The fifth annual Anguilla Regatta will take place on May 11, 12 and 13 in the beautiful sheltered harbour of Road Bay Anguilla. Many yachts are expected to participate from neighbouring islands including St. Martin/St. Maarten, St. Barths, Antigua and the BVI. Other participants include sailors flying in from the USA and Europe to crew on various boats with crew needed.

This year’s regatta is presented by the Anguilla Sailing Association (ASA) in partnership with the Anguilla Tourist Board and includes three days of yacht racing, three 12 Metre Challenges and two Traditional Anguilla Boat Races.

The ASA is excited to announce that in addition to the “Battle of the Banks” 12 Metre Race, two other races will take place on the 12 Metre Boats. These boats, which are the actual yachts used in the 1987 America’s Cup, are fast and challenging. The “Battle of the Banks” pits the National Bank of Anguilla against the Caribbean Commercial Bank for the fifth time. The racing series is tied at two wins for each of the indigenous banks and this year’s challenge will put one ahead as the definitive winner for the upcoming year. In addition to the “Battle of the Banks,” Temenos/St. Regis will take on Viceroy and The Shoal Bay Development will take on Fairmont Anguilla – a new development project located in the Forest/Rey Hill/Long Path area.

The ASA and the Anguilla Boat Race Authority (ABRA) have been working in cooperation to bring local boat racing at its best as a warm-up for the annual Anguilla Day Boat Race. Sunday, May 13th will see Sandy Ground come alive as the Anguilla Racing Boats are joined by their colleagues from neighbouring St. Martin/Sint Maarten for a “B Class” Boat Race starting in the late morning. The boats will sail the Prickly Pear Course and will set the stage for the 5th Annual Sir Bobby Velasquez Boat Race on Sunday afternoon. “A Class” boats will compete for the coveted perpetual trophy that was last won by De Tree in the 2006 Regatta. The “A Class” Racing Boats will sail a modified version of the “Beach Jam” Course and will be visible at many prime spots for spectators to cheer them on. This race is for points and will have all of your favourite Anguilla Racing Boats competing for this year’s title and some great prizes.

Another new addition to this year’s regatta is the inclusion for the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club’s Racing Team competing in the first annual Anguilla Regatta Optimist Exhibition Race. At least six young sailors from the AYSC will compete against each other and showcase what they have learned over the past year as they compete for prizes and the chance to be the first AYSC Champion. This race will happen on Sunday afternoon and will be visible just off the beach in Sandy Ground as well as from South Hill/Back Street area.

The schedule of events for the 2007 Anguilla Regatta is as follows:
Thursday, May 10th:
• Yachts arrive throughout the day
• Registration – 2:00p – 5:00p – ASA Building
• Skipper’s Briefing for ALL participating boats and captains – 6:00p – Roy’s Bayside Grill
• Welcoming Party – Roy’s Bayside Grill

Friday, May 11th:
• First Yacht Race – 9:00a – “Beach Jam Course”
• Prize Giving – 5:00p – Main Stage (near Johnno’s)
• Party – Elvis’ Beach Bar – 9:00p

Saturday, May 12th:
• First Yacht Race – 9:00a – Triangle Course
• 12 Metre Challenge – Temenos/St. Regis vs. Viceroy – 9:00a – Beach Jam Course
• Second Yacht Race – 1:00p – Triangle Course (may be up to four races – time permitting)
• 12 Metre Challenge – NBA vs. CCB – 1:30p – Beach Jam Course
• Prize Giving – 5:00 – Main Stage
• Party – The Pumphouse – 9:00p

Sunday, May 13th:
• First Yacht Race – 9:00a – Prickly Pear Course
• 12 Metre Challenge – Shoal Bay vs. Fairmont Anguilla - 10:00a – Modified Prickly Pear Course
• “B Class” Local Boat Race – 11:00a – including boats from St. Martin/St. Maarten – Modified Stem to Stem Course
• Anguilla Youth Sailing Club Exhibition Optimist Regatta – Road Bay Course – 12:00 Noon – throughout the afternoon
• “A Class” Local Boat Race – 2:00p – Modified Beach Jam Course
• Prize Giving & Overall Prizes – 5:00 – Main Stage
• Live Music – on the Main Stage – 5:00 – until…

Course Descriptions
Beach Jam Course:
The Beach Jam Course is one of the most exciting race courses in the regatta. This course will be used over the three racing days for all of the boats in one way or another. The course sees the boats starting in Road Bay and heading West and passing below Anguillita. The boats sail up the South side of the island and must hit marks in Maunday’s Bay at Cap Juluca and another in Rendezvous Bay at Cuisinart Resort & Spa. These marks bring the boats very close to the beach and allow spectators on the beaches to see and hear, up close, the excitement and hard work of the sailors on board all of the boats. The boats then make their way back to Road Bay for an exciting finish that can be seen from the beach at Sandy Ground or from South Hill.

Prickly Pear Course:
This course starts just off of Road Bay and sends the boats onto Crocus Bay. The boats will round a mark in Crocus Bay and head out to Prickly Pear where they will round another mark and head to Mead’s Bay. At Mead’s Bay the boats will round a mark just off the beach and will proceed to the finish at Road Bay. There are great opportunities for spectators to watch these races from Sandy Ground, Crocus Bay, Mead’s Bay and South Hill.

Triangle Course:
The start line for the Triangle Course is located between Sandy Island and Crocus Bay. The boats will head into Crocus Bay and round a mark before heading North to a mark in the sea. The boats will then head towards Sandy Island and round a mark just North of Sandy Island. They will then sail across the start line back into Crocus Bay and will round the mark again before heading back to the mark just off Sandy Island. After rounding that mark for the second time, the boats will finish on the same line as the start. Spectators can see this race from Crocus Bay and Crocus Hill. This race is great for watching from a boat where you can be up close and see and hear all of the excitement.

The Anguilla Sailing Association and the Anguilla Tourist Board are excited for the fifth annual Anguilla Regatta and look forward to strong participation of the community and our visiting sailors. The ASA was created in 2003 as an association dedicated to bringing sailing, and the love of sailing, to Anguilla in many different ways. The ASA has been the organizing body of the first four regattas and, last June, opened the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club. The Anguilla Youth Sailing Club (AYSC) teaches sailing to Anguillian children during after school and holiday programmes. Through donations from local and international companies and friends, the AYSC has a fleet of eight Optimist Dinghies, an internationally recognized teaching boat for youth as well as a J24 keelboat which was donated by Mr. Ralph Smith in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Anguilla. The AYSC Racing Team participated in their first Optimist Regatta in November 2006 hosted by the Sint Maarten Yacht Club and took first place in the Silver Class. They hosted their first Optimist Regatta in February, 2007 and also took a first place in the Green Class.

All proceeds from the 2007 Regatta go to the AYSC and the goal for the coming year is to increase the sailing fleet by purchasing additional boats for older children.

For more information about the 2007 Anguilla Regatta or the Anguilla Sailing Association and the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club, please visit our websites at www.anguillaregatta.com or www.sailanguilla.com. Ryan Kuja, the Director of the AYSC can be reached at (264) 584-SAIL(7245).

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