Oyster Regatta Antigua 2019 Race Report

A perfect start

Classic trade wind conditions blessed the first race of the 2019 Oyster Regatta Antigua, sponsored by Lewmar. Bright sunshine, and gorgeous tropical heat, combined with a solid easterly breeze to provide perfect conditions for the magnificent Oyster fleet. Race Officer Ben Mobley and Alan Brook chose exciting courses with fabulous vistas along the South Coast of Antigua. Starting right on time in Rendezvous Bay, Classes 1 & 2 were given a 19-mile course with a deep water mark off Shirley Heights as their top mark. Class 3 were given a 13-mile course with a top mark just outside Falmouth Bay. Both classes sailed to a bottom mark off the stunning Cades Reef, with teams dousing spinnakers just off Antigua's natural underwater park. After rounding Legacy to starboard inside Carlisle Bay, the final beat to finish was back to Rendezvous Bay.

After about three hours of heaven-sent racing, the Oyster fleet returned to English Harbour, eager for results. A Dock Party was held at the Superyacht Dock, resplendent with fine examples of Oyster Yachts. A vibrant steel band played a joyful tune during the prize-giving, with Caribbean delicacies on offer including Lobster Roti, Trinidad style Doubles, and other tempting Caribbean delicacies. Jenny Hadida and Lewmar Tech Support Co-ordinator Toby Price awarded the Race One prizes.

Class 1

Swedish Oyster 745 Pitanga, sailed by Henrik Nyman, started the regatta with a win by just under two minutes after time correction from Oyster 82 Starry Night of the Caribbean, skippered by Roger Whyld. Sir Richard Matthews' British Oyster 82 Midnight completed the podium and got the best start in the big boat class.

“The name of the yacht Pitanga is one of my daughter’s favourite words. It's pretty cool for an eight-year old to see that name on a beautiful boat,” commented Henrik Nyman. “When we race Pitanga the crew are sailors that I have met through taking courses, and from sailing locations around the world. But most of the time we cruise our Oyster with the family, we have visited some wonderful locations; Sardinia, Ischia, and the islands of Sicily, and we plan to take Pitanga back across the Atlantic to explore the Greek Islands. I work in Brazil, where the cities are so crowded, coming out sailing Pitanga is a great relief from what can be a stressful life. Previously we had an Oyster 625, but what we really like about the 745 is the size and layout of the galley, and the additional areas, especially the spacious aft deck. We have found that the bathing platform is excellent for a small dining table, it is an intimate place to dine with a superb view and atmosphere.”

Class 2

Oyster World Rally participant Wolfram Birkel, racing his German Oyster 625 Red Cat got the best start in Race One. However, Richard Smith, sailing British Oyster 655 Sotto Vento put in a stellar performance to win the opening race by just over two minutes from two American Oyster 625s. John McTigue's Irish Blessing took second place by just 43 seconds from Ed Rumble's Black Lion.

Richard Smith sailed Sotto Vento in the 2013-14 Oyster World Rally and has competed at over 20 Oyster Regattas. “Sotto Vento is often in Antigua and this year for the regatta I have a great crew of friends from home, and members of the Antigua Yacht Club, which I have recently joined. Sailing is a great sport for making good friends!” smiled Richard Smith. “We sailed well today, making just a few small mistakes, it was very exciting and close racing in beautiful conditions.”

Class 3

Ian Galbraith's Oyster 53 Jigsaw got the best start in Class 3. However, the biggest cheer at the prize giving was for David Pedley's Oyster 56 Sea Flute, which has just completed the Oyster World Rally. The team celebrated in style by winning the first race of the regatta. Simon Brown's Oyster 56 Britican held off a strong challenge from John Rutherford's Oyster 45 Degree of Latitude to take second place by just over a minute. Joakim Furusten Oyster 56 Bliss by just 23 seconds from making the podium.

Below is an extract from Lindy's blog from Sea Flute during the Oyster World Rally, giving just a taste of the amazing journey as they explored the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean:

“As if the Galapagos hadn't already blown our minds, it sent a pod of forty or so pilot whales and five sperm whales to keep us company for part of our journey. They came right up to the boat riding on our stern wave and were all around us, we didn't know where to look. We were like a gaggle of school kids whooping and laughing in our excitement!” Lindy - Sea Flute (April 2017).

The 2019 Oyster Antigua Regatta continues with the second race of the series on Tuesday 9th April. A longer passage race is in store for the Oyster fleet destined for the stunning Five Islands Harbour on the West Coast of Antigua.

RACE DAY 2

Whale Rendezvous!

It was a truly memorable day even before the start of the second day of the Oyster Antigua Regatta. Sponsored very appropriately by Dolphin Sails, a cetacean stole the limelight at the start of the show! The Oyster fleet left the safe confines of Nelson's Dockyard to the starting area off Rendezvous Bay to be advised by the race committee that a whale had been spotted in the vicinity. The Oyster fleet were advised to keep a watchful eye, and numerous members of the Oyster family gazed in amazement as the junior humpback whale, seemingly extremely at home, lobtailed its presence! The humpback was most definitely On-Course-Side for the start of Class 3, and inquisitively followed the Oyster Yachts to the first top mark.

The second race of the regatta was a passage race to Jolly Harbour of approximately 20 nautical-miles. After a short beat, the Oyster fleet cracked sheets to turn downwind for a three-hour festival of superb sailing. With brisk warm trade winds, slightly south of east, the course was almost dead downwind to a mark of Cades Reef. The fleet continued to the West Coast of Antigua, where clouds emanating from the rainforest, and a new breeze bending around the top of the island, conspired to push the wind forward. By the time Sandy Island came into view, the fleet where closed hauled. A reach to the finish off the stunning Five Islands Harbour, ensured that during the passage race the Oyster Yachts had encountered every point of sail. The Oyster Yachts were a magnificent sight under spinnakers but the humpback whale was the talk of the town after racing.

Class 1

Sir Richard Matthew's Oyster 82 Midnight took the gun for both classes, and overall line honours in an elapsed time of just under 2 hours and 15 minutes. “This is not our first regatta,” smiled Sir Richard, referring to the afterguard on Midnight, including the legendary Irish sailor Harold Cudmore, and multiple Dragon World Champion Poul Høj Jensen.

The whole team on board Midnight produced a faultless display of boat-handling, and not all of the moves were out of the traditional textbook. A goose-winged main and spinnaker, which requires perfect concentration and communication on an Oyster 82, was followed by a double-headed set as the wind went forward, and a spinnaker float drop, straight out of the top draw. It was impressive to say the least. Alan & Sue Parker's British Oyster 82 Dama de Noche was second. Oyster 745 Pitanga, and Oyster 82 Starry Night of the Caribbean both retired from the race.

Class 2

Wolfram Birkel's German Oyster 625 Red Cat once again made the best start. However, John McTigue's American Oyster 625 Irish Blessing, won a battle royal after time correction, with three yachts constantly swapping pole position throughout the race. A spectacular yet friendly competition ensued throughout the race. Irish Blessing took the win by under two minutes. Ed Rumble's American Oyster 625 Black Lion took line honours for the class and was second after time correction by just 23 seconds. British Oyster 655 Sotto Vento, sailed by Richard Smith made up the podium.   

Ed Rumble is relatively new to sailing and purchased the stunning jet-black Oyster 625 in 2012. “My first love was Rugby Union, and the Black Lions are my club in Chicago, hence the name,” explained Ed. “I wanted a really well-built, comfortable boat, primarily to sail across the Atlantic with my 15-year-old son, and it was an amazing experience for both of us. Black Lion was just perfect; safe, reliable and easy to handle, even with a small crew. The Atlantic crossing gave me the opportunity to learn so much about the boat in just a few weeks. For my son, the experience had a big impact on his outlook on life and still does. This is my first regatta with the boat in the Caribbean, and we have some really good sailors on board, which is really useful to develop my abilities, especially on the helm.”

Class 3

Joakim Furusten Swedish Oyster 56 Bliss scored a narrow win, crossing the finish line just 19 seconds ahead of Simon Brown's British Oyster 56 Britican. The top four Oysters in the class were all in contention. Yesterday's winner, David Pedley's British Oyster 56 Sea Flute, once again made the podium, just over two minutes behind Bliss. Chilean Oyster 46 Solway Mist, sailed by Christian Pazaro, was fourth. Ian Galbraith's Scottish Oyster 53 Jigsaw, was once again quickest off the start line.

Joakim and Cecilia Furusten are competing at the Oyster Antigua Regatta during their round-the-world adventure. Having purchased their Oyster 56, the yacht was substantially refitted at Fox's Yard in Norfolk UK, then sailed to Stockholm, Sweden. Bliss crossed the Atlantic at the start of this year, and after exploring the Caribbean, the couple will pass through the Panama Canal into the Pacific, continuing their planned three-year circumnavigation.

“We complement each other in that I am more driven, while Cecilia is more into planning and strategy,” commented Joakim. “We want to be as free as possible, the only thing we are guided by is the weather and the seasons. We will not race around the world, our goal is to look around and discover,” added Cecilia.

After the passage race to Jolly Harbour, the Oyster family gathered at one of Antigua's finest locations for a regatta dinner. Sugar Ridge is one of Antigua's newest luxury boutique resorts with beautifully landscaped grounds and inviting swimming pools. The fun doesn't end at an Oyster Regatta when the sun goes down, and after cocktails, dinner was served to the Oyster family. A live Jazz got the party going and with Lay Day at Jacqui O's Love Beach the following day, the fun lasted long into the night.

RACE DAY 3

Full Power in Antigua

The Oyster fleet was in its element for the third race of the Oyster Antigua Regatta, sponsored by Raymarine. With 20 knots of breeze from the south of east, peaking in the gusts at close to 30 knots, the early part of the race was a full-on beat into two-metre waves. The Oyster fleet was fully powered up, with white water hissing past the rail, sunshine sparkling in the spray, and close to 30 degrees of air temperature.

The wind strength eased in the latter part of the race, with the teams finding the best breeze improving their overall performance. The third race of the regatta was a passage race starting from outside Five Islands Harbour to a finish at Rendezvous Bay. Race Officer Ben Mobley and Alan Brook set a 13.5 mile course for Class 3, with a top mark off Falmouth Harbour, and a short downwind leg to finish off Rendezvous Bay. Classes 1 & 2 raced had a 19.5 mile course which included, shortly after the start, an additional six nautical mile leward-windward section.

Class 1

Henrik Nyman's Swedish Oyster 745 Pitanga put in a great performance to take Line Honours for the class and the race win on corrected time by over six minutes. The best start was by Oyster 82 Starry Night of the Caribbean, skippered by Roger Whyld. Starry Night was always a threat during the three-hour race but finished second. Sir Richard Matthews' British Oyster 82 Midnight completed the podium. Going into the last race tomorrow, Pitanga is just 0.25 points ahead of Midnight. However, the discard rule will apply after four races, giving Pitanga a commanding position.

Class 2

Ed Rumble's American Oyster 625 Black Lion scored their first win of the regatta to set a three-way tie for the class, the winner take all decider will be Race 4. Black Lion took Line Honours for Race 3 just four minutes ahead of today's best starter, British Oyster 655 Sotto Vento, sailed by Richard Smith. John McTigue's at the helm of his American Oyster 625 Irish Blessing was third.

Davis and Bishop's Oyster 655 Meteorite was fourth for the race just ten seconds behind Irish Blessing after time correction. Hugh & Janice Bishop and Debbie & Andy Davis sailed Meteorite in the Oyster World Rally and it has been an emotional return to Antigua, where the great adventure started two years ago. “The Oyster Regatta is great, we are not scoring as well as some of the more competitive teams but we are winning hands down in terms of fun factor!” laughed Hugh Bishop. “Coming back to Antigua where we set off around the world does make you reflect on the incredible adventure,” commented Andy Davis. “I am not an emotional guy but I must admit to the feelings welling up now, especially as there are so many Oyster World Rally sailors crewing in the regatta, and these people are our friends for life.”

Class 3

David Pedley's British Oyster 56 Sea Flute scored their second win of the regatta, retaining the lead for the class and establish a strong position to win the regatta. Joakim Furusten Swedish Oyster 56 Bliss got the best start but was runner-up today. Chilean Oyster 46 Solway Mist, sailed by Christian Pazaro, was fourth.

John Rutherford is racing his Oyster 45 Degree of Latitude at the Oyster Regatta Antigua. John is a past Rear-Commodore of the Royal Southern Yacht Club and Degree of Latitude crossed the Atlantic with the ARC last December. “People should go to far away places, and I chose an Oyster because the boat gives you great confidence because of the build quality, also Oyster's after sales service is second to none. The survey supplied when I purchased the boat was extremely well documented. Having people like Eddie Scougall here in Antigua, is a real bonus because we get advice from a real expert.  We have been cruising in the Southern Caribbean before the regatta, as far down as Tobago Cays, which has been absolutely fabulous, and we will be flying the flag for the Royal Southern later this month at Antigua Sailing Week.”

After the passage race, the Oyster Fleet returned to Nelson's Dockyard for the daily prize giving, which was held inside the Copper and Lumber Hotel with Jenny Hadida awarding the prizes. Sea Flute's Tom Pedley went up to collect the race prize and the Oyster Family sang Happy Birthday, a touching gesture. A Caribbean Barbecue was served with music supplied by an acoustic set from superb Antiguan guitarist Joshu. Racing at the Oyster Antigua Regatta will conclude tomorrow Friday 12th April with the fourth and final race of the series.

RACE DAY 4

Rolling in the Deep

The final day of racing at the Oyster Antigua Regatta was held in sublime conditions, big rolling Caribbean waves, brilliant sunshine and tropical heat. The fleet experienced full ocean conditions especially at the deep water mark Standfast, four miles offshore on the very edge of the continental shelf. The Oyster fleet powered to windward to be rewarded with a downwind reach in ocean swell, followed by a downwind leg along the stunning rocky coastline of Antigua. Class 1 had two laps of the triangular section of the course for a 22-mile race, Classes 2 & 3 had one lap for a 16-mile race. The entire fleet finished downwind in Rendezvous Bay. A swell of over two metres produced exhilarating sailing conditions to round off a spectacular regatta on the water and set the scene for the final big party in one of Antigua's most exclusive locations.

Class 1

The tremendous battle between Henrik Nyman's Swedish Oyster 745 Pitanga and Oyster 82 Starry Night of the Caribbean, skippered by Roger Whyld had produced exciting racing for the entire regatta. Starry Night was first over the line and controlled the start and during the race passed Pitanga to leeward with their huge kite flowing in the wind. However, Pitanga prevailed to score their third win of the regatta to win the class. Starry Night was second, and Sir Richard Matthews British Oyster 82 Midnight was third.

“Of course it was good to win, and the important thing is that we are getting better and better, the team sailed very well,” commented Henrik Nyman. “It is so nice to sail in Antigua with such a huge variety of courses provided by people who are experienced in organising these regattas. To feel the power of the wind and the sea, to be surrounded by all these wonderful people - it can't be better than that. I am very happy and I would like to say that the owner of Starry Night is a great sportsman, and that is one of the things I have learned from this regatta, and I appreciate that a lot.”

Class 2

With the top three teams tied going into the last race, there was drama right at the start of the final race with Ed Rumble's American Oyster 625 Black Lion called over the line at the start, along with Wolfram Birkel's German Oyster 625 Red Cat. A thrilling race ensued with the outcome uncertain even after the finish. British Oyster 655 Sotto Vento, sailed by Richard Smith, was awarded first place in the race by just five seconds on corrected time. However, under the rules of the regatta, Black Lion and Sotto Vento were awarded equal points, which meant that the class winner was Black Lion after a tie break. John McTigue's at the helm of his American Oyster 625 Irish Blessing, made the best start for Race 4 and finished third in class for the regatta.

“That's as close as it gets, any of the class could have won!”, commented Ed Rumble. “My aspirations for this regatta were to have fun, meet some new people and enjoy my boat. I did all that incredibly well and more. I am new to big boat sailing and this event has been astounding. The Oyster team have done a great job and the people I have met have been great. We have been getting the boat in shape for about a year, and my Captain has done a great job of getting it ready and all that hard work has paid off. This win was very unexpected, but we are incredibly happy about it. I have made some fantastic friends here, the whole thing has been a wonderful experience. Black Lion is an incredible boat, and the excellent crew on board got us over that winning line.”

Class 3

John Rutherford's British Oyster 45 Degree of Latitude made the best start in the final race to score third for Race 4. However, David Pedley's British Oyster 56 Sea Flute won the race crossing the line just 27 seconds ahead of Joakim Furusten Swedish Oyster 56 Bliss. Simon Brown's British Oyster 56 Britican was fifth for the race, securing third for the regatta. Sea Flute was one of four Oysters in the regatta that had just sailed the globe in the Oyster World Rally.

“That was amazing!” commented David Pedley. “The win was totally unexpected, the boat has just sailed around the world, the sails have done tens of thousands of miles, we have a ton of spares on the boat, and we were not expecting to pick up the trophy. We entered for a bit of fun and we certainly got that, as well as a very close and competitive racing. All of the teams that did the Oyster World Rally have become very close friends, and to meet all of the other members of the Oyster family has been just incredible. I am off to Palma after we leave here, and I will definitely be sailing in the Palma regatta.”

The Oyster Antigua Regatta came to a conclusion at Clarence House in Nelson's Dockyard, built in 1783. The fine Georgian residence offered a stunning elevated view of the Oyster fleet nestled in the dockyard and a beautiful sunset over Antigua. Centuries-old stories are etched in the impressively restored house located in one of the most beautiful spots anywhere in the Caribbean.

Richard and Jenny Hadida were introduced by Oyster’s CCO Paul Adamson to present the prizes at the Oyster Antigua Regatta awards ceremony. There was a special thank you to Molly Marston from Oyster Yachts USA for her tireless work in organising the event, and also a special prize for Ian Galbraith, owner of Oyster 53 Jigsaw, who showed incredible sportsmanship during the regatta.

“Antigua is one of the most magical spots on the earth to go sailing, and to have the final night here at Clarence House in Nelson's Dockyard is just superb,” commented Oyster CEO Richard Hadida. “This is the new Oyster and my mission is to continue the legacy that Sir Richard Matthews has left us. Jenny and I have really loved the week, it has been super special, and as an Oyster owner, I feel that if I am happy then so are you. Massive respect should also go to the Oyster family that completed the Oyster World Rally, it is an incredible achievement.”

After the awards ceremony, delicacies from the renowned beach restaurant, Catherine's Cafe were served to the Oyster family. The internationally acclaimed Asher Otto and Itchy Feet took to the stage for a live set that lasted long into the evening. The Oyster Palma Regatta will take place 2nd - 5th October 2019 with a full programme of racing and parties at the fantastic city and sailing grounds of Mallorca, Spain.

View the 2019 Oyster Antigua Regatta image gallery