Despite crossing the line first in yesterday’s opening race of Antigua Sailing Week in just two hours and 33 minutes, Mari Cha IV was unable to retain first place on corrected time. In rain, cloud and very little wind Robert Millar’s spectacular superyacht, threaded her way through the fleet round the island from English Harbour to Dickenson Bay and eventually had to settle for fourth in Racing Big Boat A with Dr Hasso Plattner’s Morning Glory taking the win. After an incredible close race throughout Pyewacket was second. After being forced out on the start line by Bill Alcott’s Equation, Morning Glory clawed her way back to the front of the class, pipping Pyewacket at the finish line; Pyewacket too low to lay the finish line had to put in a tack, Morning Glory, upwind, covered and finished seconds in front.

Clay Deutsch’s Swan 68 Chippewa, making her fourth appearance in Antigua this year, won Racing Big Boat II with Starr Trail second and Liara third. Peter Harrison’s Sojana was relegated to the back of the fleet on corrected time while Mike Slade’s Leopard of London, first across the line in class, was sixth.

Last year’s class and overall winner Frank Savage saw himself in a unpleasant fourth place at the end of today in Racing III. Roger Sturgeon’s Transpac 52 is at the top of the pile despite being over on the start line this morning together with Aera.

Antiguan boat Lost Horizon II won Racing IV but by a hair to Trinidad’s Guardian Star. Another Antiguan boat, Caccia Alla Volpe, is in third place. Crescendo and Feelogood lead Racer/Cruiser I & II respectively.

In division B, Yocahu, a Swan 48, So Far, another Swan 48 and Trouble, a Six Meter from Antigua, lead Performance Cruising 1, II and III while Farrfly David Cullen’s Farr 56 from Ireland, leads Cruising I.

Grenat, the winning bareboat in Thursday’s Antigua to Guadeloupe race leads Bareboat I while Jan Soderberg – the 15-year veteran of Antigua Sailing Week who has won overall bareboat seven times – and his Rosco crew find themselves second to Heliodore in Bareboat II. Carnival, with a core crew that won class and Most Worthy Performance in St Maarten’s Heineken Regatta leads Bareboat III, King Arthur, Bareboat IV and Bavaria 36 Durely Dene tops Bareboat VI.

Mid-afternoon today the second race of the day – the one for the best anchoring spots on Dickenson Bay – started. Onshore, speakers warmed up, beer cooled, chicken sizzled and the limin’ started for the Dickenson Bay Beach Bash which got into full swing later on in the evening.

Tomorrow, division A yachts will race Olympic courses off Dickenson Bay and Division B will race to Jolly Harbour. Tuesday is the Falmouth Harbour Race, which is followed by Lay-Day fun on Wednesday at Antigua Yacht Club.