The 42nd Antigua Sailing Week is drawing near, and changes are afoot. A new race management team – UK based GWM Racing Ltd – has been installed, and a new format will be introduced to add spice to the competition.

Details on the event have been published in the new edition of the Antigua Sailing Week Magazine, along with updated Sailing Instructions. Click here to read the 52-page colour publication.

With former title sponsor, Stanford International Bank, now in receivership, another change is in the offing. But as event chairman, Neil Forrester, says, the regatta remains a going, vital concern, and the 2009 edition is shaping up as another unforgettable contest. “The racing will in no way be compromised and we’re working hard to ensure that Antigua Sailing Week will be as enjoyable and as memorable as years gone by.”

The 2009 running of the event will begin a day earlier for the racing and cruising fleets – on Saturday 25 April – forgoing the traditional Sunday start. With that, six full days of competition for the racing fleets will culminate on Thursday 30 April. The Bareboat fleet will start their regatta on Sunday and finish on Friday. Both divisions will race six days rather than the previous five.

Along with the short inshore races that are always a highlight, three distance races – the traditional Round the Island Race for theYachting World Trophy(again a one-day event, rather than a two-day cumulative race), the re-introduced Round Redonda Island Race, and the prologue Guadeloupe to Antigua Race on 24 April – will comprise the new Ocean Series.

Among the early entrants for Antigua Sailing Week is Charles Dunstone’s Transpac 52Rio, which will compete with a largely professional crew – including many members of Team Origin America’s Cup squad – and rock and roll celebrity Simon Le Bon – lead singer of Duran Duran and Whitbread Round the World Race veteran.

For more information, visit www.sailingweek.com .