Twosome for Pindar in Antigua

Volvo Ocean 60 and Open 60 at this year's Rolex Antigua Sailing Week

Pindar, the print and electronic media company has announced two entries in this year’s Rolex Antigua Race Week that will take place from Sunday 30 30 April-Saturday 6 May 2006.

The Open 60 Pindar AlphaGraphics arrived into Dickenson Bay on Saturday, having left Gosport on 19 March. Making his Open 60 skipper debut, 26-year old Nick ‘Nobi’ Black, will lead the crew through the week-long programme of events. Despite his youth, Nick, from Northern Ireland, has already worked on a number of high profile sailing campaigns including Ellen MacArthur’s victory on Kingfisher in the Route du Rhum and Nick Moloney’s Vendée Globe campaign, before joining Pindar as Boat Captain in 2004.

Racing with the Pindar AlphaGraphics crew will be Chairman of the Pindar Group, Andrew Pindar, who will be competing in his first ever regatta series, having previously only ever taken part in one-off events. Speaking from the company’s head office in Scarborough, Andrew Pindar commented “This is the first time Pindar has competed in Antigua Sailing Week which is widely regarded as one of the highlights on the sailing calendar. The field of world class entries offers a tremendous opportunity for us to race the Open 60, whilst also offering guests unique hospitality in the spectacular waters of the Caribbean. How many other sports offer amateurs of mixed abilities the thrill of being able to compete alongside the very best in the world? We’re looking forward to what promises to be a truly memorable week.”

Pindar’s Volvo 60 left Gosport last Tuesday and is due to arrive in Antigua in late April. Skipper, Loz Marriott, who led Pindar’s entry in the 2004-5 Global Challenge will be joined, among others, by Debra Searle, the former solo Atlantic rower who has recently turned her hand to sailing.

Debra commented “The Caribbean will always hold a special place in my heart ever since I arrived in Barbados at the end of my Atlantic challenge. I’ll never forget the amazing welcome I received – everyone was so friendly. I’m really exited about joining the Pindar crew for some competitive racing.”

Now in its 39th year, Rolex Antigua Sailing Week has evolved from a regatta for local yachtsmen into a truly international event. The action begins on Thursday 27 April with the famous Guadeloupe-Antigua race ahead of the official regatta start on Sunday 30 April. The event attracts an average of 200 yachts, over 1500 participants, 5000 spectators and some of the biggest, fastest and most impressive sailing yachts in the world, packed with Olympic, America's Cup and round the world sailors.

Racing will take place from the historic Nelson's Dockyard to Dickenson Bay and back, taking in both the sheltered waters of the Caribbean and the big rollers of the Atlantic.