While some sailing events have taken place even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in 2021, others have been canceled given the risk of spreading the coronavirus infection.
The 36th America’s Cup final took place in March, with Emirates Team New Zealand winning the final race on March 17, taking the cup for the fourth time. Another event that continued even as the pandemic infection rates increased in some areas was the 2021 Newport to Cabo Race, which started on March 19 with 18 total entries. As of March 20, two boats in the fleet had reportedly retired due to gear problems.
One event that organizers decided to cancel in the face of the ongoing pandemic is the Antigua Sailing Week 2021, which was originally scheduled for April 24 to 30. From an announcement on the Antigua Sailing Week website: “With its position as the anchor event of an already uneventful Caribbean racing season, interest in the event was strong. ‘With entries still coming in we were grappling with finding the right formula to accommodate those interests, but with the increased restrictions being put in place to manage the further spread of COVID-19, cancellation is the only possible outcome at this time,’ stated ASW president and commercial director, Alison Sly-Adams.” n
