Puerto Rico’s five year-old regatta formerly known as the Culebra Heineken will move to Palmas del Mar for 2010 and become the Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta (PRHIR). The venue change will welcome sailors to a new facility and re-introduce three days of racing from March 19 to 21 off Puerto Rico’s southeast shores.
“We are excited about the plans for this year’s Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta,” said regatta director, Angel Ayala. “Palmas del Mar is a beautiful facility. There’s a brand new yacht club and full marina where sailors will find everything they need.”
Regatta festivities will kick-off with a Captain’s Meeting on March 18. The fleet will race March 19, 20 and 21, with nightly parties and an Awards Ceremony on March 21.
“We’ll offer a mix of windward-leeward courses for the one-design and racing classes,” said Ayala. “There will be courses with reaches for the cruising classes. We may run a distance race to Vieques for some classes.”
Classes of entry to the PRHIR will include CSA Spinnaker Racing, CSA Spinnaker Racer-Cruiser, CSA J24, IC24, CSA Performance Cruiser, CSA Jib & Main, IC24s, Beach Cat and native-built Chalanas.
“We will also host the Puerto Rico International Dinghy Regatta, a two-day event, on March 20 and 21,” said Ayala. “The Optimists, Lasers and Laser Radials will sail right off the beach.”
There is an entry fee of US $300.00 for all classes except Beach Cats and Chalanas; the Beach Cats fee is US $100.00 and the Chalanas fee is US $150.00. Entries received after March 1, 2010 will be charged $350.00 for all the classes except Beach Cats and Chalanas.
Entry fee for Optimist and Laser Classes; US $50.
The PRHIR marks the second leg of the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle, or C.O.R.T. Series, which begins February 19 to 21, 2010 with the St. Croix International Regatta and concludes April 2 to 4, 2010 with the BVI Spring Regatta in Tortola. At the conclusion of the three-race series, the first, second and third place boats in each of the classes – Spinnaker A, Spinnaker B, Racer-Cruiser, Performance Cruiser, IC24, and Jib & Main – will receive prizes.
The 162-slip Palmas del mar Marina offers facilities for yachts up to 200’ with a restaurant, bar and grill, showers, pool, shops, deli and other services on the property, plus more restaurants within walking distance of the marina. Rooms at Palmas del Mar Hotel & Villas will be offered at a discounted rate for regatta participants. In addition, there are villas for rent that sleep 12 and come with a private boat slip. The Yacht Club at Palmas del Mar is located inside the resort community of Palmas del Mar, in Humacao
