January 28^th 2010-Simpson Bay St.Maarten-Holland’s biggestReggae Star Ziggi will be opening on Sunday March 7^th for afantastic night of fun on KimSha Beach.

January 19, 2010, Simpson Bay– St. Maarten – With all eight entries now confirmed, this year’s Budget MarineMatch Racing Cup at the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is set to establish itselffirmly on the ladder as one of key match racing events in the Caribbean.

As well as entries received fromPeter Isler, Gavin Brady, and Peter Holmberg – three of the world’s mostrespected match racing skippers – there’s some other interesting names inmelting pot who’ll be racing for cash prizes totalling $10,000 at this ISAF-sanctionedGrade 5 event,including Colin Rathbun, Eugeniy Nikiforov, Jakub Pawluk, Chris Nesbitt and MarcFitzgerald.

 The racing, to be held on Tuesday 2 March during the run-up to St.Maarten Heineken Regatta, will be based on a round-robin format and sailed in Lagoon Sailboat Rental’s fleet of six Jeanneau SunFast 20s, without spinnakers. The one-dayformat of this event, and the fact that there are just six boats for eightteams, means racing will be exceptionally action-packed with crews swappingboats after every flight to ensure racing is kept as fair as possible.

With a silver medal from the 1988 Games, and a win forAlinghi at the 32^nd America’s Cup in 2007, listed among hisexceptional sailing achievements, it wasn’t particularly surprising to seePeter Holmberg clean up at last year’s inaugural Budget Marine Match RacingCup. The good news is, he enjoyed it so much; he’ll be back to defend his title this year.

January 4, 2010, Simpson Bay –St.Maarten-- The Sint Maarten Yacht Club has just confirmed that both Peter Isler and Peter Holmberg will compete in the Budget Marine Match racing Cup which will take place on Tuesday March 2nd 2010. This event is in its second year and has quickly become an event that is drawing the sailors to the island. The Match Racing Cup takes place just before the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta and is a great opportunity for sailors already attending the regatta to compete in one more day of racing and with cash prizes totaling $10,000; the event is drawing a lot of attention from fellow sailors.

Peter Holmberg, native of St.Thomas and the winner of last year’s first ever Budget Marine Match Racing Cup will once again attend and defend his title as overall winner. Holmberg’s list of sailing accomplishments is significant with a silver medal in the 1988 Olympics and a second place in the Louis Vuitton Cup in Aukland New Zealand. Peter Holmberg also placed first in the 32nd Americas Cup in 2007. With quite a stellar sailing CV it is no wonder he took top honors in the 2009 event.

Peter Isler will also attend the event and will prove to be a fantastic competitor for the other crews. He is a two time Americas Cup Winner, and participated in five Americas Cup campaigns. Two time Maxi Class World Champion Isler has sailed aboard Pyewacket, Rambler, Titan 15, and Moring Glory to name just a few of the top notch racing boats he has worked. Peter’s commitment to sailing is evident in his many other “jobs”, as an author of “Sailing for Dummies”, as well as a regular contributor for Sailing World Magazine. Besides being an accomplished sailor Peter also puts time aside to sing in a band “The Water Brothers” and has quite an eclectic taste in music.

This matchup between the two Peter’s is one that all eyes will be on, but do not forget that there are six other competitors in the Budget Marine Match Racing Cup, of which one of them will be Eugeniy Nikiforov, ranked 45th as an ISAF Match Racer placing 1st in the Ekaterinburg Cup-a qualifier for the YAVA Trophy Ekaterinburg Russia. Nikiforov participated in the event in 2009 and placed 3rd overall. Other confirmed participants to date are Colin Rathbun, Chris Nesbitt, Marc Firtzgerald and Jakub Pawluk. There is still one spot left for those who are interested in qualifying. For more information contact the regatta organization at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information or send your sailing CV directly to be considered for the final position.

About the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta
The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is celebrating its 30th edition of "Serious Fun". The event takes place March 4 to 7 2010. The regatta has grown over the years and in 2008 hit a record high of 289 entires, this year the event looks forward to celebrating 30 year and organizers are pleased with the registered participants thus far. Founded in 1980 and having only 12 entries the event has continued to strive to a quality event.

The owners and organizing authority of the event is the Sint Maarten Yacht Club which is situated in Simpson Bay, St.Maarten. Heineken is the title sponosr and has been for the past 25 years. For more information visit www.heinekenregatta.com

About Budget Marine
Budget Marine was started in 1982 in St. Maarten and has since become the leading retailer and wholesaler of pleasure boat marine equipment in the Caribbean; experiencing sales in excess of 22 Million Dollars per year. The Group's 10 locations situtated in Antigua, Bonaire, Curacao, Grenada, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Thomas and Trinidad are comprised of 9 Chandleries, a Marine Lifestyle Boutique, and a Rigging Specialist.
Headquarters facility in Cole Bay, St. Maarten serves as administrative center, warehouse and wholesale/retail outlet. Also located in St. Maarten is our marine lifestyle boutique, Budget Nautique, and French-customer oriented L'ile Marine, near Marigot.

November 2nd , 2009—Simpson Bay, St.Maarten

The Steering Committee that organizes the Sint Maarten St Martin Heineken Regatta on behalf of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club is pleased to announce the introduction of a new title sponsor for the Commodores Cup. GILL, a worldwide leader in marine technical clothing, will sponsor the Commodores cup in 2010 under the title “Gill Commodores Cup “This event takes place March 4th, 2010 and will offer windward leeward courses for spinnaker classes only.

The commodores cup is a pre event to the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta, designed to give those crews and the fleet an additional day of racing. It is only open to spinnaker and “racing” classes and focuses on “windward, leeward” courses that are generally favored by the more serious racers. The one day event provides racing off the south coast of Sint Maarten and the opportunity for the many international crews who are visiting from the wintry north to adapt themselves and their vessels to the Caribbean climate and conditions. The event is in its fourth year and has proven to be a highly regarded part of the overall formula of the overall regatta event.

The Gill Commodores Cup is scored separately from the main event but the parties and administration are integrated into the overall St.Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Gill clothing is a world class sailing brand with one of the widest and most innovative ranges including many products highly suitable for the often underestimated challenges of sailing in the Caribbean weather. The partnership with Gill is therefore highly suitable and appropriate for this event. Gill will offer on site through Budget Marine a Commodores Cup clothing collection decorated with the Commodores Cup Regatta Branding. For more information on Gill and the commodores Cup Collection visit the North American web site at www.gillna.com

For the Notice of race and Sailing Instructions visit www.heinekenregatta.com or contact the regatta organization at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

About Gill North America ( Gill NA) Gill NA is headquartered near Atlanta and services North America including Caribbean, Central America, US and Canada. Gill is an apparel and accessories leader in the worldwide marine industry for over three decades and specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company tests, designs and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear.

For more information about Gill NA, visit the company web site at www.gillna.com, or contact Lance Jones at Gill NA, Tel: (678) 730-5581 Fax: (770) 831-3663 e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

June 16th 2009-St.Maarten, Netherlands Antilles

During the 2009 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, the organizing committee led by the St Maarten Yacht Club and Heineken, decided to solve two problems: alleviate the parking issue that continually plagues events on the island and give something back to the community. By opening up two paid parking lots on the Sunday night of the event they accomplished their goals. Port de Plaissance and Al Wathey allowed their private lots to be used, and all proceeds went to the organizations that assisted in running the paid parking lots. The Sea Rescue Foundation and Childfest were chosen as the two main charities to receive the funds and checks were handed over to them yesterday by managing Director of Heineken, John Leone, and Heather Tackling, Regatta Director.

Both Sea Rescue and Childfest played a part of helping to collect the funds, security and attendants. Not only did this alleviate a large number of cars having to park on the roadside, it also provided much needed funds to the two organizations. When asked what they would do with the proceeds, Sea Rescue representative Jan Drost stated “The funds will be put to good use as we are currently saving to replace our vessel ‘Rescue 1’ so the funds will be put directly towards that”. The St. Maarten Sea Rescue Foundation puts in many hours on the water during the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, as well as year round, assisting vessels and individuals. Regatta organizers felt it was important to assist them in raising funds to replace their equipment.

Childfest organizers were also pleased with being chosen and representative First Lady Mrs Richards stated that the funds would go towards organizing a breakfast program for unfortunate children. Childfest works tirelessly every year to raise funds for the youth of St. Maarten and are grateful to be able to benefit from the paid parking lots during the regatta.

Each year, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and Heineken St. Maarten assist organizations with raising funds, and to date many non-profit’s use the event to help them increase their funds. Heineken, with the assistance of Shipwreck Shops, has been selling bracelets for several years and over $10, 000 has been raised to date for both the French and Dutch Side Nature preservation organizations, with the 2009 sum to be allocated in the coming weeks!

As the Epic 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Concludes, Race Officials Begin Plans for 30th Anniversary Bash

St. Maarten, N.A. (March 9) – The wild, windswept, epic 29th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta concluded in resounding style last evening with the traditional prize-giving ceremony on Kim Sha Beach followed by musical entertainment by a host of top reggae bands including the legendary Wailers, who had a swaying crowd of thousands of sailors and islanders dancing into the wee hours.

As race organizers and the dozens of volunteers who helped make the regatta a tremendous success—despite sometimes intense weather conditions that challenged sailors and race officials to be at the very top of their games—finally took a well-earned rest after the nearly week-long marathon of sailing and parties, plans were already being set in motion for the 30th running of the annual event, which is scheduled for March 4-7, 2010.

Steering committee chairman and event co-founder Robbie Ferron said that the small army of dedicated St. Maarten Heineken Regatta volunteers and organizers learned many new lessons in this latest running of the annual event.

“There was a lot of evolution this year,” said Ferron. “We added the Budget Marine Match Racing Cup, which was a very interesting and successful experiment. And the IGY Commodore’s Cup continues to be an important part of the regatta. But this year’s weather taught us quite a bit about logistics, and risks, and how to address unforeseen challenges safely and efficiently. It turned out to be a memorable year.”

Everyone who sailed the 2009 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta will have lasting memories of the staunch northerly winds and the often nasty seas over which they competed, but no one will recall them as fondly as Jamie Dobbs and his talented crew aboard the J/122, Lost Horizons, who were honored on Sunday for the Most Worthy Performance Overall of any boat in the 218-strong fleet. Dobbs and his team won the highly competitive Spinnaker 4 division with a perfect record of four wins in four races.

“Jamie Dobbs is a special sailor,” said Ferron of the Antigua-based competitor, a regular fixture at events across the Carribean. “He’s a bit of a curmudgeon but he has a big, big heart. He doesn’t miss a beat and he has such a good crew. They’re so consistent, they just do everything right all the time. They were certainly most worthy winners. They just sailed so well.”

Dobbs was not the only sailor recognized at Sunday’s awards ceremony. Prizes were also presented to the top three podium finishers in all sixteen divisions of the regatta, and for the Most Worthy Performers on all three days of the event. The Friday award went to the crew aboard Ralph Van den Berg’s Cyclades 43, French Kiss, in the Bareboat 4 class. For Saturday, the honor belonged to the Charleston, South Carolina, team aboard the Cylades 50, Sequoyah, racing in Bareboat 2. And on Sunday, Ronald O’Hanley’s canting-keel Cookson 50, Privateer, the runaway winner of Spinnaker 2, was the most worthy boat of them all.

With that, the 2009 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta comes to an official close. Race organizers wish to thank everyone who participated and volunteered, and who enjoyed the sensational parties and overall atmosphere at sea and ashore. The event has always been about Serious Fun, and this year was no different. Thanks again, one and all, and see you at the 30th Anniversary of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta in 2010.

For final results, photos, video and more, visit www.heinekenregatta.com.

Privateer, Selene and Lazy Dog Headline Long List of Winners in 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Wind, Breeze and More Wind Highlight Day 2 of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

In Big Northerly Breeze and Gear-Busting Seas, the 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Sets Sail

Fresh Faces and Familiar Favorites Find Winner’s Circle at 2009 IGY Commodore’s Cup

Preparations Continue, Sailors Welcomed Back to 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Peter Holmberg Dominates Field To Win Inaugural Budget Marine Match Racing Cup

St. Maarten Heineken Regatta presents MAPSXM, the Virtual St. Maarten!

The web portal www.mapsxm.com was developed on island to help attract residents, tourists and anyone else who seeks information about the regatta parties and the island.

www.mapsxm.com was developed to become the island premier information website and is based on a satellite map: It is one of the first full screen maps on the internet! Not only does it feature businesses with a so-called ‘map marker’ but visitors and locals alike get an overview of listed businesses and can zoom-in until they see the exact building and street where a business is located. Shortcuts to areas of high business intensity are provided.

www.mapsxm.com feeds off information provided by www.mapsxm.net, the new free business directory for the island. The .com website classifies businesses, points of public interest and St. Maarten Heineken Regatta sponsors with markers in different colors. Sponsors and paid and public markers open directly on the map and display core information.

No longer an issue at Kim Sha Beach!

Heineken St. Maarten and the St Maarten Yacht Club, organisers of the 29th St Maarten Heineken Regatta, today announced improved parking facilities for the general public during the Kim Sha events. On the Friday night party, March 6, where Carimi will be performing and Sunday March 8th, where Reggae superstars The Wailers will be closing off the 2009 Regatta, Paid parking for charity has been arranged.

St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles [February 25, 2009]--In partnership with Port de Plaisance’s Hakan Unal, Mr. Al Wathey, Heineken St Maarten and the Sint Maarten Yacht club, the parking capacities for the parties at Kim Sha Beach have been greatly improved.

Parking for Charity, Friday and Sunday – Arriving at the party venue you will notice parking signs saying “PAID PARKING”. Parking on these two designated parking lots gives you the opportunity to contribute to two worthy causes. These parking lots are organised by Heineken St. Maarten and The St Maarten Yacht Club for and staffed by members from the “ST. MAARTEN SEA RESCUE FOUNDATION” and “SXM CHILDFEST”. The price for parking on these lots, which are in the heart of the party venue, is $10. All profits from this paid parking go to these non-profit organizations. Volunteers from both foundations will be present on Friday as of 4.00 pm and on Sunday from 12.00noon. There will also be Sheriff security officers present.

John Leone, director of Heineken St. Maarten adds, “Every year we try to improve the quality of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Experience, and through the generosity of Hakan Unal and Al Wathey, shore side we are able to alleviate traffic, provide great parking and raise money for 2 great charities. It seems like a win for everyone!”

Peter Holmberg Headlines World Class Field in First-ever Budget Marine Match Racing Regatta

St. Maarten, N.A. (February 19, 2009) – In the latest in a long list of innovations that have made the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta one of the sailing world’s best-known and favorite events, for the first time ever in the history of Caribbean regattas, this year’s edition will introduce a dedicated Match Racing series in the lead-up to the main event. The inaugural Budget Marine Match Racing regatta will take place on March 3rd.

“There’s a tremendous amount of interest among sailors in match racing,” said Budget Marine founder Robbie Ferron. “This new event gives us the opportunity to promote new and exciting forms of racing to the Caribbean.”

Fittingly, the top seed among an international fleet of five teams competing for the Budget Marine Match Racing title is one of the Caribbean’s most accomplished and successful native sons: USVI skipper Peter Holmberg. Among his many triumphs—including a Silver Medal in the 1988 Olympic games and an America’s Cup victory with Alinghi in 2007—Holmberg also has held the Number 1 spot in the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) World Match Racing rankings. In that capacity, he’s won some of the world’s top match-racing regattas, including the Bermuda Gold Cup and the Congressional Cup.

“Peter Holmberg needs no introduction to the sailors around the world who’ve followed his amazing career,” said Ferron. “It’s going to be fantastic to watch him against a very interesting fleet of sailors here in St. Maarten.”

The Budget Marine Match Racing regatta is an ISAF-sanctioned Grade 5 event with a total purse of $9,000: $5,000 for first place; $3,000 for second; and $1,000 for third. Racing will be conducted aboard Jeanneau 20s with three-person crews in the protected waters of the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

“There will be plenty of access for spectators to enjoy the racing,” said Ferron. “And the Jeanneau 20s are very suited to this sort of racing. They’re fairly light and maneuverable so the racing should be very dynamic and active.”

If Holmberg and his crew—Ben Beer and Maurice Kurg—hope to cash that first-place check, they’ll first have to ward off the advances of a strong international field comprised of veteran match racers and talented, young up-and-comers. Among the former is Russian sailor Eugeny Nikiforov, currently ranked third in his homeland and 49th in the ISAF world rankings.

Among the youth brigade is 20-year-old skipper Francisco Siemsen Bulhões from Brazil who, despite his tender age, recently finished fifth in his country’s Junior National Championship and is ranked in the top fifteen in the Brazilian National Rankings.

The remainder of the five-team fleet is composed of sailors from the United States. Michael B. Hoey is representing Team Chippewa, named for Clay Deutsch’s Swan 68, Chippewa, which is a regular and prominent presence on the Caribbean racing scene. Along with this role as strategist on Chippewa, Hoey is the tactician for Team Van Tol, the Number 1-ranked match-racing team in the U.S.

The lone woman in the field is Jamie Haines, who’s done extensive inshore and offshore racing, including a victory in the 2006 Newport-Bermuda Race. Haines has competed in numerous national championships and Grade 1 match-racing events as both a trimmer and tactician. She is currently campaigning for a spot on the US Sailing national team with one of the top U.S. women’s match-racing teams. A good showing in St. Maarten would be a giant step toward reaching her goals.

“The Budget Marine Match Racing event will bring a different approach and flavor to the competition,” said Ferron, who also serves as steering committee chairman for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. “We know there’s huge interest in match racing. This is going to be a lot of fun and a great experiment.”

Along with the Budget Marine Match Racing event, the 2009 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta will also include the IGY Commodore’s Cup, for the top racing boats, on March 5th, and the 29th running of the main event, on March 6-8. For full information on Budget Marine Match Racing, the IGY Commodore’s Cup and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, as well as entry lists, entry forms and much more, visit http://www.heinekenregatta.com

St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles [February 16, 2009]-- The legendary Wailers, who are the greatest exponents of reggae music in the world, are now confirmed to headline the 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta on Sunday, March 8, 2009 as part of the Serious Fun celebrations. The band, recognized worldwide as the only group still capable of delivering Bob Marley’s message of peace, love and equality will be performing on Kim Sha Beach to close out the Caribbean’s largest regatta.

The Wailers have brought reggae music to every corner of the globe, selling over 250 million albums and playing to an estimated 24 million people. The group is now led by bassist and musical director Aston “Family Man” Barrett, the group’s sole surviving founder and driving musical force, who was well known as Bob Marley’s right hand-man during the singer’s lifetime.

The current Wailers – a group that’s one of the last, great reggae institutions - refuses to live off past glories; where “Family Man” represents tried and trusted roots authenticity, singer Elan Atias, injects fresh excitement into a show that continues to attract enthusiastic audiences from around the world.

"The Wailers are one of the legendary Caribbean bands that have helped define reggae music," says John Leone, Director of Heineken St Maarten. "They have brought reggae out of the Caribbean and onto the world music scene for all to enjoy. Although we certainly can never replace Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and others from the original band, the band still drives on to spread great music and great times all over the world. I feel the Wailer's music is just the message we all need to hear right now. Imagine your feet in the sand on a beautiful night, surrounded by people from all over the world together singing ‘One Love’ and ‘Don't worry... about a thing…'Cause every little thing... is gonna be alright!’ We are honored to have them perform here for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, it will be a performance to remember, a whole day to be enjoyed, and a Heineken Regatta to never forget!"

“The Heineken St. Maarten Regatta is globally renowned for its commitment to Serious Fun by annually presenting the best in music to its international sailing competitors and the local audience” said Christine Hansen, President & CEO of Thirty-Three Productions, Inc. “We are thrilled to bring the legendary Wailers for the 29th Anniversary and to again deliver world class talent to Heineken and the people of St. Maarten for this year’s Regatta.”

Closing out the regatta will be a day of reggae music on Kim Sha Beach, The organizers are calling the day “Reggae-gatta”, a fun mix of Reggae and Regatta. The “Reggae-gatta” festivities on Sunday are planned for the whole family to enjoy with food, drinks and great music. The day’s line-up will have the best of the local reggae bands Ras Bushman, Barbwire Band, Roots down below and the internationally renown home-grown heroes Orange Grove. Sunday activities will kick off at 12:00PM noon. The four-day event concludes with The Wailers’ performance later that night and promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Other acts that have been announced for the regatta weekend, which starts on Thursday March 5 through Sunday March 8, are 3-Cylinder from Antigua, CaRiMi with Haitian roots and Kes the Band from Trinidad, along with St. Maarten’s best local talent.

Visit www.wailers.com or www.heinekenregatta.com for more information.

St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles [February 5th, 2009]—Heineken is proud to announce the famous Antiguan band, 3 Cylinder to play on the opening night of this year’s St. Maarten Heineken regatta, in Port de Plaisance on Thursday March 5th, 2009. They are no strangers to the island, having performed during past regattas, 3 cylinder’s lead singer “Onyan” actually made a surprise appearance during The St Maarten Heineken Regatta in 2005, and he left his fans with a taste for more.

As the name suggests, Three Cylinder Band is composed of three musicians; David “Krokus” Edwards, Toriano “Onyan” Edwards and Dalma “Boogie” George.

3 Cylinder was formed over fourteen years ago, born out of their love of music, the desire to perform all genres of music and the need to accommodate small entrepreneurs who could not afford the cost of the larger band Burning Flames, also from Antigua. Burning Flames band had been the number one soca-calypso band in the Caribbean for twenty-nine years and has performed in many venues from Amsterdam to Peru, and 3 cylinder is regarded as many as just as exciting.

David "Krokus" Edwards, a critically acclaimed bass player, has been rocking professionally for over twenty-nine years. His intense style and knowledge of his bass guitar has made him a much sought after musician. Krokus often competes in Antigua’s Soca Monarch Competition and has won or placed in the top two places every time. As the founding member of the Burning Flames band he travels around the world performing. Krokus writes, composes and sings many of the songs on the annually produced CD.

Toriano “Onyan” Edwards has been in the music business writing, recording and producing records for over twenty-nine years. Onyan began his career touring with the Mighty Arrow as his guitarist/arranger helping to produce such hits as “HOT, HOT, HOT” before starting Antigua’s most successful band, Burning Flames. In 1997, Onyan went solo with an album called "Crazy Man" which took the Caribbean by storm.
His song “Island Girl” has been used as a theme song in several movies and television shows. He won the crown and coveted titles as the Calypso King of Antigua and Soca Monarch King for four years. Onyan is the ghost writer for many other Caribbean Artists and has since returned to the Burning Flames band as the lead singer.

Dalma “Boogie” George started playing drums at the age of twelve in his father’s Scout Brigade Band, a unit that performed for various fetes and festivals throughout Antigua. Since then he has played professionally for a number of local bands: Ebonites Steel Orchestra, Fabulous Antiguans, Expression Brass, Laviscount, Three Cylinder, Vision Band, Rawden Edwards Trio, All Star Band, and Dread and the Baldhead.
Boogie likes all styles of music, especially jazz, and has recorded for such prominent calypsonians as Swallow, Progress and Latumba. He has also performed with Brian McKnight. Boogie is known Caribbean wide as “the Drummer El Supremo” and often has his personal audience at shows that come to experience his mastery and showmanship on the drums.

So come out and see for yourself, Thursday March 5th as Port de Plaisance, 3 cylinder-live in concert, “Serious Fun” at the St Maarten Heineken Regatta!

Island Global Yachting Teams Up with St. Maarten Heineken Regatta for Third Edition of IGY Commodores Cup

St. Maarten, N.A. (February 12, 2009) – It’s a match made not in heaven, but on one of the most beautiful islands on the planet. The 2009 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is now just weeks away, with racing for the entire fleet set for March 6-8. But the kick-off to the action, for the third consecutive year, will begin on March 5th when the flat-out racing field gathers in the crystal-clear Caribbean seas off St. Maarten for the IGY Commodore’s Cup.

And this year’s edition is slated to be better than ever, thanks to a new sponsor: Island Global Yachting (IGY).

“IGY feels strongly that through our support we can help make sure the Commodores Cup becomes a permanent part of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta,” said Brian Deher, IGY’s Director of Operations. “The St.Maarten Heineken Regatta has grown into a world-recognized event and IGY was eager to participate in a sailing race that not only offered global exposure but also was located in the Caribbean, where IGY has a host of marina properties catering to the needs of the sailors that take part in the event.”

As in the past two years, the IGY Commodores Cup is an extra day of racing scored separately from the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta that’s run exclusively for the fleet’s most competitive Grand Prix yachts and spinnaker classes. The field thus far includes veteran campaigner Peter Harrison on the Farr 115, Sojana; Rick Wesslund’s well-traveled J/120, El Ocaso; Ian Hope-Ross’s Beneteau First 36.7, Kick ‘em Jenny; and Nicolai Tangen’s powerful Swan 82, Nikata.

As far as the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and IGY is concerned, IGY’s Deher feels it’s an ideal partnership.

“The Commodores Cup is an event that somewhat targets the elite cross-section of the most serious or expert-level sailors that take part in the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta,” he said. “This plays well to IGY’s goal to target the truly discerning boaters of the world by offering the highest quality of customer service at the most sought-after marina destinations around the world. Our goals for the event are to educate as many sailors as possible about IGY and our facilities around the Caribbean and the rest of the world.”

Sailors arriving on the island for the Commodores Cup and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta won’t have to look far to get a feel for the IGY experience. “The Yacht Club Isle de Sol and the Simpson Bay Marina are both located in the Simpson Bay Lagoon just to the east-southeast of the Simpson Bay Bridge,” said Deher, of the island’s two IGY properties.

“Both marinas offer every amenity needed for mega-yachts and cruising vessels alike,” he added. “Although IGY has gained much of its notoriety for its mega-yacht specific marinas such as Yacht Haven Grande (locations in St. Thomas, USVI and Anguilla) and The Yacht Club at Isle de Sol, we have many facilities that cater specifically to cruising and racing vessels of all sizes.”

Along with the IGY Commodore’s Cup and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, the 2009 edition of the event will also include the new Budget Marine Match Racing series, on March 3rd. Virgin Island native son Peter Holmberg, who is currently honing his match-racing skills in New Zealand at the Louis Vuitton Pacific Cup, leads the all-star field of world-class sailors who will appear in St. Maarten.

For full information on the IGY Commodore’s Cup and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta as well as entry lists, entry forms and much more, visit www.heinekenregatta.com.

ABOUT ISLAND GLOBAL YACHTING
From the islands of the Caribbean to the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf and other beautiful yachting destinations around the world, IGY is redefining the very idea of luxury marina experiences. Founded in 2005, IGY focuses on acquiring, controlling and/or servicing luxury-yacht marinas and the surrounding upland real estate properties. Island Global Yachting marinas operate under the signature Yacht Haven Grande collection and the IGY series brands, as well as several private labels. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, IGY also has offices in New York, NY; St. Thomas, USVI; Barcelona, Spain; and Dubai, UAE. IGY is an affiliate of Island Capital Group LLC, a real estate/merchant-banking firm led and founded by Andrew Farkas, former chairman of Insignia Financial Group. For more information, please visit www.igymarinas.com

The Governor's Party on the 5th of February 2009 was a great succes. The Pelican Marina Residences provided us with an amazing location on their rooftop with a beautiful view over Simpson Bay and the lagoon.
With a great turn out consisting of our loyal sponsors and volunteers we were able to address the current economical situation and thank everyone for their enormous support. The Regatta Organization would especially like to thank our sponsors who all stayed loyal during these economical difficult times.
We thank you all for coming and hope you are all ready for the 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta!

Click here for photo's

St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles [February 2nd, 2009]--Adding to the “Serious Fun” part of the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is the usual star-studded line up of international and local bands.

This year, for the 29th edition, Heineken is proud to announce the talented Trinidadian music group, Kes the Band, one of this year’s big headliners to fill Marigot Waterfront with music on Saturday, March 7.

Kes, a very hot Soca group already popular throughout the Caribbean for their style of fun party music mixed a very Caribbean flare, made an easy choice to compliment the regatta party line up. The huge Heineken Regatta parties bring together sailors weary from a day of races but pumped up for fun, sailing enthusiasts and party lovers from every corner of the island.

Formed in 2005, the band comprises three brothers: Kees, Hans and Jon Dieffenthaller and close friend Riad Boochoon. Fronted by the lead singer, Kees, the band has become one of the most popular and sought after bands Trinidad, the Caribbean, US and Toronto.

Noted for its soulful voice and high-energy performance, Kees and The Band have captured the hearts of many. For the last two and a half years, the band has been accomplishing their goals one step at a time.

They performed as the opening band for ‘Sugar Ray’; were featured as the only live act on the popular MTV series “The Gauntlet II.” The band has worked extensively with internationally renowned producer Derek Bramble on creating songs such as ‘The Calling.’ A track which was chosen by Electronic Arts Sports (EA SPORTS) to be placed on the soundtrack to their soccer game called “FIFA 2006 – World Cup Edition”. They were also on the card for SunFest in West Palm Beach; opening for Musiq Soul Child and Sean Paul.

In 2006, Kes The Band launched its first album titled “Three Baldheads and a Dread” featuring tracks such as ‘Stay with Me’ which dominated the number one spot on the Toronto website charts (www.Toronto-lime.com) for nine straight weeks, a new record and “Heads High” a Carnival favourite.

A year later, they launched their second album: “Lion.” Carnival hits “My Land” (for which Kees and Nadia placed second within the Soca Monarch Competition), “Our Prayer”, reggae influenced songs “Limin” and “Bigger Brighter Day” are featured on the album.

In the latter part of 2007, some songs with a slightly different flavour were released such as “Come a Little Closer” which was on high rotation on local radio.

Last year, Kes The Band had an amazing carnival season with the hits “Right Dey”, and “De Remedy”. Their energetic and powerful performances left the audiences wanting more and coming back time and time again to see them. A video for their single Lion was released in May 2008.

Nila Rambhadjan, Sales and Event manager for Heineken St. Maarten adds, ”This is one of the most talked about bands in Trinidad right now, they come very highly recommended. Kes is very excited to perform here. Get your rags ready! Kes the Band is warming up for us now in Trinidad for their Carnival, so they should be red-hot for the big St. Maarten Heineken Regatta show in Marigot on Saturday March 7, 2009.”

You can check them out online at http://www.myspace.com/kestheband

St. Maarten, Netherland Antilles [January 29th, 2009]--It’s obvious why Heineken chose CaRiMi to headline the big concert on Kim Sha Beach Friday, March 6 - they are a great band. Great Music, Great Beer, Great Sailing, no wonder why they say the St Maarten Heineken Regatta is “Serious Fun”!

After the fantastic response Heineken recently got from the Compas and Zouk community, particularly those with Haitian roots, for the Wyclef Jean concert, it was natural to select CaRiMi to follow. The band appeals to most locals and the international crowd expected for the regatta will also love them for their lively performance and smooth sounds.

CaRiMi is one of the leading Compas (or Kompa or Compa) bands in the world. The word “compás” in Spanish means “beat” or “rhythm,” and one of the most distinctive characteristics of compás music is the driving beat, a trait common to many styles of Caribbean music. Compás music is easy and fun to dance to, incorporating musical traditions like Merengue, which propel dancers around the floor with lively, active beats. You may hear the notes of compás music in a community of Haitian immigrants anywhere in the world, and where there is compás, dancers are usually not far behind.

Half a decade ago, three friends, who had worked together in some arena of music, almost simultaneously made the decision to further their education. Knowing that the state of their homeland, Haiti, was unsure and insecure, Carlo Vieux, Richard Cavé, and Mickael Guirand each decided to leave and set their sights on the United States.

Always driven by their passion for music, this small group of guys reunited in New York to solidify their current past time into a career. Soon they found themselves surrounded by sound proofing foam, extended boom mikes and a mixing board.

To their surprise each had the same desire to pursue music and by taking the first two letters of their first names, CaRiMi was born. Drowning themselves in the studio in the hopes of creating a new sound, one that was uncommon in the Haitian Music Industry at the time, the guys found themselves putting to paper some profound, socially charged lyrics that encompassed the troubles in their native land.

“Ayiti Bang, Bang” was released in the summer of 2001. Instantly, CaRiMi became a household name. They are known as one of the first younger generation digital bands to put out music that touched upon the political pressures and the deteriorating security of Haiti. They had mass appeal to the Haitian Diaspora who fled the country and through their allure lyrically, musically and of course physically as eye candy for the ladies, CaRiMi has thrived throughout the years.

Receiving accolades from the International music scene, including Best Album of the Year, CaRiMi has risen to the top of the charts across Billboard’s best in Haiti, Guadeloupe, Paris, French Guiana, Canada and parts of Europe.

Be it with a love story of betrayal or desire being sung by Richard Cave, a song about jealousy and possessiveness vocalized by lead singer Mickael Guirand, a passionate dedication to loyalty harmonically displayed by Carl Vieux, a deep felt note composed by Noldy, a tap of the snare drum by Stanley, or a melodic groove off Glenny’s strings, this dynamic cluster, has proven that talent is not only a gift but a necessity in making all your dreams a reality.

“We are delighted to have CaRiMi perform for the ST Maarten Heineken Regatta,” States Norbert Kout Marketing Manager of Heineken St Maarten, come and get your groove on with this fantastic band!”

Check them out on: http://www.carimi.com

St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles [January 23, 2009]--Their last performance on St. Maarten was opening for the famous Marley Brothers during the 2007 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Local musical heroes, Orange Grove, will take the stage as the openers for the final evening of this year’s regatta.

Orange Grove, the home grown band that has swept Europe, will give their “first” fans, the St. Maarten public, what promises to be an incredible performance and a taste of how much the band has grown since their last performance here.

Named after the “Orange Grove” section of Cole Bay, the band Orange Grove is a musical melting pot of cross-ocean influences combining the sounds of Reggae music with zouk, ska, rap and rock, complimented by St Maarten raised lead-singer Michael Maidwell’s rough yet soothing voice. These elements combined with a group of five professional musicians, all with strong roots in the Caribbean, lead to a positive and upbeat experience while listening to Orange Grove.

The long-awaited official debut album was released in 2007, featuring new unique OG melodies in addition to some of the classic Orange Grove songs. Previous releases have been highly successful in the Antilles and over the Internet. Through music download platforms some of the songs have been downloaded over 500,000 times.

In the past year, Orange Grove has been playing in their new and solid formation gaining a reputation of a highly professional band ensuring any crowd to be unable to resist moving to their lively performance.

You can hear Orange Grove throughout the month on most of the island radio stations, and they also are featured in Heineken’s locally produced radio jingle “Hey Mister Bartender”.

The music seems to strike a chord with a very broad audience, allowing Orange Grove to be accepted by a wide variety of crowds, as the pop, reggae, urban and rock scene have embraced their music. In the course of five years Orange Grove has consequently developed a large and devoted following of fans.

The international headliner to close the St Maarten Heineken Regatta is soon to be announced!!! Get Ready for some “Serious Fun”.

The St Maarten Yacht Club announces a change to the event schedule for the 2009 edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Upon careful review of the financial costs for the organization of the upcoming 2009 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, and in consideration of the world wide recession, projections strongly predict a loss for the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Organization. In order to avoid any threat to the long-term continuity of the event, the organizers have decided to consolidate more of the sailing control centers and regatta parties on the Simpson Bay Beach. While the party on the Marigot waterfront will remain, this will unfortunately mean that the normal party on the Great Bay Promenade will be moved to Simpson Bay for the 2009 edition.

The Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta is operated by the nonprofit organization, the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, and as a nonprofit organization they cannot project nor absorb losses. The high chance of a reduction in the number of participating boats and entry fees, as well as heavy expenses already made in the purchasing of promotional media, all in connection with the enormous recession that is taking place worldwide and here on our Island of St. Maarten, makes it essential that the club reduce its expenses. Although they anticipate a healthy event in March, the Yacht club has already observed a drop in the number of smaller vessels visiting the island this season, as a result of the recession and the increased costs on the island.

The Sint Maarten Yacht club has taken this decision based on the first consideration that the event must be carefully protected from breakdown due to any losses for the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta that would impact the future. It is important to note, the race courses will remain the same. As a side effect, some of the many volunteers of the yacht club and sponsors may benefit from temporary relief in stress and finances, due to the fact that the complex logistics of moving base so often will be reduced for this one year. Heather Tackling, the Director of the St Maarten Heineken Regatta adds, “This move is necessary in light of the many uncertainties we face, and hope everyone understands that this move, although perhaps temporary, can help protect the long-term health of our island’s Regatta.”

At this time, we do not anticipate this particular change being permanent, and we certainly hope the financial conditions improve for the island, the government and our many sponsors. We want to thank the businesses and patrons in the boardwalk area for the great cooperation they have showed over the past few years, and we hope they can continue to benefit from the large number of tourists that will still visit our island during this year's St Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Nature Foundation St. Maarten and the St. Martin Réserve Naturelle were delighted to each receive a much needed donation from Heineken St. Maarten this week, to put towards their conservation programmes on both side of the islands.

The funds were raised through the sale of black ‘St. Maarten Heineken Regatta’ bracelets during the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta 2008. “During the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, we want to raise the exposure concerning the importance of keeping our island and it’s waters clean”, says Heineken St. Maarten Managing Director John Leone, We started with the green “Meet You There” bracelets which we donated in 2006 and followed up with ‘Serious “Clean” Fun’ bracelets in 2007. Through the sales of these bracelets we were able to donate a total of $6000.00. This year we contributed the black ‘St. Maarten Heineken Regatta’ bracelets. “We are very happy that we were able to generate $4400.00 to share between the 2 foundations.” We hope we can continue to work together to find solutions that benefit both the island's natural environment and the businesses that depend on the island's waterways.

“We are extremely grateful for this contribution,” says Beverly Mae Nisbeth of the Nature Foundation. “The Foundation is funded purely through grants and fundraising efforts. A donation like this makes a significant difference to the work we do. The natural environment is one of St. Maarten’s most important resources – clean beaches, healthy seas and green hills are the reason why many of our visitors come here every year. It is everyone’s responsibility, from the individual to our Government and from small businesses to large international corporations, to protect our natural resources and conserve the beauty and biodiversity of our island for the benefit of current and future generations”.

When asked what Nature Foundation would spend their money on, Ms. Nisbeth replies, “staff training and mooring maintenance”.

“Nature Foundation is proud to partner with corporations like Heineken and is incredibly thankful for having Heineken St. Maarten NV as a positive working partner,” she says. “We hope this continues into the future and that other companies on St. Maarten will follow Heineken’s example and help conserve St. Maarten’s environment”.

The Foundations and Heineken St. Maarten would also like to especially thank the Shipwreck Shop and the St. Maarten Yacht Club for merchandising these items and individual volunteers for their efforts in selling these items during the St Maarten Heineken Regatta.

The new bracelets for the 2009 St Maarten Heineken Regatta will be on sale soon, and the 2007 and 2008 bracelets are still available from the Nature Foundation offices and Heineken St. Maarten. For more information on conservation projects on St. Maarten, please contact the Nature Foundation at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it / tel: 542 0267 or Réserve Naturelle at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it / tel: (0590) 29 09 72.

In 2007, in cooperation with the St Maarten Pride Foundation, Heineken St. Maarten also instituted a new beach cleanup program called bright beaches. This program enables non-profit organizations, which are willing to eliminate trash from our beaches, access to funds that Heineken St. Maarten has allocated from the sales of Heineken products, particularly Amstel Bright beer. For more information please contact the St Maarten Pride Foundation.

From left to right: John Leone, Marissa Brandy, Heather Tackling, Kim Van Loo 

THE FIRST ‘CLEAN REGATTA’ OF THE CARIBBEAN, SERIOUS CLEAN FUN!
Organizers of the 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta commit to Clean Regatta standards set forth by Sailors for the Sea
St. Maarten, Netherland Antilles [31 October 2008] – Organizers of the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta, one of the Caribbean’s longest running regattas, are pleased to announce their commitment to team up with the Sailors for the Sea, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the world’s oceans, to help make the 2009 event a “Clean Regatta.”
The regatta, which takes place March 5-8, 2009, will see many simple changes aimed at making the sailing event more environmentally friendly. Always working to make the event better year over year, organizers have made changes designed to bring awareness and sensitivity to environmental protection around St. Maarten as well as the importance of recycling. These changes include re-usable bow numbers, educating all participants about the rules that exist in the Natural Reserve on the French side of the island, and encouraging the island’s youth to create boat models with recycled materials. Over the years, the regatta organizers have teamed up with Heineken St Maarten, the event title sponsor, selling bracelets to raise money to protect the natural environment of both the French and Dutch marine parks on the island. During the last three St. Maarten Heineken Regattas almost $8,000.00 was raised for the nature foundation of St. Maarten and the Marine Reserve of St Martin. In fact, the 2006 slogan on the bracelets was “Serious Clean” Fun, a play on the regatta’s motto of “Serious Fun”. This was done to raise the awareness of keeping the beaches clean during and after the events. Heineken St. Maarten has made similar efforts with its bright beaches program, initiated with the cooperation of the St Maarten Pride foundation, to provide funds to groups willing to clean the island’s beaches.
For the 2009 event, the regatta organizers aim to implement a nearly paper-free registration system, which will significantly reduce the total paper use. They will also follow the rules to obtain a Bronze level “Clean Regatta” certification from Sailors for the Sea. Chris Mancini, Program Manager at Sailors for the Sea said, “Clean Regattas is a great program for regattas and yacht clubs that need guidance in reaching higher environmental standards. It also serves to help publicize the ongoing efforts of other clubs and events, and lets them lead by example. Our goal is to have every regatta, club and program be a “clean regatta” whether they are certified by Sailors for the Sea or not.”

Some of the Clean Regattas requirements include:
• No Discharge—DO NOT allow discharge of untreated sewage or blackwater in harbor areas or no-discharge zones (NDZs).
• Trash Free Regatta—Keep your shores and waters clear of debris. Overboard discharge of trash and littering at shore facilities (e.g., rigging tape, cigarette butts, beer cans) is prohibited.
• Green Cleaning Products—include a list of “green” cleaning products in skipper’s packet.
A volunteer will be assigned as a liaison between the two organizations to ensure that all steps are taken and a report is filed at the end of the regatta.

Sailors for the Sea is a nonprofit organization that educates and empowers the boating community to protect and restore our oceans and coastal waters. Clean Regattas a third-party certification program that helps regattas, yacht clubs and sailing programs voluntarily achieve higher environmental standards. Participants have the option of choosing a Bronze, Silver or Gold level of engagement, and work to fulfill each of the requirements necessary to be certified at that level. Sailors for the Sea provides support and materials and the final certification that a club or event is a Clean Regatta.
Organizers are pleased with the efforts made by their title sponsor, Heineken, to make the on shore side of the event environmentally friendly as well. Efforts in the past include the removal of drink stirrers from all bars at the venues and implementing the principle to leave the beaches cleaner (after the parties) than they were before the parties. Heather Tackling, regatta director states “We are proud to have visitors grace our shores and by making the effort to help the environment of St.Maarten we know it will not only benefit our event but the entire island as well.”

About St. Maarten Heineken Regatta 2009 It is said that the winners write the history. This is certainly true for the Sint Maarten Yacht Club’s Heineken Regatta. The winners in this case being the volunteers, the sponsors and the participants, forming a unique triangle, which is coincidentally the strongest of geometric shapes. And upon this firm base that 28 years of Regatta history have been built. From modest beginnings to the 29th edition which will take place March 5-8 2009, our regatta has become not only the largest sailing event in the Caribbean, but has also become world renown as a first class event. The racing and parties are of course legendary, but the overall atmosphere is equally appealing. For more information on participating, volunteering or regatta related details visit www.heinekenregatta.com.

About Sailors for the Sea Founded in 2004 and based in Boston, Mass., Sailors for the Sea is an action-oriented, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education, programs and resources to motivate and empower sailors and other boaters to preserve, protect, and enjoy the harbors, bays and oceans upon which they sail. For more information on or to participate in any of the Sailors for the Sea programs, or to become a member and support the organization, visit www.sailorsforthesea.org. A full list of Clean Regatta certification requirements is also available online.

We would like to thank everybody for coming to the Volunteer Kick Off Party on the 18th of November. Our sponsors, the Steering Committee members, the volunteers who helped us for many years and of course all the new volunteers who signed in this evening. We hope to see you all during the Regatta!

Click here for pictures...

The 2008 St.Maarten Heineken Regatta was not only a success with regards to record breaking entries and huge crowds at the on shore venues, but it was also a success for one local child. On the 2008 online entry form, participants were able to make a donation to the youth sailing program of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, organizers of the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta. This was the first time the event made the plea to fellow sailors to help make a difference in the lives of the youth sailors on St.Maarten.

The end result of that online donation request was the chance for the Sint Maarten Yacht Club to sponsor one local child to have sailing lessons for an entire year! Donations were made by participants from all over the world, including France, St.Maarten, England, Holland and the USA making this a truly international effort. Eight year old Zack Sabaroche was the ideal candidate, and according to Zach’s mother “He is so excited about sailing on the Optis, that he comes home after each lesson and tells his father what he should be doing”. Zach’s father works for a local Marina running a tender service. “He even talks about it at school so much that his teacher called home to learn more about the program because so many fellow students were excited about it after hearing Zach talk”. One classmate was immediately interested but after finding out he needed to be able to swim first, vowed to pass his swimming lessons and get his diploma just so he can take sailing lessons.

The success of this program is extremely important to the Sint Maarten Yacht Club whose goal is to increase sailing on the island of St.Maarten. For the 2009 St.Maarten Heineken Regatta, which is to take place March 5 to 8 2009, we are once again allowing all entrants to check the donation box and make a change in the life of a local child. Proceeds from the 2008 event allowed the yacht Club to sponsor one child, in 2009 we aim to triple our success and be able to add 3 more children into the program.

If you are planning to participate in the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta, please take a moment to think of how you feel when you’re out there racing against the best, making that tack, or the anticipation that builds as you wait for the start horn. Then check that donation box and give that gift to a young aspiring sailor who may not have the chance to feel the way you do without this program. For more information on how to enter the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta go to www.heinekenregatta.com.

March 5 - 8.

With the 2007 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta on the Books, Organizers Look Ahead to the 28th Running of the Great Festival of Caribbean Sailing (and Partying).

With Style and Finesse, Bernie Evans-Wong's Cal 40, Huey Too, is Named Boat of the Regatta as the 27th Running of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Wraps Up in Spectacular Fashion.

The 27^th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta concluded today in spectacular fashion as more than 200 boats in 20 divisions enjoyed classic Caribbean sailing conditions to wrap up a most memorable running of the annual event.
Highlights of the regatta included the dominating performance of the Volvo 70, abn-reach-finish-big ABN AMRO ONE, Mike Sanderson's world-beating yacht, which put on a sailing clinic while regularly registering speeds of better than 20-knots; the addition of a first-ever fourth day of racing for the top race boats, which turned out to be a resounding success; and a Boat of the Regatta award to a design that was first introduced some 40 years ago.
With three straight wins to capture the Non-Spinnaker 2 class, veteran campaigner Bernie Evans-Wong's Cal 40, Huey Too, was named Boat of the Regatta for the 2007 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Evans-Wong, from Antigua, was sailing the venerable design first introduced by designer Bill Lapworth in 1967. The boat was an immediate success in the classic Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, and four decades along, Evans-Wong sailed it to perfection to win his class, and the prestigious prize for 2007.

In Big Breeze and Rolling Seas, the Fleet Faces Challenging Conditions En Route to Marigot in the 27th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

They said it would blow, and blow it did. As early as last Monday, forecasters peering into their long-range crystal balls predicted that the conditions for the 27^th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta would peak for Saturday's racing, with winds hovering around 25-knots and more. Meteorology, of course, is often an inexact science, but this time the weathermen were spot on. When the figurative dust had settled this afternoon and the crews aboard the final boats to arrive had set their anchors off the French port of Marigot, they did so after a fine, challenging and memorable day of yacht racing.

It was the sort of day that sailmakers love, for there was no lack of carnage in the sail inventories-particularly the downwind sails for the seven spinnaker divisions-of many of the 239-boats competing in the event. Tom Hill's 75-foot Titan 12 shredded a spinnaker in spectacular fashion while trying to reach up to a mark off Simpson Bay. A cloud of headsail aboard Lord Irving Laidlaw's Swan 112, Highland Breeze, came floating down to the sea after a halyard parted as the boat cleaved to windward.

There were other, more dramatic incidents on the race course today, too. A crewmember off the Olson 30, Lost Horizons 2, racing in the Spinnaker 6 class, went overboard and was recovered by the team of the Dehler 34, Budget Marine, racing in the Spinnaker 7 division. There were also reports, unconfirmed at the deadline for this release, that a sailor on a Spinnaker 3 class yacht lost a finger in a sail-handling maneuver gone very wrong.

ABN AMRO ONE Leads Titan 12 and 237 Other Boats Around the Island in Ideal St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Conditions

The clear, azure waters surrounding the green peaks of the island of St. Maarten were dotted with sails of all sizes, colors and descriptions today when racing began for all 20 classes comprising the mammoth 239-boat fleet that has gathered here for the 27th running of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Sailing under sunny blue skies and fueled by ideal trade-wind breezes, the racers enjoyed perfect Caribbean conditions for the challenging around-the-island race that's a perennial feature of the annual event.

In what had anxiously been billed as the "Clash of the Titans," spectators and sailors alike were treated today to the duel between the powerful canting-keeled Volvo 70, ABN AMRO ONE, and Tom Hill's lean red rocket, the 75-foot Titan 12, in the 5-boat Bigboats 1 class. Titan 12 was forced to withdraw from Thursday's opening action with a damaged forestay when seven classes of all-out racing yachts set sail to contest the event's inaugural Commodore's Cup sponsored by Budget Marine.

The 27th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Sets Sail for 58 Boats in Seven Classes Competing for the First-ever Commodore's Cup

The first boat to finish in the first race for the Commodore's Cup was, fittingly, the Volvo 70 ABN AMRO ONE, the winner of the recent around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. However, the marquis match-up of ABN and Tom Hill's  Reichel/Pugh-designed 75-footer, Titan 12, failed to materialize when Titan lost its headstay and was forced to withdraw from racing just minutes before the start.

With More than 100 Bareboats on the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Starting Line, Racing in Paradise is Open to One and All.

Final Preparations Underway as Competitors Ramp Up for Thursday's Start of the 27th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Press Release #12 - February 27

Final Preparations Underway as Competitors Ramp Up for Thursday's Start of the 27th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Anticipation Heightens as 27th Heineken Regatta Draws Near!

Heineken St. Maarten announces Shurwayne Winchester and the Top local bands and DJ’s to perform at the 27th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Heineken St. Maarten in cooperation with the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, announces one more international artist to the 27th ST. Maarten Heineken Regatta line-up. This will complement the well-rounded list of the top local bands and DJ's to perform at this year's St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Shurwayne Winchester  will be the top Soca act for the Front de la Mer party in Marigot on Saturday March 3rd.  Shurwayne, who is blessed with a great singer's voice, was born in Tobago on February 8th, 1974. He entered the world of Soca in 1999, his performance garnered rave reviews and was deemed "Most Dynamic" by the press that year.  That same year he released his album "Rumor Riddims" which stayed on the top of the charts for seven months.

The 2007 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Promises Spectacular Sailing

St Maarten Heineken Regatta announcesZiggi and Orange Grove to perform at the 27th Regatta

Heineken St. Maarten today announces two more musical additions to the lineup for the 27th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, Ziggi from Statia will headline the performances in Philipsburg the 2nd of March 2007 and the St. Maarten-rooted band Orange Grove will perform on the main stage on Kim Sha Beach on the night of the final Party, Sunday March 4th. They will be opening for the Headline act, Damian Marley & Stephen Marley.

Heineken St. Maarten in cooperation with the Sint Maarten Yacht club strives every year to keep a high standard of musical performances.  Ziggi’s & Orange Grove’s growing fame - especially in the Netherlands – certainly meets this requirement.

Reggae/Dancehall artist Ziggi , a.k.a. Ziggaman, was born in the Netherlands in March 8th 1981. Ziggi later left for the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius, his father’s motherland. In Statia, the young Ricardo Blijden grew up with his grandparents who gave him the nickname Ziggi, a name that he has kept ever since.

St. Maarten Heineken Regatta announces Damian Marley and Stephen Marley to perform at 27th Regatta.

Heineken, known for presenting trend setting musical performances around the globe, is proud to announce the headline performance of Damian Marley and Stephen Marley, for the final night of this years 27th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Heineken St. Maarten, in cooperation with the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, is proud to present the globally acclaimed Marley brothers as part of the celebration for its world-renown St.Maarten Heineken Regatta. This Regatta boasts the distinguished title of the largest sailing race in the Caribbean. The outdoor concert event is scheduled to conclude the festivities on Sunday, March 4th 2007 on the white sands of Kim Sha Beach.

Budget Marine sponsors commendores cup, added day to the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

In 2007 the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta will be held for the 27th time. Every year the regatta organization aims for improvement and evolvement of the regatta. Over the years the increase in the amount of participating boats has been astounding and the regatta has grown out to be the biggest regatta in the Caribbean.

CHIPPIE powered by UTS joins St.Maarten Heineken Regatta

SIMPSON BAY—the 27th edition of the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta will feature an extra day of racing. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club yesterday. Organizers of the Caribbean’s largest regatta also announced that CHIPPIE powered by UTS has been added to the list of many businesses that sponsor the “Serious Fun” event.  

TP 52 Panthera, SeaCart 30 True Look, and a Pair of J/Boats Among Big Winners at 28th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

St. Maarten, N.A. (February 9) – The 28th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta wrapped up today, in similar fashion to the way it began: With clear skies and a steady breeze offering ideal conditions for a record-setting fleet of competitors. And after the series’ final race, a point-to-point contest from Marigot, on the island’s French side, to Philipsburg on the Dutch side, an impressive array of winners emerged.

In the animal kingdom, the term “Panthera” is synonymous with a mighty species of “cats that roar.” It proved to be a fitting title in the big-boat Spinnaker 1 division as well, where the UK-based TP 52, owner Benny Kelly’s Panthera, capped a strong effort by conquering an impressive fleet of competitors, particularly the canting-keel, turbo-charged Cookson 50, Privateer. Panthera went undefeated in the five-race series for the spinnaker classes, with Privateer wracking up five straight seconds.

Tight Racing Across Board Sets Up Grand Finale for 28th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Marigot, St. Maarten (February 8) – With two great days of racing down, and one huge Sunday still to go, the cream is rising to the top in one of the windiest, wildest St. Maarten Heineken Regattas to date. After Saturday’s racing, in some classes, a clear front-runner has been established. In others, the final outcome is far from certain.

The seven divisions of high-level, spinnaker flying race boats had a busy day Saturday, with three races contested in winds that started out in the mid-twenty-knot range, but gradually eased into the teens as the day progressed. The first two races were windward/leeward, around-the-buoys contests of Simpson Bay. After lunch, the Magnificent Seven reconvened for a point-to-point, 20-mile distance race to Marigot on the French side of St. Maarten. The other classes—including three Multihull fleets, the six bareboat divisions, and the Open and Exhibition classes—each enjoyed a single race to the lively French town.

Multihulls Lead the Way, Chippewa Off the Warpath in Wild Opening Session of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

Philipsburg, St. Maarten (February 7) – On roiling, turquoise seas flecked with whitecaps, a record fleet of 284 entrants – fueled by steady easterly Caribbean trade winds of 25-knots and more – set sail today to begin the 28th annual running of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. And as the day progressed, there were more than a few surprises throughout the sizable fleet.
Perhaps the biggest surprise occurred relatively early in the action, when Clay Deutsch’s Swan 68, Chippewa, a seasoned campaigner in major East Coast events and throughout the Caribbean – and a defending champion in the Heineken Regatta, having won its class in 2007 – was forced to the rear of the Spinnaker 2 division after losing its lone headsail halyard.

47 Boats in 7 Classes Kick Off Heineken Action in Second Budget Marine Commodore’s Cup 

St. Maarten, N.A. March 6 – The sailing was spirited, the images memorable. There was Elandra, the Beneteau First 40.7, wiping out at the leeward mark and struggling with a spinnaker takedown as many of her competitors slipped past. And MAD IV, the Grand Soleil 50, suffering the same mishap with her kite flailing away at the masthead. And no one who saw it will forget the sight of the Melges 24, French Connection, in a near knockdown with her big red asymmetric spinnaker in the water as her crew scrambled to windward to try and get her back upright. 

But no crew had more of a handful than the team aboard the J/109, Vrijgezeilig, which faced not one but two fire drills: a spinnaker that exploded into three sections and, worse, a man-overboard situation when an unfortunate crewman went into the drink after yet another broach. That incident had a happy ending, as the soaked sailor was recovered a minute later and Vrijgezeilig resumed racing.  

In other words, the weathermen said it would blow today, and blow it did. 

Ideal Sailing Conditions Await Record Fleet for the 28th Running of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

St. Maarten, N.A. February 5 – The race committee, event organizers and islanders – as well as the dozens and dozens of volunteers who help pull it all together – are ready. The party venues are set, the tents have been erected, and the musicians are tuning up. The icy green bottles of Heineken are waiting in the coolers, and folks are getting thirsty. There’s only one thing left to do. 

Go sailing. 

The 28^th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is about to commence, with a record-setting fleet of 281 boats registered to compete. The wind gods, it appears, are smiling on the racers, with ideal Caribbean sailing conditions – east-northeast tradewinds hovering in the mid-20-knot range – forecast for the opening days of the event. 

“It’s great to have a record number, it shows we’re doing something right,” said Robbie Ferron, the chairman of the regatta’s steering committee. “But our emphasis has never been about getting bigger, only better. And I like to think we’re doing that as well.” 

For the second straight year, the action will commence on Thursday as seven classes of flat-out, spinnaker-flying race boats gather on the racecourse for the Budget Marine Commodore’s Cup. Fifty-eight yachts have registered for the Commodore’s Cup, a three-race series that is scored separately than the main event. The three-day St. Maarten Heineken Regatta then begins on Friday, March 7. 

Today, a number of boats took advantage of the clear skies, bright sunshine and brisk breeze to hoist sail and continue preparations. A pair of boats in the spinnaker racing classes – the Swan 70, Blue Pearl, and the Ker 11.3, Minnie the Moocher – sailed several long tacks to windward before hoisting kites and practicing jibes. One of the five Gunboats set to race in their own separate division – the 62-footer, Looking for Elvis – spent much of the afternoon working on upwind technique. Meanwhile, the crew of the CM 60, Venomous, bent on a new carbon-fiber mainsail. 

Click here for the party schedule of 2008!

Sunday 2nd March 2008

The Sint Maarten Yacht Club will hold the annual Heineken Warm Up Race as usual on the Sunday before the Annual Heineken Regatta. This year the race will take place on Sunday the 2nd of March. The race will start at 10 am in Simpson Bay and the skippers meeting, where the courses will be announced will be at 6pm at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club on Saturday 1st March. The race will run along the South Coast of St. Maarten and will be a moderate length Sunday course. All boats that are eligible to sail the Heineken Regatta are welcome to participate. There is no entry fee for the boats participating in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta warm up race.

Robbie Ferron

There are countless ways to enjoy the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. From beach cats and bareboats to Grand Prix racers and multihulls, this annual Caribbean festival of yachting has a niche for every sailor. For a couple of special crews aboard the Farr 49, Synergy, and the Beneteau Oceanis 473, Team Goldendog, the event provides another opportunity. It gives them the chance to race for a grander purpose, and to use the regatta to raise funds for great causes. Take Team Synergy, the all-woman team based in Curacao, which came together for the first time last October for a regatta in Bonaire. Team leader Lea de Haas said the 14-member crew “had much to learn” about the 49-footer, which was built in 1974. “Everything was new,” she said. “We hadn’t trained before and it was challenging learning a boat with several headsails and an asymmetric spinnaker. Luckily, the winds were light. But the group was so enthusiastic and no job was too big for anyone. It was in Bonaire that we became a team. And we had such a great time and learned so much, that we decided to do the 2008 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.” But de Haas says Team Synergy’s goals go beyond their personal aims. “The idea was to do the Heineken for our own fun but also to raise money for a group of very young teenage girls in Curacao who are pregnant, homeless and out of school. Kai di Bruder Pius is an organization that takes care of these girls by giving them a place to live and assisting in their education so they can learn a profession and take care of their child.”

On Saturday the 2^nd of February many enthusiastic children ages 4 – 14 years old and their parents and teachers visited the Sint Maarten Yacht Club in Simpson Bay, because of the prize giving of the 9^th annual Kids art competition organized by the Sint Maarten yacht club and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. A few weeks before the prize giving all the school children on the Dutch side of the island received the assignment for this competition,whose goal is to involve the local school children in the regatta, and help them to come in touch with sailing and the event. The Thursday before the prize giving the judges Petra Gilders (Sint Maarten Yacht Club), Ruby Bute, Antoine Chapon and Lucia Trifan (all artists), selected the prize winners. There were four different age groups with 1st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place prize winners. The first prize winners of each category are Nadja van den Boogert from the Sister Marie Laurence School (4 – 5 years old), Samantha Heemskerk from the CIA (6 – 8 years old) Steven Cloose from the Sister Regina School (9 – 11 years old), and Sophia and Maike from the Sister Magda Primary School (boat project). The Prins Willem Alexander School won the 1^st prize for their class project, with a huge boat made out of recycled materials, the Hillside Christian Elementary school and the Sundial school won two prizes. The organization would like to thank all the companies on the island who were willing to sponsor such wonderful prizes for the participating children: Ama Jewelers, Aquamania, Bayside Riding Club, the Butterfly Farm, Pizza Galley, Rhino Safari, Sint Maarten Yacht Club Youth Sailing program, St. Maarten Park and van Dorp bookstores. At the end of the prize giving, many children left the yacht club with a big smile on their faces and the organization was completely satisfied with another successful event. For more information or for next years Kids art competition, contact the regatta office at 544-2079.

St. Maarten N.A., January 23, 2008

Heineken St. Maarten N.V., in cooperation with the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, is proud to announce the top musical performance for the largest sailing event in the Caribbean, the 28^th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. The headline performance for the outdoor beach concert, scheduled to conclude the St Maarten Heineken Regatta on Sunday, March 9^th 2008, is Mister Lover Lover himself, Shaggy! Shaggy (born Orville Richard Burrell, October 22, 1968, Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Americanreggae singer whose distinctive sub-baritone voice has made him an international supstar..

After one decade, six albums, two of them multi-platinum, five number 1 hits, and eleven top ten singles world wide, Grammy award winning Big Yard recording artist Shaggy is on the grind. Making music that celebrates his Caribbean culture, Shaggy is an ambassador for Reggae and Dancehall music, and he is also considered Jamaica’s only living Diamond-plus selling artist.

In the early 1990’s, Shaggy entered the scene with “Oh Carolina”, and the album “Boombastic” solidified Shaggy as a dancehall hit-maker, winning the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. When “Hotshot” dropped in 2000, it became a best-selling album and sold over 13 million albums worldwide. It topped the charts in the US, UK, Germany and Australia simultaneously. Hotshot rocketed to the top of the charts with two phenomenal singles, “It Wasn’t Me” and “Angel”.  Shaggy's 2005 effort Clothes Drop had serious radio-play in Jamaica and Japan, and it propelled the dancehall singer's career all the way to 2007 with the release of the "Church Heathen" single. That tune took the dancehall world by storm, re-established the singer's footing in the U.K., and began to make a big impact in the States closing off 2007. The album “Intoxication”, his worldwide comeback hit, samples hot crossover material — "What's Love" with Akon, "Bonafide Girl" with Rik Rok , "Mad Mad World" with Collie Buddz and  "Wear di Crown" with Mischieve,  and boldly declares itself "Big Yard Music". With Intoxication, Shaggy has once again found that perfect balance of slick and streetwise.  To date, Shaggy has sold over 20 million albums worldwide.

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has it all: outstanding sailing in blue Caribbean seas, world-class parties and entertainment, and an island venue that can’t be beat. If you asked the event’s most competitive sailors what, if anything, was missing, there really could be only one answer. More racing..
Race organizers listened, and last year they added a fourth day of competition, the Budget Marine Commodore’s Cup, to the traditional three-day event. It isn’t for everyone, noted race chairman Robbie Ferron. “It’s for the flat-out racers in the spinnaker classes,” he said. “The rest of the fleet can enjoy the regatta over the usual three-day schedule.” Still, according to Ferron, the first running of the Commodore’s Cup was an instant, unqualified success. “It was just one of the greatest days,” he said. “We had spectacular 15-17 knot tradewind conditions, a very competitive fleet, and three windward/leeward races in one day. Everyone enjoyed it immensely.” So, not surprisingly, they’re doing it again. The second annual Commodore’s Cup will kick off the 28^th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta on Thursday, March 6^th. Last year’s Cup attracted 58 entries racing in seven dedicated spinnaker classes. In the Bigboat 1 class, the big winner was the Volvo 70, ABN AMRO ONE. Antigua’s Carlo Valcone did well, winning the Spinnaker 3 division on his 44-foot Caccia alla Volpe. Another well-known Caribbean campaigner who scored a spot in the winner’s circle was Puerto Rico’s Sergio Sargramoso, who topped the Spinnaker 5 class aboard his Beneteau 40.7, Lazy Dog. Other winners in 2007 included Clay Deutsch’s Swan 68, Chippewa, from the USA, in Bigboat 2, and St. Maarten sailor Ian Hope-Ross’s Beneteau First 36.7, Kick ‘em Jenny, in Spinnaker 7. Both boats are among the early entrants for 2008 and will be looking to defend the titles they earned last year. 

 
Picture from left to right: Kim van Loo (Manager Shipwreck shops), Heather Tackling (Director Heineken Regatta), Marisa Brandy (Office Manager Nature Foundation Sint Maarten) John Leone (Director Heineken St Maarten) and Mandy Renkens (Event & Promotions Manager Heineken St Maarten).

The Nature Foundation of Sint Maarten and the St. Martin Réserve Naturelle were delighted to each receive a much needed donation from Heineken St. Maarten this week, to put towards their conservation programs on both side of the islands. The funds were raised through the sale of white ‘serious clean fun’ bracelets during the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta 2007. “During the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, we wanted to raise the exposure concerning the importance of keeping our island and it’s waters clean”, says Heineken St. Maarten Managing Director John Leone, the green “Meet You There” bracelets we donated last year were very well received, so we decided to repeat this mechanism again this year. This year we contributed white “Serious Clean Fun” bracelets”.  “We were very happy that we were able to generate over $3000.00 to share between the 2 foundations.”

Hailing from the tropical island of Barbados, and crowned the undisputed “Queen of Soca” by fans worldwide, the British born Alison Hinds is set to release her power and passion on Marigot, St. Martin, Saturday March 8, 2008 during the 28th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. The intoxicating musical movement known as SOCA (popular dance music of the SOuthern CAribbean) is rapidly gaining popularity among music lovers around the globe. It is a sexy and uplifting music known for its infectious rhythms and spirited spicy lyrics that inspires jubilant audience participation albeit with waving hands and flags to swaying hips, all in a ritualistic celebration that exemplifies life today in the Caribbean. ALISON HINDS is poised to become a major force in the eruption of innovative urban-influenced Caribbean-based artists such as fellow-Bajan popstar Rihanna, Sean Paul, and Shaggy, who are changing the face of music worldwide Alison will be performing hits off the August 2007 release of her first solo album SOCA QUEEN, an upbeat collection of original songs which captures Alison Hinds’ passionate sensual vocals, infectious driving rhythms and spirited lyrics.

Forget foreign navies, the St Maarten Heineken regatta is to get its own fleet of high performance Gunboats and other than high–tech construction there won’t be a weapon in sight. As many as six Gunboat catamarans will inject a shot of adrenaline into the multihull division of the 2008 Heineken regatta. The boats, built in Cape Town, South Africa, and sailed to the Caribbean on their own keel, are gaining worldwide popularity as an alternative to a performance monohull. Gunboat company founder Peter Johnstone had no doubt when he chose the Heineken Regatta to showcase his spectacular boats. "Gunboat is developing a premier owner based class and we have selected the best venues and events in the world because our owner's demand that.

Plan for the 28th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

6 to 9 March 2008 !

Dear members of the media,