Following the success of the last few days at the National Sailing Academy (NSA) in English Harbour Antigua, where the Hansa Sailing team have been on the ground working with instructors and become familiar with sailing in the Hansa 303’s (bought in from Australia especially) for the upcoming Para-Olympic Development Programme, the team has decided that Antigua is ready for its first Hansa Championship.
The new Annual Hansa International Antigua Championship will take place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 and is officially the first inclusive sailing event to take place in the twin island nation as it will include an Inter- Schools Division, an Antigua National Hansa Division and a Sailability Division.
The day starts at 9 a.m. with a skippers briefing followed by racing at 10 a.m. The three divisions will race in Hansa 303’s and later in the day the Top Gun Invitational Race will take place. Entry is free for racing and spectators.
Sailability programme manager Bob Bailey says, ‘We are very excited that Hansa have the confidence in the programme in Antigua to make the decision to support a new annual event.”
He said of the Hansa 303’s boats which will be used to race in, “They are easy to use and are excellent for new people getting into the sport as they are stable and don’t capsize. They are also very good for teaching wind awareness which is essential if students are to progress.”
The day will include music, bar and barbecue and racing will take place off the new Sailability dock. Everyone is invited to come down and watch the racing and support the first inclusive event of its kind in Antigua and Barbuda.
