Antigua Racing Cup targets teams racing the Caribbean Spring Circuit

ANTIGUA--Antigua and Barbuda is set to debut the inaugural Antigua Racing Cup from April 9-12, 2026, introducing a new performance-focused regatta designed to fit into the Caribbean sailing season for teams already active in the region and looking for a concentrated, race-centered week before transitioning to summer campaigns.

Organizers are positioning the event as an additional option for programs competing across the spring circuit, including teams involved in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, BVI Spring Regatta, and RORC Caribbean 600, as well as boats arriving in the Caribbean via the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers and the RORC Transatlantic Race.

The Antigua Racing Cup is being marketed as a quality-first event aimed at performance-oriented teams rather than a large festival-style regatta. Race courses are expected to be shaped around the fleets competing, with the use of virtual marks intended to support precision and faster course adjustments based on conditions. The event is also expected to include an International Jury, reinforcing the focus on consistent race management and results.

Organizers have outlined an approach centered on clear class splits, course design that allows boats to perform as intended, and a competitive identity rooted in fair racing and credible outcomes.

Scheduled for early April, the Antigua Racing Cup is intended to sit at a logical point in the season, after the winter offshore events and key spring regattas, and before boats and crews begin moving back to Europe and North America for summer racing schedules.

Rather than competing for attention with existing regattas, the event is positioned to capture boats already in the region, offering a condensed four-day close to the season for teams looking to maximize racing time without adding complex logistics.

Antigua’s south coast, including waters off English Harbour and the Falmouth area, will serve as the base for racing. This location is being presented as a practical advantage for teams managing tight schedules, fatigue, and turnaround demands, with shorter transits intended to reduce time spent motoring and increase time on the race course.

Antigua’s established sailing infrastructure is also being emphasized as part of the event’s foundation, including marine services, boatyards, and experienced race management capacity that supports visiting programs throughout the season.

A notable competitive feature will be dual scoring under both CSA and IRC. Organizers say the approach is designed to reflect the mixed fleets common in Caribbean racing and to reduce barriers for participation by allowing both visiting international teams and Caribbean-based programs to compete without changing how they already campaign their boats.

The dual-scoring format is also being presented as a way to support smoother transitions between offshore and inshore racing across the spring calendar.

Early entries are reported to be taking shape, including multihull participation. The initial mix is described as aligning with the event’s intent of drawing programs already active across the Caribbean, including returning competitors from established Antigua regattas, offshore racing teams, and locally based high-performance boats.

The Antigua Racing Cup is supported by the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, and National Parks Antigua. The event is being framed as part of a broader strategy to strengthen sailing and marine sport as a pillar of tourism and reinforce Antigua’s role as a leading Caribbean sailing destination.

Source of information: Caribbean Journal, reporting by Guy Britton.

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