The final day of racing was nothing short of legendary to wrap up an amazing 45th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Fleets made their way to their designated start boats out in Cole Bay and Simpson Bay. It was a delayed start waiting for the wind to fill in; so fleets were running the line, sailing through a sea of spectator boats who were waiting for the action to start. Race Committee reset the course 3 different times, but finally conditions delivered! Once the wind arrived, it sustained, giving sailors a champagne sailing day on the crystal-clear water.
The courses created by Race Committee were a mix of around the mark and windward leeward, taking fleets along the southwestern Dutch coastline – making their way to Maho and Mullet Bay Beaches. This is where the magic happened. It was a sea of colors as fleets approached the shoreline on their downwind legs, while planes soared overhead and landed at Princess Juliana International Airport. Fleets collided once again to create a dynamic scene of Bareboats, Volvos, Melges, Diams, J-Boats, Multihulls, and more, all racing together with an iconic St. Maarten backdrop.
The competition has been as close as ever, with many fierce match-ups within each class creating close standings that were settled out on the racecourses.
The race boats made their way to the same windward mark where the tone was set for the day. In CSA1, Sailing Poland strayed from the mark and lost ground, meanwhile Ocean Breeze was late hoisting their spinnaker. A clean mark rounding by Leaps and Bounds 2 earned them a strong lead to claim first but DNF the second race – losing out on an undefeated Regatta, yet still coming first overall in their class.
The close competition in CSA2 between DNR, GEM, and Kinship continued. DNR led the way rounding the mark followed by GEM and Kinship. But it would be Kinship to cross the finish, claiming their first win of the Regatta and coming third overall in the fleet. “It was a GEM of a day!,” said the DNR team as they walked off the stage with their awards at the final prize giving, teasing their friendly competitors.
Two teams were going for sweeps in their class heading into today’s races. Pata Negra in CSA3 and El Ocaso in CSA5 finished the Regatta undefeated! These two teams had strong leads in every race the last 4 days of competition. “Given the wind conditions, our boat was really favorable. We’re really happy with our performance. It’s an amazing Regatta, the seas here are always enjoyable, and we had a great time together. We’ll be back for sure!,” said crew member Steve Rigby after the final day of racing. El Ocaso went on to win the entire St. Maarten Heineken Regatta with a crew full of friends and family.
There were great performances in the Multihulls, Bareboats, and Island Time classes. Alethia claimed their first win of the Regatta in Island Time class, while Oceans Tribute took 1st in Multihull 1. La Novia was finally overthrown by Seaduction who took 1st for Multihull 2. “It’s not easy – it’s a fight on the water every day, but it’s exceptional here. We’ve been doing the regatta for the last 8 years and we’ll continue to do it for more,” said Georges Coutu of La Novia, a Regatta regular.
The atmosphere on the water today was something special. The turning mark at Mullet Bay delivered exhilarating scenes for the spectator boats and crowds on shore. Cheers erupted while race boats whipped around the mark as planes were landing and taking off. As the day was wrapping up, teams came over the radio thanking the Race Committee for their hard work, great organization, and particular course selection over the last 4 days, especially given the tough conditions.
The day on the water ended with a celebratory Bridge Show at the 2 PM Simpson Bay bridge opening. The Sint Maarten Yacht Club was packed with spectators to watch teams decked out in costumes putting on their finest performances. Shirts were off, Heineken was sprayed, sailors went up the masts, and there was even a proposal (she said yes!).
The final value for the final day of the 45th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is, fittingly, “celebration.” This year we are celebrating what makes the Regatta unique in its 45th anniversary. The scale of this internationally-acclaimed, bucket-list event is one you cannot describe until you come and experience it for yourself. The diversity and inclusivity are at the forefront of our values, and are represented on the water and on shore. Everyone is welcomed – sailors and tourists from all around the world, and island-wide locals.
Written by: Allegra Smith-Herriott
Photos: Karolina Soltaniuk