8th Caribbean Multihull Challenge Race and Rally - Day 2
by St. Maarten Yacht Club 31 Jan 22:13 GMT
January 28 - February 1, 2026
With the breeze on, Sophia was on full display - 8th Caribbean Multihull Challenge Race and Rally day 2 © Andre Dede Knol
What a difference a day makes. After an opening-round racing session in uncharacteristically fickle tradewinds, on Day 2 of the Caribbean Multihull Challenge the weather gods flicked on the fans, offering 16-18 knots — with an occasional gust into the 20s—of solid, pulsing easterly breeze, which the three divisions of racing catamarans and trimarans took full advantage of.
With the spray flying, the waters along St. Maarten's southern shores were dotted with colorful sails and the fleets spearing upwind and down in a full day of wild competitive racing. And when it was over, there were surprises galore up and down the respective leader boards.
In CSA 1, the race committee sent the 5-boat fleet on a winding, 34-nautical mile race from Simpson Bay to Marigot, then across the Anguilla Channel to Blowing Rock before a finish back in the bay. It was a true test of skill and trim on every point of sail, and one boat in particular aced the exam: Marcos Sirota's 63-foot Nigel Irens-designed trimaran, Sophia.
It seemed clear from the outset that, a day after finishing second behind the Gunboat 72, Layla, that this was going to be Sophia's day. And it was also apparent how and why the 63-footer, then called Paradox3, wreaked havoc in the multihull field in last summer's running of the classic Rolex Fastnet Race. Sophia nailed the start, just upwind of Layla, and extended her lead all the way around the racecourse: First to the weather mark, first to set a kite (with an added boost from a staysail), first to turn and burn to Marigot and beyond. Hauling the mail, Sophia put on a veritable sailing clinic.
That said, Andrew Anne's Layla did not go down without a fight, and looked great doing so, especially when it set its Eric Clapton-themed kite in the famous image of the album cover from which the big cat got its name. With a second for the day, Layla and Sophia are locked in a tie for first in the CSA 1 leaderboard, setting up what promises to be an epic weekend battle for the class's top prize.
Interestingly, there's a race within the race in CSA 1, with a pair of ORC 50s—one of the sweetest, most versatile racing/cruising cats on the water—in the midst of their own private contest. So far, with a third and a first in the opening two races, Thomas Kassberg's Malolo has both an advantage over Eric Clement's Wa-Kan and is just behind Layla for third place in the class. The final two days will be fascinating to see how the top-three podium places shake out.
CSA 2 has become a tale of two trimarans: Richard Wooldridge's Kelsall 47, Triple Jack, and Sam Talbot's Rapido 40, Spike. (Unfortunately, the class's third tri, Ninth Charm, was sidelined on Friday as owner Bernard "Appie" Stoutenbeek addressed steering and engine issues with his Newick-designed yacht, on which he's sailing his first regatta.) CSA 2 tackled a pair of races today, with the two boats each scoring a first and a second. For now, Triple Jack is atop the rankings, but by just a single point. It's looking like another nail-biting weekend in CSA 2.
The most breathtaking action of the day, however, was provided by the Caribbean's premier one-design multihull, the Diam 24, a fleet that's offered plenty of entertaining racing in previous CMC's. There are eight Diam 24s competing in this year's event, and the racing so far, through five races including a trio today, has been wide open. The entire slate of races showcased the Diams' power-reaching prowess down the coast, kites unfurled, spray flying while creaming along at double-digit boat speeds. They may not be the biggest boats on the racecourse but they perform in a huge way, and are capable of making better than 20 knots of boat speed with the wind up and the hammer down.
After a pair of seconds and a sixth today, Miha Krumpak's Fastnet is the current leader, thanks to two bullets yesterday. But as Buzz Racing's skipper Ted Resheftiloff says, "Everybody in the fleet has the chance to win this regatta. Anybody can win any given race." Resheftiloff should know, as he was the winner of today's fifth and final Diam 24 contest.
As the Caribbean representative on the international Diam 24 board, he has a unique take on the class: "All the boats are identical, unlike a lot of other one-design fleets. There's no arms race. The only sails allowed come from the builder. It's a great community and we enjoy competing against one another. And it's super-close racing."
Tomorrow, the Diam 24s will be taking their talents to Great Bay in Philipsburg for a full day of racing. They will be a beautiful sight to behold.
caribbeanmultihullchallenge.com