautiful Nanny Cay marina on Tortola’s south shore and incorporates nightly beach parties, which I can personally attest to, are not to be missed!
If you’re considering ditching the dry suits and spray gear this winter and hopping on a plane to the Caribbean, I would highly suggest that you check out one of these events. Each regatta offers the opportunity for a week-long family vacation and a chance to rack up some silverware over the winter season. With the Caribbean Racing Circuit quickly approaching, it’s hard to find a reason not to join in the fun.
