Welcome to the
fourth invitational
St.Maarten - St.Martin
Classic Yacht Regatta
2009
January 22-23-24-25
click here for the latest news
St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta 2009 great success
despite low turn out.
The economic crises has apparently also affected the Classic
Regatta which was held over the week-end here out of Great Bay.
Only four classic yachts finally raced out of over fifteen that
organizer West Indies Events expected.
Seven boat owners decided to ship their classics back to Europe
early, two from St.Barth's had to return on the registration day
due to technical problems and two times winner Charm III and a
new arrival on St.Maarten "Magnolia" stayed in Bobby's Marina
with a lot of work still to be done before they will be able to
sail again.
Several other yachts had charter offers in the Virgin Islands
and preferred to make some money rather than to sail for fun in
St.Maarten.
Nevertheless, the weather conditions and courses delivered a
great spectacle and all participants had a fantastic regatta.
Infanta, owned by UK Classic Yacht Club commodore Tim Blackman,
sailed across the Atlantic in the "Transat Classique" to
participate in St.Maarten and finished in third place.
The beautiful wooden schooner "RainDancer" was slower than the
others in the light winds and finished fourth.
St.Kitts 12M "Kate" was second overall and last year's winner
"Lone Fox" scored a bullet each day and won the overall price
and a Magnum of Mumm Champagne.
St.Maarten company DHL together with Heineken Light sponsored
the openings party for over one hundred crew and guests at the
Greenhouse and Smitt and Dorlas Expresso, Cappuccino and other
Coffee was provided complimentary all days during the event.
On Saturday all participants enjoyed a free beach barbecue in
front of the Pasangrahan hotel.
A well attended award giving party with the string band the
Jollie Boys and great food at the Greenhouse closed of the
yearly regatta.
Special thanks to the volunteers, Chocoo, Ilene, Pam, Anke and
many others
Thanks Rien Korteknie and the technical committee people like
Alfred, David, Laurie, Norman, Catherine, Mel, Tom, Kenny Coombs
and others.
Thank you all sponsors
thank you john and Sunsail for the committee catamaran
Thank you Pascal for the press and water taxi / tow boat.
Thank you Jean Claude and the SNSM sea rescue
Thank you Heineken and Nathalie, Nilla, Norbert, the heineken
crew and others
Thank you Dany and DHL crew for the openings party and marc from
NC Watey insurance for the covering
Thank you Jan, ferdinand and others at WIB bank
Thank you Paul for the Smit and Dorlas coffee
Thank you marisa for the sandwiches and barbecue and thank you
rene for the tents
Thanks jonas for the pictures
Thank you etienne, zakki and all the crew of Fort Louis Marina
for the free docking and help
and thank you of course yacht owners, captains and crew for
sailing in our regatta
for
the fourth time, the invitational St.Maarten-St.Martin classic
yacht regatta will mark the official opening of the Caribbean
Classic Yacht Regatta season.
Each year, the third week of January in St.Maarten-St.Martin,
classic yacht owners, captains, crew and sail enthusiasts flock
to this Caribbean paradise to see acres of canvas, wooden masts,
schooners, spirit of tradition yachts, vintage and classics,
workboats and gaff cutters sailing in turquoise blue waters
surrounded by white sandy beaches.
Sint maarten / saint martin is one of the top tourism destinations in the Caribbean and together with the Island's tourism boards, a bunch of volunteers, the help of sponsors, marinas and businesses, press from all over the world and hard working people from our organization, we will continue to bring this extraordinary maritime event to the attention of all sailing enthusiasts world wide.
Antigua Classic Yacht
Regatta (the mother of the Caribbean Classics) gave us the
inspiration to start our classic regatta in St.Maarten-St.Martin
some years ago.
Grenada is the new kid on the block that our company West Indies
Events introduced last year
and the first Grenada Classic regatta the 3rd week of February went very well.
a Caribbean Classic Challenge will be
announced soon and a new
Caribbean classic regatta is on the drawing board...
we have already received the first registrations and we expect many yachts for the upcoming 2009 edition of the fourth Invitational St.Maarten-St.Martin classic yacht regatta.
The Caribbean Classic Yacht Regattas
"keeping the legends alive"
Have a good sail and I hope to sea ya soon
!
Best regards
Jan
