For Antigua Sailing Week 2016 Presidente Beer Lay Day fun is back at Pigeon Beach on Wednesday 27th April. Following on from the big Luciano concert sponsored by Johnnie Walker the night before, it is the perfect day to hit the beach and enjoy some good clean Caribbean fun, cold Presidente Beer and competition.
Now in its fourth year, the Nonsuch Bay RS Elite Challenge kicks off the day at 12 pm. A stadium style spectator regatta with the perfect viewing platform of the beach, the Challenge is a one-day invitational one-design racing event featuring 24-foot RS Elite keel boats. Antigua’s luxury sailing resort Nonsuch Bay is the sponsor of this exciting event.
2015 RS Elite Course Credit: Paul Wyeth
Eight hot racing teams will compete with some world renowned skippers at the helm including: two time Olympic Silver medallist and 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race winner Ian Walker; Antigua Sailing Week 2016 Principal Race Officer and Olympic Finn sailor Stuart Childerley; 2015 defending champion Pietro Corbucci; Laura Dillon, tactician for Oyster 82 Zig Zag; Doug Fisher of Ker 37 Dingo; and a mystery skipper from the Royal Southern Yacht Club.
Fierce local competition will be provided by two Antiguan teams – the first headed up by Antiguan Olympic Laser sailor Karl James; the second by one of the most active participants of Caribbean regatta, Bernie Evan-Wong of Team TAZ – Conviction. Both boats will be looking for local support from the beach to cheer them on against the visiting competitors. Three teams – Stuart Childerley, Ian Walker and Bernie Evan-Wong – will include Antiguan youth sailors as crew.
It’s an exciting event that spectators love. Racing is held in close proximity to the beach and compere, Puerto Rican sailor Jaime Torres, along with Louay ‘Superlative’ Habib keep everyone updated and entertained with the on-the-water action. Racing is done in two preliminary heats of three races each. The two top finishers of each heat go to the final round which also consists of three races. All races are approximately 15 to 20 minutes in length, keeping them challenging and exciting to watch! The skipper of the victorious team will win a fantastic all-inclusive week’s stay on Antigua’s stunning east coast compliments of sponsor Nonsuch Bay Resort.
The whole beach will be full of life from midday with DJ Stiffler providing the laid back recovery vibe needed to get over the big party the night before, then DJ Irish and NMI Promotion kick it up a notch with fun beach games, a water trampoline, Presidente beer drinking competitions and many opportunities to get wet. DJ Woodenfoot takes over just in time for sunset and will take the party into the night. Food vendors will have grills fired up from 12 pm right through the evening and sponsor Nonsuch Bay Resort will have star chef Mitchell Husbands delivering gourmet barbecue for those who want a taste of something a little different.
Here’s a reminder of last years Lay Day. If you like what you see, take the afternoon off work and head down early to the beach, raft up or dinghy in. Shuttles will be running from 12 o’clock from Nelson’s Dockyard and Antigua Yacht Club so come and join in the fun.
For more information about Nonsuch Bay Resort go to: www.nonsuchbayresort.com/