Caribbean Times 100th issue - Friday 29th April 2016

20 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Friday 29th April 2016
Rock ‘n Roll Thursday
Antigua Sailing Week burst back
into action after Presidente Lay Day
with some terrific rock and roll action
off the South Coast of Antigua. The
trade winds were back with 16 knots
from the south-east, piping up to fullon
foam up in 20 knot gusts. Brilliant
blue skies with warm Caribbean water
and a two metre swell; these are the
conditions that any sailor wants to experience
and over a 1,000 salt encrusted
yachters were grinning from ear-toear
after a wicked day of racing.
With 28 yachts 50ft or over at Antigua
Sailing Week, there were some
seriously hair-raising starts as the goliaths
powered to windward off Rendezvous
Beach. Tony Langley’s TP52,
Gladiator was fully launched, covering
the 16 mile windward leeward course
in just over an hour. Belting along at
top speed upwind, pounding through
the waves before pulling the trigger
downwind, hitting the turbo charger to
accelerate past 20 knots on the surf.
Try as they might, Piet Vroon’s
Dutch Ker 51, Tonnerre 4 could not
hold onto the powerful British TP52’s
coat tails, but seized the opportunity
in the first race of the day when Gladiator
shredded a spinnaker. Tonnerre 4
passed Gladiator only to see their own
kite blown to bits. Gladiator took both
races to win CSA 3, even with a race to
spare tomorrow. Tonnerre 4 is assured
of second place and the only battle remaining
in the class is for the last podium
spot. Bernie Evan Wong’s Antigua
TP52 Team Taz-Conviction has a point
advantage over Adrian Lee’s Cookson
50, Lee Overlay Partners.
CSA 6 has also been decided. Ross
Applebey’s Royal Southern Yacht Club
team racing Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster is
untouchable with a race to spare. Scarlet
Oyster won both of today’s races.
Kay-Johannes Wrede’s German Swan
44, Best Buddies is assured of second
place and Carlo Falcone’s Caccia alla
Volpe will take third, regardless of the
result of tomorrow’s last race.
Sir Hugh Bailey’s CS40, Gypsy-UGo,
along with Gladiator remain
the only two teams to post straight bullets
for the series. Chris Body’s J/122,
El Ocaso lost their winning streak,
placing fifth and third in today’s races.
Hot on their heels is Richard Matthews’
Team Oystercatcher racing
Grand Soleil 43 Quokka which won
both of today’s races. El Ocaso needs
a top four finish tomorrow to be sure of
winning CSA 5.
The action in CSA 4 is red hot, with
just four points separating the top four
teams. Jim Hightower’s Texan King 40,
Hot Ticket found it tough going against
the lighter displacement yachts in the
class today, resulting in two fourth
places. However Hot Ticket is still
cont’d on pg 19