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.