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round barbados race series
2015
Mount Gay Round Barbados Series
The ultimate Red Hat party is in full swing...
Since its relaunch five years ago the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series has developed into an event that offers golden opportunities for teams looking for top class but seriously fun racing...
There can be few sailing venues to beat Barbados… host to the ultimate Mount Gay Rum Red Hat Crew Party. Barbados, the home of Mount Gay Rum, and affectionately dubbed as the seafarers’ Mecca, continues to attract those who enjoy a fun element along with the serious side of sailing. The Mount Gay series, which incorporates three days of coastal racing, the headline event – the Mount Gay Rum Round Barbados Race – and a final 300- mile ocean race to Antigua to tie up with the Superyacht Challenge, is organised by Barbados Cruising Club in association with Barbados Tourism Marketing and Mount Gay. Next year the event, which runs from 16 to 24 January 2016, celebrates its 80th anniversary, which means there’ll be even more of an excuse for a week of hot sailing and rum-fuelled partying. By the nature of its date, which always falls in mid-January, this annual regatta marks the opening of each Caribbean race season. It not only serves as a warm-up for teams competing on the Caribbean circuit, but also acts as the perfect post- Christmas winter escape for crews from the Northern Hemisphere. The Mount Gay Rum Round Barbados Race, which traditionally takes place on a public holiday (21 January) to celebrate Errol Barrow Day (birthday of the first Prime Minister of Barbados and ‘father’ of independence… and also keen member of the Barbados Cruising Club), is one of the key attractions of the annual series. While big boat racing teams from around the world are beginning to recognise the event as a strong component of the Caribbean race circuit there are also more and more charter and blue water
38 SEAHORSE
cruising yachts taking part. Overseas competitors, who made up a large part of the 49-strong fleet in 2015, represented 11 countries including a strong contingent from the UK, plus teams from Canada, New Zealand, the USA, Lithuania, Slovakia, France, Poland, Germany, Argentina, plus of course many neighbouring islands. Event manager Alene Krimholtz commented: ‘We are delighted that this event has re-established itself not only as a major island attraction, but also as a key regatta on the Caribbean circuit. One of the main incentives, other than the warm Caribbean waters, miles of gold sandy beaches and generally constant 12-18kt east to east-north-east trade winds… is the opportunity to break records in the 60-mile Round Barbados Race. We hope the 2016 event, which celebrates 80 years for the series, will encourage even more teams to join the fun.’
The teams on British charter company yachts were notable for their impressive performances in 2015. The Bénéteau 40 Lancelot II – a Britannia corporate charter yacht sailed by Chris Jackson and a team from Slovakia – won the CSA Racing division, while the British Stormforce Coaching charter yacht Palpatine (Stimson 42) skippered by Doug Innes took line honours in the Round the Island Race and in doing so also won the 50ft-and-under class. Although the potentially challenging upwind passage to Barbados can act as a deterrent to some overseas visitors, those who do make the journey generally all agree that once they arrive in Bridgetown it is one of the most logistically friendly Caribbean regatta venues. The host club – Barbados Cruising Club
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