By Zoë Carlton
Photo Credit: Ed Gifford
Twenty-six boats lined up at Antigua Yacht Club for a weekend of close racing across ILCA and Optimist fleets, with sailors representing four Caribbean nations.
Out on the water in Falmouth Harbour, sails cut clean lines across the bay as the boats lined up for a weekend of close, competitive racing. With sailors travelling in from Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to join sailors from Antigua and Barbuda, the 2026 Budget Marine ILCA and Optimist Open Regatta once again drew a strong regional field—and delivered on it.
Racing across the fleets was tight. Starts mattered, mark roundings mattered more, and there was little room to recover from mistakes. It was serious sailing, but never without its lighter moments back on shore.
One of the clearest signs of the event’s strength came from the Green Fleet. Designed to bring younger sailors into competition, it offered a first taste of racing in a supportive but structured environment. Tyrone Richardson Jr took first place, with Ziggy Brookes second and Bowden Pierini third—early results, but promising ones.
In the Optimist Open fleet, Greyson Burrell finished first, navigating the kind of conditions that test both confidence and decision-making. The ILCA 4.7 class saw Tyden Jones add another win to a name already familiar on the local circuit.
The ILCA 6/7 fleet, as expected, was the most closely contested—and it was here that Shanoy Malone came out on top. Omani Lafond followed in second, with Diego Ewinger third, rounding out a competitive podium.
For Malone, the result carries added significance. In 1994, his father, Shaun Malone, won the same regatta. This year, the name returns to the winners’ list—this time through the next generation.
“I always say I work hard—and every time I go out, I try to work twice as hard,” Malone said after racing. “It’s been a long time coming. I still feel like I have unfinished business.”
Reflecting on the win, he pointed back to where it began.
“I thank God for the opportunity, and my coaches who’ve been there since I was six. That’s when I came down here after school and said I wanted to do it. I just want to keep working.”
That long-term development is something Karl James has helped shape. Having organised the regatta for many years, he has seen the standard steadily rise.
“It was an amazing weekend,” he said. “The best sailors came out, and the competition was tight. It’s good to see it continuing to grow.”
He also highlighted efforts to keep the event accessible, particularly for younger sailors, even as last-minute challenges prevented one competitor from the British Virgin Islands from attending.
“I’m just happy to see all the kids come out and enjoy it,” he added.
Support from Budget Marine helped drive the event, with Barbie’s Restaurant keeping sailors and spectators fed between races. A special prize was also awarded to Jo-Ann Brown, recognising
contribution beyond the results sheet.
By the end of the weekend, as boats came ashore and results were finalised, the broader picture was
clear. From Green Fleet to ILCA, the pathway is active, competitive, and producing results.
And at the centre of it, Antigua Yacht Club continues to provide the space where that progression happens—quietly, consistently, and with the kind of racing that keeps sailors coming back.
