ARC transatlantic sailing event to dock in SVG

The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), an annual transatlantic sailing event for cruiser yachts held since 1986, is expected to dock at St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) this year.

The ARC, considered a “must do” for many sailors, attracts over 200 boats and 1200 people every year to sail 2700 nautical miles across the Atlantic from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. It also includes a sailing competition for racers.

On Monday, chief executive officer of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA) Glen Beache said the SVGTA will test a partnership with the ARC this year and that partnership will see the event touching these shores in December with about 22 boats.

He said registration for ARC 2019 has already begun and ARC will give sailors a choice between SVG and St Lucia, and so far about six boats have chosen SVG.

“This excites us. Sailing and yachting is our niche area and we continue to grow,” said Beache on Monday.

ARC starts at the end of November and ends before Christmas and is the largest trans-ocean sailing event in the world. The route takes between eight and 31 days aided by trade winds.

ARC was founded by Jimmy Cornell and is now organised by the World Cruising Club. The Club is the world’s leading sailing rally specialist, with nine distinct rallies taking place every year – ARC, World ARC, Caribbean 1500, ARC Europe, ARC Portugal, ARC USA, ARC Baltic, ARC DelMarVa and the Malts Cruise.