St Maarten’s inaugural Classic
Yacht Regatta, which gets underway on December 2, will introduce a new look to
the island’s racing scene. But it’s a new look spearheaded by some
familiar faces. Among those sauntering up to the starting line on Saturday 3rd
will be local day-charter Brigantine Lord
Sheffield and Randy West’s Lone
Fox. Anguilla-based Charm II is
also expected to register, as is the 152’ Schooner
Windrose of Amsterdam.
Racing will
start in Simpson Bay
on Saturday 3rd and head up to Long Bay
on the French side for a swanky beach buffet sponsored by La Samanna Hotel and the new Cupecoy
Yacht Club. Festivities, which are intended to feature heavily during the
regatta, will resume in the evening at the Soggy Dollar Bar at La Palapa Marina. On Sunday 4th, the awards ceremony will be
held at Rancho’s Restaurant nearby.
As this issue
went to press, it was still too early to call whether a concerted promotional
campaign at the European Boat Shows over summer would bring in a late flurry of
entrants. However, organisers Jan Roosens and Mirian Leffers-Ebbers have
stressed from the outset that this regatta isn’t about something as
vulgar as numbers. What counts is to add a splash of teak, polished brass and
rippling canvas into the calendar, strengthen the island’s sailing
portfolio and create a new stomping ground for some old campaigners.
To check the
updated entry list, log on to www.classicregatta.com
