PHILIPSBURG:--- Organizers of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta (SHR) along with the community and visitors will be celebrating world-class sailing next March.
The organizers will be introducing a new class for boats crewed by two people. This class is being introduced due to its increasing popularity of this kind of racing according to the SHR.
“The popularity of two-handed racing has continued to grow, particularly since 2013 when a father and son crew won the Rolex Fastnet Race. Designers and boat builders have helped to drive the popularity of two-handed sailing with specifically designed boats such as the popular JPK 1010 and the exciting new J/121,” SHR said in a recent statement.
“Double-handed racing is an excellent opportunity to increase sailing skills which can then be used when racing on fully crewed boats and a smaller crew means less people to manage and logistics to organise.
“It’s also a fantastic way to hone skills as double-handed sailors have to understand what is required in all the different race positions,” the SHR statement adds.
“I would like to commend the organizers of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta for being innovative and actionable in order to deliver the ideal serious sailing fun at the 39th edition of the regatta come March 2019.
“The addition of the two-handed crew race shows that after 38+ years, the regatta is an institution within the maritime sector of the country which has adapted over time and evolves with sailing trends making it the leading regatta in the north eastern Caribbean.
“Sailors in March 2019 can look forward to another stunning sailing event that will once again exceed the expectation of all those who attend for some serious sailing fun,” Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Friday.
