Rebecca (above) first raced in the Superyacht Challenge Antigua six years ago. It was an auspicious debut, since she took first-place honors. The 140-foot (42-meter) sailing superyacht further went on to race in the same event three more times. Rebecca is ready to compete a fifth time, too, with the ninth edition of this Caribbean regatta taking place in January.
Many regattas around the world naturally attract owners and their crews. The Superyacht Challenge Antigua is popular for staying true to the spirit of the islands. The atmosphere is casual. Sure, crews get competitive, and owners want to vie for bragging rights to the Gosnell Trophy (below). But, the social events are laid-back, come-as-you-are comfortable. In addition, no title sponsorships exist, therefore keeping the focus on fun.
Hosted at the historic Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua, the race takes place this coming year from January 30 to February 3. Five races take place over the four days. Just as in past years, the Superyacht Challenge Antigua caps the entries to 12 to 15 sailing superyachts. Besides Rebecca, you can expect to see several returning competitors. For instance, Spiip is defending her title in the Corsairs Class. The same-size (112 feet/34 meters) Nilaya is back as well, having won in 2016. Notably, this is just her third Superyacht Antigua Challenge, but she’s won high-profile races like the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup.
Yet another repeat racer, the ex-Timoneer, now known as Catalina, is coming. This 148-footer (45-meter) is a longtime favorite, for good reason. The bell that forms the Gosnell Trophy is actually her old bell. When she was Timoneer, her owners donated it, due to thoroughly enjoying the spirit of the regatta. The idea behind the trophy, therefore, is not just to award a race winner, but also to reward the right spirit ashore.
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