After four days of intense sailing, the crews embarked on their final outing with palpable enthusiasm tempered by the day’s significance. Departing from the Hot Spot Café, the yachts navigated the Cannon Course—a favourite for long-keel wooden boats. They embarked on a close reach towards Cupples, an offshore mark set six miles away. A lively beam reach followed back to Falmouth, revisiting the starting line before heading out to Cupples again and reaching the Shirley mark, located near the breathtaking Pillars rock formation. The return to the finish line was eventually downwind, with crews arriving wet, exhausted, yet brimming with smiles. Luc De Clercq, owner of the 114-foot Camper & Nicholson ketch Saharet of Tyre, encapsulated the day’s spirit: “It was a magnificent day! We had a beautiful sail and a fantastic experience at Classics. We’ll be back again next year.”
Though the crews prepared to head home, the day transitioned into a celebration with the Parade of Sail. This event was a spectacular display of beauty over speed, featuring fully dressed boats and exuberant crews singing sea shanties, turning the event into a floating festival that drew spectators from across the regions.
Racing results mirrored a week of rigorous and spirited competition. In the Vintage Class, Charm III dominated with four first-place finishes. The battle for second place was intense, with Seefalke II edging in front of The Blue Peter, which was helmed by a full Shelter Island Yacht Club crew. Ultimately, The Blue Peter secured second in the final race, leading to a tie on points with Seefalke II, with The Blue Peter winning the tiebreaker.
The Classic Class saw Juno clinching first place in all four races, while Ashanti narrowly surpassed Magnolia for the second spot, with Mah Jong just a point behind. In the Traditional Class, Genesis emerged victorious, with Spirit of Zemi and Arro battling for second, the final race placing Spirit of Zemi in second and Arro in third, tying for the same points but with Spirit taking the tiebreak.
For the Legacy Class, Petrana finished first. A close contest arose between Cherub and Garuda, both tied for second entering the final race. Garuda crossed the line 42 minutes ahead of Cherub, but due to Cherub’s slower rating, she corrected out to claim second place overall.
In Modern Classics A, Ilios emerged victorious, followed by Freya and Lady B. Bunglebird took the top spot in Modern Class B, with Katina and Tangaroa joining on the podium. Blue Peter led the Modern Class C, followed by Huey Too and High Tide.
The overall winner of the regatta, determined by the lowest corrected time, was the Classic yacht Charm III, which managed to maintain a lead of under four minutes over Scott DiBiaso’s Juno going into the final race. Both yachts performed admirably, but Charm III held off Juno, securing a back-to-back overall win.
In the Modern Classics category, Tanner Jones’ Blue Peter, skippered by his son Carrick, finished first, with Bunglebird finishing 12 minutes later and Huey Too close behind.
Post-racing, focus shifted towards the Rain Gutter Regatta, a festive event supporting Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue. A lively crowd watched as competitors blew miniature yachts made from pool noodles down a water-filled gutter. In a spirited final race, Cherub triumphed over Charm III while crews celebrated with enthusiastic singing.
The week culminated in a celebratory evening where sailors gathered for the prize-giving ceremony and after-party, signalling the closing of yet another successful Classic Regatta while setting sights on the excitement of Classics 2027.
For complete results, visit: https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50482
For more information please visit www.antiguaclassics.com
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