Stunning Start to the Inaugural North Sound Maxi Regatta
Today marked the long-awaited debut of the North Sound Maxi Regatta, as seven of the world’s most elite Maxi yachts set sail on the stunning waters of the North Sound.
The first day of racing saw two windward/leeward races with two different winners – Galateia, followed by V – kicking off the five-day competition. The Maxi Regatta will run from March 21-25, with the fleet – featuring Balthasar, Bullitt, Deep Blue, Galateia, Leopard, Lucky, and V – competing in a series of windward/leeward races and coastal sprints. All set against one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world. On Sunday morning, the Regatta will introduce its first-ever Maxi Triple Head Sunday, a time trial to determine the fleet's fastest yacht and award the coveted title of Fastest in the North Sound.
In true Caribbean style, the teams were given a warm welcome, starting with the official opening party hosted at the beautiful and exclusive Moskito Island last night. This evening Saba Rock provided the perfect setting for sundowners and a North Sails kite show, creating unforgettable moments to kick off the regatta.
Race Officer, Stuart Childerley shared his thoughts on the first day: "The first day of the North Sound Maxi Regatta was just stunning conditions. The first race we saw an average of 8kts and were sailing right up under Necker Island. The scenery was just fantastic, a very close race. Then, in the second race, we saw around 9-10 kts average, a very similar direction. So, two really nice races. Good starts by everyone, no incidents, and a lot of nice dockside camaraderie at the end of the day."
Simon Fisher, Navigator onboard Galateia, who lead at the end of Day 1: “Good start for us onboard Galateia. Obviously, it’s a very competitive fleet and we are all very keen to have a good regatta here, so there’s a bit of pressure on. It was a light air day, very shifty, quite tricky out there, but we are really happy to come away with a win in the first race and we managed to get some shifts right in difficult conditions.”
Ken Read, North Sails President and Tactician of V on the Maxi Regatta: “This has been a special event already. You look at the welcome party we had last night and the exuberance felt by all the teams, all the owners, it’s a totally different vibe here. It was good to finally get out on the racecourse today and into things. Your best buddies the night before, are certainly not your best buddies anymore out on the water. It’s such a competitive group, and it’s not going to get any easier, only going to get tighter, and there’s a good fun week ahead.”
The North Sound is truly one of the most beautiful venues in the world, and with four days still to go, things are just getting started.
Full Results: maxiregatta.com/#results
