# Antigua Racing Cup 2026: Penultimate Day Delivers Dramatic Tension Ahead of Final Day
Held across the turquoise Caribbean waters off Antigua from April 8 to 12, 2026, the Antigua Racing Cup entered its highly anticipated penultimate day on Friday, with unpredictable weather testing even the most seasoned sailing crews. A fast-moving rain squall forced organizers to delay the start of racing, setting the tone for a day defined by shifting wind speeds and directions that kept tactical teams on their toes from the first start to the final finish. Alternating bursts of bright sunshine and scattered cloud cover added an extra layer of complexity to course navigation, turning every leg of the race into a test of both skill and adaptability.
For handicap divisions CSA 2, 3 and 4, the day brought two full races and the activation of the regatta’s one-race discard rule, shaking up overall standings and setting the stage for a thrilling final day. Most of the racing for these divisions unfolded on windward-leeward courses set between the iconic Shirley Heights landmark and the entrance to Falmouth Harbour, with an offshore reaching leg added to introduce a wider range of wind angles and tactical challenges.
## CSA 1 (Big Boat Class): Prevail Claims Fourth Bullet After Dramatic Comeback
The CSA 1 big boat division tackled a breathtaking 22-nautical-mile course that wound past some of Antigua’s most famous natural landmarks. The route sent competitors upwind to the eastern edge of Willoughby Bay, followed by a fast downwind run to a virtual mark five miles offshore. From there, crews sailed a tight reach toward Boggy Peak, Antigua’s highest point, before a final upwind beat outside Cades Reef to the finish line.
Dan Gribble’s United States entry *Prevail*, a Tripp 65, crossed the finish line first in just over three hours elapsed time and held on to claim the CSA corrected time victory – its fourth bullet win of the regatta. Behind *Prevail*, Lennart Davidsson’s S&S 79 *Kialoa III* pulled off an impressive comeback to secure second place, just one day after the team suffered a broken bowsprit. John McMonigal’s British Oyster 82 *Zig Zag*, skippered by Carl Raynes, rounded out the top three.
Speaking after the race, Davidsson noted that his team made the call to stay offshore for most of the race to take advantage of more consistent wind and favorable current. “Much of our crew comes from the Swan 65 *Saida*, also a Sparkman Stephens design, but *Kialoa III* is far larger,” he explained. “Our crew hails from Germany, Switzerland, Norway, and we even have Antiguan sailors from the Y2K youth sailing program on board. We work well as a unit, and we’re expecting more stable weather tomorrow – hopefully not too heavy, which will suit our boat perfectly.”
## CSA 2: All Tied Up At the Top After Two Dramatic Races
With two races completed on the penultimate day, the CSA 2 overall standings could not be closer, setting up a winner-takes-all battle on the final day of racing. In the day’s first race (Race 6), Steve Rigby’s British GS46 *Belladonna* claimed the corrected time win by a margin of 1 minute 20 seconds over Donald Nicholson’s American J/121 *Apollo*, with Jules Mitchell’s Antiguan RP37 *Warthog* just 36 seconds behind *Apollo* in third. *Warthog* struck back in Race 7, taking the win by 1 minute 41 seconds over Bruce Chafee’s American Reichel Pugh 42 *Rikki*, with *Belladonna* just 23 seconds behind *Rikki* in third.
After seven races, both *Belladonna* and *Warthog* sit tied atop the overall standings with 9 points apiece, while *Rikki* holds third place with 16 points. The division has emerged as the closest contest of the entire regatta, with momentum shifting race to race and almost nothing separating the top two contenders.
Jeremy Smart of *Belladonna* noted that the tight points race has been consistent throughout the event. “We’ve been tied on points every single day so far, which is absolutely crazy, and tomorrow is guaranteed to be tight,” he said. “For our bigger, heavier boat, 14 to 16 knots of wind on a windward-leeward course would be ideal – we need a bit of breeze to power through the waves. It’s been an absolute pleasure racing against the *Warthog* team.”
Ozani Lafond of *Warthog* has different ideal conditions, leaning into his boat’s strength on downwind legs. “We’d love to see 18 to 20 knots, because that lets us really capitalize on our downwind speed,” he explained. “On the long runs, we can stretch out and gain time. It’s all going to come down to who sails the cleanest race tomorrow.”
## CSA 3: Danish Blue Extends Commanding Lead
Poul Hoj Jensen’s Antiguan entry *Danish Blue* tightened its grip on the CSA 3 title with two additional race wins on penultimate day, extending its already solid lead over the rest of the field. In Race 6, *Danish Blue* beat Katy Campbell’s Canadian entry *Panacea X* by 2 minutes 41 seconds on corrected time, with Britain’s Team Strada Awaken taking third. *Danish Blue* repeated the performance in Race 7, beating *Panacea X* again by 2 minutes 50 seconds, with Bernie Evan-Wong’s Antiguan *High Tension* taking third just 1 minute 20 seconds behind the runner-up.
After seven races, *Danish Blue* holds a commanding lead on 6 overall points, with *Panacea X* second on 11 points and Team Strada Awaken third on 21 points. Just one point off the third-place podium is the American entry J-Aguar Powered by Heat Wave on 22 points, keeping the fight for the final podium spot alive.
Nineteen-year-old Antiguan sailor Shanoy Malone, who sails on *Danish Blue*, represents the next generation of Caribbean talent coming up through the island’s youth sailing pathway. “I started sailing when I was six, worked my way through the local youth system, and now I get to race alongside legends of the sport right here in my home waters,” Malone said. “My job on the bow is to plan ahead, keep operations smooth, and make sure maneuvers are clean so the team can stay focused. Having my dad, Karl James, and Poul Høj-Jensen on board means I learn something new every race, and this event makes me so proud to be a young Antiguan sailor.”
## CSA 4: Whiplash Extends Unbeaten Streak
Ashley Rhodes’ Antiguan Melges 24 *Whiplash* continued its perfect unbeaten run at the 2026 Antigua Racing Cup, picking up two more wins to extend its lead at the top of CSA 4. In Race 6, *Whiplash* beat Lee Oldak’s American entry *The Project* by 12 minutes 29 seconds on corrected time, with Jean-Mallory Rousseau’s French entry *Montebello Pepsi* just 37 seconds behind *The Project* in third. Race 7 was far closer, with *Whiplash* edging out *The Project* by just 15 seconds, while *Montebello Pepsi* held on to third again.
After seven races, *Whiplash* holds a commanding lead on a perfect 7 overall points, with *The Project* second on 12 points and *Montebello Pepsi* third on 17 points. While the title race appears all but decided, the battle for the second and third podium spots remains wide open heading into the final day.
Rousseau, whose team sails out of nearby Guadeloupe, said the regatta has offered exactly the kind of high-quality international competition his team was seeking. “We love that this event brings together so many different boat designs, so you’re not just racing on corrected time – you’re pushing hard against the boats around you in real time, which makes everyone sail better,” he explained. “Tomorrow our plan is simple: we’ll give everything we have in the first race, and depending on the standings, we might swap crew positions for the final race to let everyone experience a new role and thank the whole team. Team spirit matters more than anything.”
## Off the Water: Camaraderie and Relaxation Ahead of Final Day
After a long day of intense racing on the water, crews gathered ashore at Nelson’s Dockyard for the daily prize giving and the regatta’s famous after-racing social event. Teams replayed key moments from the day’s races, swapped stories with fellow competitors, and enjoyed complimentary local hospitality, including English Harbour Rum and Amstel Beer. The relaxed atmosphere gives competitors a chance to decompress after the intensity of racing, building camaraderie ahead of the final, title-deciding day of racing tomorrow.