The 45th edition of the St. Marteen Heineken Regatta will begin on Thursday, March 6, on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten. The regatta is part of a Caribbean series that has been taking place on various islands since the beginning of January. It is the largest regatta in the Caribbean and probably the largest regatta in warm waters worldwide.
The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is a four-day event that will begin on Thursday, March 6, and end on Sunday, March 9. The competition attracts more than 20,000 participants annually—from young sailors to offshore professionals, businessmen, and international sailors from over several dozen countries.
The Caribbean season is mostly associated with offshore racing, but the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is closer to the racing style of small yacht sailors. Each day, at least one race is planned, and after it or after several races, the crews return to shore in the evening. In addition to the overall results of the regatta, there is a daily closing ceremony where the winners of the day are awarded.
Despite relatively stable winds at this time of year and in this region of the world, the organizers have ensured diversity in the competition, as the sailing instructions foresee a lot of different course variants. Competitors find out which course will be chosen only before each race day. Some courses are typical—upwind and downwind between buoys—but the longest versions span 40 nautical miles and lead around the island of St. Maarten or St. Barthelemy, located southeast of St. Maarten.
Heineken regatta: More information