Antigua Sailing Week on DVD

The Caribbean's top regatta on the telly

Antigua Sailing Week, in association with UK-based Sportshows TV, leaders in yachting TV coverage, has just released the DVD of this year's yachting spectacle. The DVD is available for purchase online at www.high.tv.

The Antigua Sailing Week 2004 show is available in NTSC and PAL formats for American and European systems and costs US$40. The 2003 and 2002 shows are also available for US$40 each while a box set of all three years is available for US$100. The 2004 show is also available on VHS video.

The 2002 and 2003 shows run 45 and 55 minutes respectively while the 2004 show is 60 minutes long; captured by two film crews from land, sea and air the 2004 show has been distilled from 40 hours of footage.

A 23-minute version of the show was broadcast on World Yachting on European satellite channel Sky Sports in August and is scheduled to be broadcast on: Star Sports (Asia); Showtime Sports (Pan Arab); Sport TV (Portugal); JCS Sports (Israel); Canal + (Spain); MBC (Mauritius); It will also be distributed to M-Net South Africa, Fox Sports Australia, Fox Sports South America, Fox Sports Middle East and Fox Sports Eastern Europe.

A short taster preview of the Antigua Sailing Week 2004 DVD can be seen on www.sail.tv, the world's first 24 x 7 internet television channel for sailing and the latest in "TV on the Internet". Sail.tv plans to officially launch early in 2005.

The 2004 event held 25 April-1 May - saw 211 boats in 16 classes registered, with 200 making it to the start line for the first start gun off English Harbour. 28 yachts of 60ft and over gathered with the fastest monohull in the world, Mari-Cha IV, leading the charge.

24 countries were represented with Russia and Hungary entering for the first time. Eighty-five bareboats battled it out. A total of 28 Swans competed - a record for Antigua Sailing Week - and a king's ransom of international sailing talent that was hard to keep track of was scattered through the fleet.

After the week of racing, Dr Hasso Plattner's maxZ86 Morning Glory walked away with the Lord Nelson's Trophy for best overall, the Curtain Bluff Trophy for winning Big Boat I and the Ricochet Cup for best American yacht. She won four of her seven races, dropping two to Titan XII and one to her sistership Pyewacket. She beat Mari-Cha IV over the line three times.

After a week of building winds, the 37th annual Antigua Sailing Week ended with a bang on the last day of racing. Rain and cloud greeted the fleet but as the day wore on the clouds gave way to Caribbean sunshine. Winds moderated slightly and averaged 23 knots but 28-knot gusts were seen after the start.

Racing concluded on Saturday with the second annual Bareboat Championship Race. Conditions were still demanding with 20-25 knot winds and 6-8 foot seas. 18 boats - the top three from each class - lined up on the start line and DSD Carnival with Phil Otis on the helm emerged victorious.

Stanford International Bank Limited is a diamond sponsor of the event. Platinum sponsors are Air Jamaica, Cable & Wireless, English Harbour Rum, American Express and Yachting World. LIAT is a Silver sponsor.