Charter Yachts Win at Superyacht Challenge Antigua 2017

By Rebecca Bradbury 8 February 2017

The 34m/112ft charter yacht KAWIL and the 34m/112ft charter yacht SPIIP won first place in their respective classes at the 2017 Superyacht Challenge Antigua.

On Sunday 5^th February, the final encounter of the Superyacht Challenge Antigua rounded up three days of thrilling racing in the sparkling Caribbean sunshine, with 20 knots of breeze and an infectious camaraderie among the superyacht owners in attendance.

The pursuit-style racing began along the southern coast of Antigua on Friday 3^rd February and saw Derecktor-built sailing yacht KAWIL take the lead in the Buccaneers class after an exhilarating two and a half hours of racing.

On day two, the sailing yacht had to settle for second place in the first race of the day, while a win in the afternoon meant she was in joint place with Classen’s 28m/90ft sailing yacht ACADIA going into the finale.

A course of approximately 18 miles, which tested every angle of sail, saw both yachts match race the entire track in an adrenaline-pumping climax and, after the ORCsy time correction, KAWIL secured first place, thus winning the regatta’s overall Buccaneers class.

charter yacht KAWIL and sailing yacht DANNESKJOLD take to the water at the Superyacht Challenge Antigua 2017

charter yacht KAWIL in action before securing first place at the Superyacht Challenge Antigua 2017

In the Corsairs class, the first day of racing saw last year’s winner, the 34m/112ft sailing yacht NILAYA from Baltic Yachts, finish ahead of the entire class despite being the last to go in the staggered start.

Royal Huisman’s SPIIP and the 32m/105ft charter yacht DANNESKJOLD from Southern Ocean Marine finished close behind in second and third place respectively. But both enjoyed further success on day two of racing, with the former showing her prowess to take the win in the first race of the day, with the latter in second place.

Yet in race two of day two, NILAYA took the win from SPIPP by the finest of margins after having to retire earlier the day's earlier contest.

The two rivals then went head-to-head in the final, and it was NILAYA who secured the win but after ORCsy time correction, SPIIP was announced as the winner of day three of racing as well as the overall winner of the regatta’s Corsairs Class.

Fellow charter yacht DANNESKJOLD managed to maintain her position in third place, meaning success for all the participating yachts currently on the charter market.