Wednesday, March 4, 2020

St Maarten Heineken Regatta Preview

St Maarten Heineken stage (Simpson Bay, Saint Maarten)- Over 100 yachts from thirty-five countries will compete in the 40th Heineken St Maarten Regatta. A key event on the Caribbean race schedule, the regatta attracts some of the world’s elite sailors and crews, with fast and furious racing in monohulls, maxis and multihulls.

Crystal clear waters and east-northeast trade winds give the pristine conditions for spectacular racing just off the coast of St. Maarten. And with Heineken as title sponsor, the racing days blend seamlessly into four nights of exceptional parties. The event is a bucket list must-do! The "Serious Fun" goes for four days from March 4th to the 8th.

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is famous for both its parties and racing. Over four nights, some of the world’s top artists take to the stage and ensure that each day of racing starts as well as it ends with the festivities continuing long into the night.

J/105 sailing off St MaartenLooking forward to enjoying all the Serious Fun are a several J/Crews from the USA, Canada, Caribbean, and Europe.  In the CSA 4 Racing class are four J/crews. Having just won Grenada Sailing Week, Pamala Baldwin’s LIQUID (including her international crew of Julian White, Matt Kasorzycki, and Sil Grijpma) from Jolly Harbour, Antigua will be looking forward to another run at the top of the podium with her talented team.  Joining them in class are Peter Lewis' debut of his new J/121 WHISTLER from St. James, Barbados. Additional teams include Sam Talbot's J/111 SPIKE from Centerport, NY and the Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club, and Andrew Guhl's Charleston, SC team on the J/120 JAGUAR.

The CSA 5 Racing class has a fleet of 35 footers that will push each other hard and such tight racing keeps the scores very close.  The two J/105s include SOLSTICE (Jordan Mindich from Long Island, New York) and JENK (Remco van Dortmondt from Curacao). Joining them this year will be Tristan Marmousez's J/109 SANG NEUF from Saint Lucia, Martinique; Roland Wagner's J/35 PEGASUS from Hergiswill, Switzerland; and Garth Steyn's J/70 FRANNY from the hometown of Simpson Bay, Phillipsburg, St Maarten.

Finally, the CSA 6 Cruising class has two quite competitive J/Crews; Tanner Jones' famous J/30 BLUE PETER / ABSOLUTE PROPERTIES from Jolly Harbour, Antigua and Ryan Schenck's J/42 SHAZAAM from Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa, Florida.  For more St Maarten Heineken Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.