The 20-strong fleet taking part in the 2014 Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous woke up to blue skies and a good breeze from the northeast this morning as the first day of racing was set to begin in earnest.
Organised by Boat International Media with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the spectacular setting of the YCCS mrina on Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, was just the start point for three days of fast and fun racing around the islands of the British Virgin Islands.
The fleet – which ranges from the 25m Aiyana and the 24.4m Swan Selene to the mighty 57m Royal Huisman Twizzle and the 66m Baltic flyer Hetairos – headed out for an 11 am start, racing under the International Super Yacht Rule rating system, with starts staggered in reverse order and the slowest rated yacht – the 29m Sparkman & Stephens Altair – getting the racing underway. The course set to today was Course 4, which sets the superyachts on a clockwise route around Virgin Groda and inside Ginger Island.
Yesterday, participants could take part in a Practice Day Race. The results from this provisional race have yielded the following results: Nautor's Swan/Frers-designed sloop Freya in first place; Arkin Pruva/Humphreys-designed Tempus Fugit in second; and the Nautor's Swan Alpina.
Look out for race updates live on Twitter throughout the day by following @nautiwords and @boatint, and we will bring a full race report with all the action on the water after racing has finished.