Friar’s Bay Race 2026 Features Fast Racing and Great Camaraderie | Soualiganewsday

SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) - The breeze was switched on and competitors were flying around the island at this weekend’s Friar’s Bay Race on April 18-19. Organized as a collaboration between SMYC and Saint Martin Voile Pour Tous (SMVT), this year’s event saw eight boats come out for two days of excellent racing. The Diam 24 fleet had five boats participating and CSA 1 had three boats; two Melges 24s and a J/105. After a short postponement, Race Officer (RO) Andy Cross and volunteers got the action kicked off on Simpson Bay at 9:40 for the first race of the event—a beat to the cablemarker near Great Bay and back. In an easterly wind that saw gusts in the low 20s, CSA started first followed by the Diam 24s, who took off like they were shot out of a cannon. The Diams made quick work of the course, and the finish was tight with all boats coming in mere minutes apart. Race two took competitors from Simpson Bay around the western corner of the island, past Marigot to the finish in Friar’s Bay. This time with a downwind start, CSA again got underway first followed by the Diam 24s, all under spinnakers/reachers. Once past Pointe du Canonnier and then Plum Bay, it was an upwind battle to the finish for this final race of day one.  When all the sailors were anchored and settled in the beautiful waters of Friar’s Bay, they were met ashore by the team at SMVT who hosted an afternoon beach BBQ at Kali’s Beach Bar. Chicken and ribs were on the menu and the delicious meals were washed down with rum punch and cold beers. Overall, it was a great first day of racing!  Day two dawned with a nearly identical easterly wind in the upper teens and low 20s. As teams prepared their boats in Friar’s Bay, the vibe was light and everyone was ready to compete. After some trouble getting the committee boat’s anchor to set and a short postponement, CSA and the Diams got off on another downwind start and headed back the way they’d come the day before, sailing fast for the finish in Simpson Bay.  The Diam fleet continued to show how tight their racing can be as the five contenders sailed past Mullet and Maho bays and into Simpson Bay, once again finishing just minutes apart. The CSA boats followed and it was their final finish of the event. For the Diams, one more race was sailed and it was the same course as Saturday, taking them to the cablemarker near Great Bay and back.  When the dust had settled in the Diam 24 class, it was team KIC / B.FAMILY in third place, Look Up took second place, and with two first place finishes on Sunday, AS MDA captured the top spot.  In the CSA 1 class, the Melges 24 Budget Marine finished in third place, the J/105 More Zessin’ grabbed second place, and the Melges 24 Caraibes Diesel was in first place with a clean sweep in all three races. Well sailed, everyone!  Said RO Andy Cross of the event, “What a fun weekend to be a racing sailor in Saint Martin/Sint Maarten! It was impressive to see everyone tackle the courses and conditions. And a big thanks to SMVT for a great party on the beach in Friar’s Bay.” Next up on the calendar for the CSA and Diam 24 classes is another distance race, this time to Karibuni on Pinel Island on May 9. For full results visit smyc.com/friars-bay-race