The star performance of the first day of racing came from the 218ft Dykstra/Reichel-Pugh ketch Hetairos, captained by Graham Newton, which smashed the SYCA Round Antigua Race record.
The giant ketch returned to the course this year with a crew of 47 sailors and produced a stand-out performance, stopping the clock in 3 hours 20 minutes 35 seconds.
The new benchmark improves the previous record by over 25 minutes, with Hetairos averaging 14.45 knots around the 48.31 nautical mile course.
Remarkably, the performance was also quicker than the recent RORC Antigua 360 record, set just last month by the Farr 100 Leopard 3 in 3 hours 32 minutes 58 seconds. Hetairos completed the same course 12 minutes and 23 seconds faster.
After ORCsy time correction, Hetairos also secured overall victory in the race, winning by just over 11 minutes from the 121ft Dykstra sloop Action.
The 213ft three-masted gaff schooner Adix completed the podium in third.
With the trade winds building around the island, peaking at 27 knots plus well over two-metres of seas state, the opening day of racing was epic.
For superyachts opting for the shorter 33.51nm Half-Island Race, the provisional win went to the Swan 90 Hummingbird, captained by Josh Hill. However, Hummingbird retired as they declared that they had missed a mark of the course.
The Spirit 111 Geist, captained by Joe Sampson, was declared the winner, while the 140ft German Frers ketch Rebecca was forced to retire from the race after suffering a torn spinnaker.
