The stakes in the Antigua Bermuda Race were raised after it was announced that the 935-mile deep blue race will form part of next year’s Atlantic Ocean Racing Series.

The five series will include the RORC Caribbean 600, Transatlantic Race 2019, Rolex Fastnet Race, Rolex Middle Sea Race and Antigua Bermuda Race, which is organised in association with Antigua Sailing Week and supported by the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

“We are delighted to be part of Atlantic Ocean Racing Series alongside such prestigious races,” Les Crane, the Antigua Bermuda Race chairman, said. “As part of the AORS, we hope to attract many of the competitors for the series to race with us to Bermuda.”

To qualify for the Atlantic series, participants must complete three races including the Transatlantic Race.

“The TR 2019 committee unanimously thinks adding the Antigua Bermuda Race to the AORS is a splendid idea and should benefit all the races included,” Patti Young, the Transatlantic Race vice-chairman, said.

The third edition of the Antigua Bermuda Race will start on May 8, 2019 and will feature yachts 40ft and over that will race under the IRC Rating Rule, MOCRA and the CSA Racing Rule with the latter amended to permit boats to use their engines subject to a time penalty.

“The Antigua Bermuda Race is the perfect way to give purpose and safety to many yachts that will be plying the route,” Crane added. “This is exactly the result we planned for when we started the race in 2017.”

The Antigua Bermuda Race starts five days after the 52nd edition of Antigua Sailing Week.

The party continues once the fleet arrives in Bermuda at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club who will also host the official prize giving ceremony on May 16.

n Tim Patton slipped down the leaderboard on day three of the Etchells World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, yesterday.

The helmsman, competing with teenaged son Campbell and Rockal Evans, started the day in 70th position in the 94-boat fleet and finished in 77th.

Patton was among nine boats that were disqualified for going over the start line early in the opening race and awarded a 95th-place finish for the infringement. However, he bounced back with his third best showing Down Under of 58th in the day’s remaining race.

Another Bermudian competing in Australia is Jesse Kirkland who represented Bermuda in the 49er class at the London Olympics in 2012. Kirkland is competing with US national Etchells champion Scot Kaufman. They moved up 12 places to 20th.