Photo by Laurens Morel, Salty Colours, Inc.
The fifth annual Caribbean Multihull Challenge will begin in just over a month with a record number of boats on the start line. “From a high of 18 boats in 2022, we hope to come closer to the high 20s for this coming event,” says Stephen Burzon, the event’s volunteer director of marketing.
The three-leg racecourse combines a 60-mile sprint around St. Barth, a 52-mile dash around Saba, and a 27-mile circumnavigation of the island. “The combined winner of all three [will receive] a gorgeous and practical Oris Aquis Diving Watch provided by longtime sponsor Oris.” says CMC Steering Committee Chair Petro Jonker.
The event will also be adding a rally component for the first time to give less competitive sailors a chance to join the fun. The rally, officially titled the Caribbean Multihull Challenge Rally, is a three-day cruising event beginning and ending in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, with overnights at Anse Marcel and Sandy Ground in Road Bay, Anguilla.
Photo: Courtesy Balance Catamarans
This year’s increase in participation is also thanks in part to a partnership with Balance Catamarans, which is celebrating its 10th birthday this year. According to Phillip Berman, president and founder of Balance Catamarans, the rally is a perfect way to cap off the festivities, as “joining up with the CMC rally as a way to wind up our celebration fits in perfectly with our plans.”
For more information about the event, visit CaribbeanMultihullChallenge.com. To enter the race or the rally, go to YachtScoring.com.
