Antigua Sailing Week 2026 concludes with close racing and strong winds

The final day of Antigua Sailing Week 2026 on April 26 saw cruisers returning home while racers battled shifting winds, light rain, and rising seas from Ffryes Beach to English Harbour in a tightly contested finish.

Sailors navigated the changing winds and the light rain which resulted in the race becoming fast and challenging at the same time. By the time the boats reached English Harbour, wind speed increased to 18-20 knots and there were large waves outside the harbour.

Paul Bennet said that his boat named Caipirinha had a difficult start but improved gradually as the race went on. His boat went to achieve top position after passing Pelican Island. He explained that different boats experienced different wind conditions, even when sailing close to each other. He bagged the overall second place finisher in CSA Class 3.

Race Officer Chris Mansfield said that the course allowed sailors to sail all the way around Antigua. He noted that it was more windy that day as compared to earlier this week, which made racing more exciting. He also pointed out that some boats like Westwind, Sete Mares and others performed well in these stronger conditions.

CSA Class 1 resulted in one of the closest finishes of the day with getting first position along with boats Eira and Ilions crossing the finish line just one second apart and bagging second and third position.

Race Officer Chris Mansfield said that this highlighted the impressive talent and endurance of all the teams throughout the event.

In the cruising group, sailors on Mystic Lee embraced the varied conditions and the chance to sail around the island. Crew member Rob Britts said, “Our crew elected to make it a leisurely sail and just enjoy the vast beauty this island has to offer.”

Back at the Nelson’s Dockyard, crew filtered ashore and were greeted by music, English Harbour Rum and lively conversations after a full week on the water.

For the time being the preparations were taking place for the final prize giving ceremony where class winners and overall champions were recognized. That brought the 2026 edition of Antigua Sailing Week to a close.