Record Breaking Conditions Forecast
Organised by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in association with Antigua Sailing Week and supported by the Bermuda Tourism Authority and Goslings Rum.
Record breaking conditions are forecast for the second edition of the Antigua Bermuda Race, with strong easterly trades expected to provide fast reaching conditions for the first two days of the 935 nautical mile oceanic race. High pressure east of Bermuda is expected to decrease the gradient wind, shifting south to create tactical lighter running conditions for the finish into Bermuda.
The American turbo-charged Volvo 70 Warrior, sailed by Stephen Murray Jr. is expected to be the front runner and their current estimated elapsed time is inside the record set last year of 3 days, 20 hours, 32 mins, 41 secs.
“Sailors superstition prevents me from predicting elapsed time, but we are optimistic we can shave off quite a bit of time from last year,” commented Warrior's Stephen Murray Jr. “Our goals are a repeat of last year's grand slam; winning CSA, IRC and a new course record, and we would also love to be the first recipient of the new Warrior Trophy for best IRC performance. We are so excited to have great competition from some very hot boats. This year, we will have our work cut out for us to beat Varuna and Teasing Machine; two proven winners in grand prix racing. As always, we hope to get recognition to the mission of Warrior Sailing, helping veterans through the sport of sailing. A strong showing against this stiff competition will hopefully spread the word about Warrior Sailing.”
Read more: 2018 Antigua Bermuda Race Starts Wednesday 09 May, Fort Charlotte, Antigua
The 2018 Antigua Bermuda Race is organised by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in association with Antigua Sailing Week, and supported by the Bermuda Tourism Authority and Goslings Rum.
The second edition of the 935-mile oceanic race will start off Fort Charlotte Antigua on May 9th, 2018 and will have a new trophy. The Warrior Perpetual Trophy will be won by the boat scoring the lowest corrected time under IRC.
The Antigua Bermuda Race holds a special place for the American Volvo 70 Warrior. Skippered by Stephen Murray Jnr, Warrior was the overall winner under IRC for the inaugural race and set the outright race record of 3 days 20 hours 32 minutes 41 seconds. Warrior was in fine form in last month's RORC Caribbean 600, finishing runner-up for monohull line honours and taking joint third overall under IRC in a fleet of 84 yachts.
"Warrior's first race was the 2017 Antigua Bermuda Race, so most of the personnel have been together for a year now and we have gelled together as a team," commented Stephen Murray Jnr. "Warrior is sponsored by my family for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and for the benefit of Warrior Sailing which assists wounded veterans in their recovery through the sport of sailing. As any sailor knows, sailing is very therapeutic but also there is a teamwork element to sailing that many of the wounded warriors miss."
The fleet is lining up for the Atlantic Anniversary Regatta (AAR) which starts off Bermuda on July 8th 2018 to cross the Atlantic ocean. All competitors of the legendary Antigua Bermuda Race are invited to join the AAR fleet and make the passage to Europe combined to meet competition, safety and fun. Organizers will assist to transfer different ratings as easy as possible. Amongst other offshore bullets, like "Rambler88", "Teasing Machine", "Outsider" or "Varuna", "Malizia", Class 40s "RED2 and "Mariejo" or the TP52 "ROCKALL V" there will be a strong competition in the building fleet. The North Atlantic is expected to deliver prime- conditions for offshore sailing.
The crews will be battling their way through the Atlantic playground, leading the yachts from Bermu- da to Germany. Once they crossed the finish-line off Cuxhaven, a massive welcome by the Norddeutsche Regatta Verein (NRV) awaits the crews. The AAR celebrates the 150th anniversary of the NRV, so all competitors can expect a well setup up reception and some great days of celebration in Hamburg. The AAR itself will start on 8th of July 2018 in the crystal clear waters off Bermu- da, leading the competitors through a time-gate south of England to compete for the official speed record (Bermuda - The Lizard), follow the Channel and finish at Cuxhaven, the entrance of river Elbe. All yachts will be welcomed at Hamburg, directly in the heart of the vibrant maritime "Hansestadt", where a public race village will be the platform for events, hospitality and tremendous presence in direct vicinity of the new sight-seeing highlight, the "Elbphilharmonie", attracting thousands of spectators.
Read more: AAR – A Warm Invite To Competitors Of The Antigua Bermuda Race Fleet
The 2018 Antigua Bermuda Race will start on May 9, 2018, organised by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in association with Antigua Sailing Week. The 935 mile offshore race is supported by the Bermuda Tourism Authority and Goslings Rum. Yachts of 40ft and over will be racing under the IRC, ORCsy, PCS and the CSA Racing Rules, with the latter amended to permit boats to use their engines, subject to a time penalty.
Early entries for the second edition of the Antigua Bermuda Race promise a variety of yachts, including hi-tech ocean racers, luxury bluewater yachts and performance cruisers. In addition, Gosling Rum continues their support, ensuring a superb party in Nelson's Dockyard Antigua prior to the start, and a memorable Prize Giving at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. It is expected that many of the 25+ Atlantic Anniversary Regatta participants will join the race in anticipation of their July race from Bermuda to Hamburg.
Fresh from their success as overall winners of the 2017 RORC Transatlantic Race, the first leg of the Atlantic Anniversary Regatta, Eric de Turckheim's Nivelt-Muratet 54 Teasing Machine has confirmed their entry and will be a strong contender for the IRC Racing Division: "The Antigua Bermuda Race fits perfectly into the schedule for Teasing Machine and gives the team the experience of racing to Bermuda," commented Teasing Machine Tactician Laurent Pages. "We are expecting good opposition, which will be great fun and an opportunity to improve the performance of the boat and the crew. The Antigua Bermuda Race is unlike many other offshore races because at 935 miles it is longer than most and the majority of the course is away from the influences of land."
Oyster Yachts Chief Executive Officer, David Tydeman has confirmed that there will be an Oyster Class for the Antigua Bermuda Race: "For Oyster owners wishing to join us for the Oyster Regatta in Bermuda, 21st-26th May, this passage event could be a great way to make the journey," explained Tydeman. "Oysters will be racing under the IRC Rating Rule and the CSA Racing Rule, with the latter amended to permit boats to use their engines, subject to a time penalty. The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, has many years of experience hosting the Newport Bermuda Race and Antigua is the spiritual Caribbean home of Oyster, which will guarantee a fantastic welcome and a great party in Bermuda."
Jeremi Jablonski's American Hanse 43 Avanti was runner-up in both IRC and the CSA Classes last year and returns full of enthusiasm for the Antigua Bermuda Race: "First of all you have the safety of travelling in a large organised group, and the friendly competition brings more excitement to our passage making," commented Jablonski. "The camaraderie before, during and after the race makes it a very unique event, as you can meet racing and cruising sailors alike."
Hamilton, Bermuda: July 3, 2017: The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club announces that the second edition of the Antigua Bermuda Race will start on the May 9, 2018.
The 935-mile offshore race is organized in association with Antigua Sailing Week and is supported by the Bermuda Tourism Authority. Yachts of 40ft and over will be racing under the IRC Rating Rule, MOCRA and the CSA Racing Rule, with the latter amended to permit boats to use their engines, subject to a time penalty. The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, with many year's experience hosting the Newport Bermuda Race, will guarantee a fantastic welcome and a great party.
"We have had great feedback from the competitors who took part in the first race," commented Race Chairman, Les Crane. "The America's Cup put Bermuda in the spotlight as a superb sailing destination and the Antigua Bermuda Race is designed to carry forward this legacy. The race will start just a few days after Antigua Sailing Week on May 9, 2018, a time when a lot of boats gather in Antigua before returning to North America and Europe. The Antigua Bermuda Race gives sailors an opportunity to safely experience about a thousand miles of Atlantic Ocean racing in company, at a time of year when conditions should be ideal."
"This is exactly the result we planned for when the Bermuda Tourism Authority supported the inaugural Antigua Bermuda Race this year," said Pat Phillip-Fairn, chief product and experiences development officer at the Bermuda Tourism Authority. "The America's Cup inspired the Antiqua Bermuda Race in the first instance and Bermuda's high quality nautical experience is what has them coming back in 2018. This is an exceptional America's Cup legacy event and we are excited to welcome it back to the island in May 2018."
Competitors are invited to express their interest in the Antigua Bermuda Race at: antiguabermuda.com/contact-us/survey
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