With a blast of the starting gun, 67 boats from 22 countries took off from the waters around the Pillars of Hercules, embarking on a 600-mile dash around the Caribbean.
From up on Shirley Heights, spectators had a front-row seat to the chaos of sails, spray, and sheer determination. Among the racers—and weaving cheekily between them—was Antigua’s kite-surfing champion Tiger Tyson, making the most of the wind.
Enthusiastic onlookers dashed between Shirley Heights, Blockhouse and Devil’s Bridge, desperate to keep up with the action. As one race fan put it, “Where else can you be just 100 feet from the boats and look down on the start of a race—especially one this thrilling?”
The fleet is as eclectic as ever. At just 15 years old, Carrack Jones (crewing on Huey Too) is the youngest competitor, while 82-year-old Bob Manchester (Vamoose) proves that saltwater and adventure keep you young.
Last year’s improbable photo-finish between the lightning-fast Argos and Maserati is still fresh in sailors’ minds, though this year’s nine-strong multi-hull fleet is missing the biggest beasts—but will still provide plenty of high-speed drama. Boats range from Antigua’s tiny Warthog to the mighty 30m Leopard 3, proving that size doesn’t matter—until the finish line.
With the mega-multis missing, the first boats aren’t expected back until Wednesday. No matter when they return, each will be welcomed with smiling volunteers, crates of beer, and a hearty “congratulations!” Some of the smaller boats might still be at sea when the Friday night party kicks off—but don’t worry, they’ll get the same warm welcome, perhaps with a “sorry you missed the party” thrown in for good measure!
Organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club RORC), the 600-mile course tests every sailor’s skill. It takes them around 11 islands, from Antigua to St Martin and Guadeloupe, passing Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba, and St Barth’s along the way. After weeks of strong winds, conditions have settled slightly for the race. The wind has shifted further south than usual, keeping crews on their toes.
With last week’s RORC Nelson Series, Sunday’s Mini Globe start, today’s Caribbean 600 start and more to come in the next couple of months, Antigua proves that she is indeed an international sailing power house.
To emphasise this, Antigua’s contingent is strong as ever, with an exciting youth entry on Warthog, skippered by Jules Mitchell. Fresh from winning the Antigua 360 race and taking the Nelson Series on countback, could this young team pull off a hat trick? The race is on!
