One Love, One Island, One Regatta: Highlights from the 45th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta Celebration

Simpson Bay – April 10, 2025 –  The official film of the 45th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has just dropped, and it’s a vibrant tribute to four and a half decades of sailing, island spirit, and unforgettable “Serious Fun!” This annual Caribbean celebration has, for 45 years, brought together locals, visitors, and world-class sailors —uniting both sides of the Dutch and French island through racing by day and legendary parties by night.

Since its founding, the Regatta has evolved into one of the most iconic sailing events in the world. For the past 40 years, the event has partnered with Heineken, who has lit up St. Maarten for the first weekend of March every year with spectacular entertainment, unforgettable parties, and an unmatched island vibe.

The 45th anniversary hosted on March 6-9, 2025 was a true celebration of culture, community, and “Serious Fun!” competition. More than 100 boats from 28 countries converged on the Caribbean for four days of racing and revelry. The fleet featured a dazzling range—from elite ocean racing yachts to charter bareboats, performance cruising catamarans to one-design racing trimarans.

“When you see the crowd the event brings, it’s amazing how excited people get… I mean I get excited, but I see the excitement. That feeds to the islanders as well,” shares St. Maarten Heineken Regatta founder Robbie Ferron in the film’s opening interview.

The 45th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta got right to business, kicking off with the epic Around the Island Race, where crews battled shifting wind and a massive fleet around the stunning coastline. The cliffs of Anse Marcel provided mid-race shake-ups and drama, with nature’s raw beauty creating a breathtaking backdrop to the windshadow it bespelled over the fleet.

Racing was fierce throughout the Regatta across competitive one-design classes including Melges 24, Sunfast 20, and Diam 24s, while the youngest sailors made waves in the RS Zest fleet as part of the Next Generation junior racing program.

Saturday’s Diam 24 Beach Stadium Race in Grand Case, sponsored by the Saint Martin Tourism Department, brought racing closer to spectators than ever before, turning a slow-paced beach day into front-row seats for fast-paced action!

The famous Bridge Show at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club delivered its usual magic, with boats parading through the bridge after racing—this year featuring live musical performances, acrobatic stunts, and even a marriage proposal! Did she say yes? Watch the film to find out…

Each night, the Regatta Village at Port de Plaisance transformed into a tropical festival under the stars. Surrounded by superyachts and swaying palms, thousands gathered to enjoy live performances by King James, Tamillia, Alison Hinds, Orange Grove, and reggae legends The Wailers—bringing the “one love” spirit full circle.

Relive the positive vibrations and all the island magic by watching the official 45th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta film, now live. Then mark your calendars and join us March 5–8, 2026, for the 46th edition of the Caribbean’s most legendary regatta.

WATCH NOW and feel the love, the energy, and the legacy of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. One Love. One Island. One Regatta.

Film courtesy of Volano Media, with additional footage from Digital Island, Souleyman Productions, and Orange Grove.

Check out all the daily wrap up videos too!

Overall Winner: El Ocaso — CSA5 — Steve Rigby

Winners by Class:
CSA1: Leaps and Bounds 2 🥇 Selma Racing – Sisi 🥈 Sailing Poland 🥉
CSA2: DNR 🥇 GEM 🥈 Kinship 🥉
CSA3: Pata Negra 🥇 Hermes 🥈 Maluel 🥉
CSA4: Apollo 🥇 Altivo 🥈 Imaginaire 🥉
CSA5: El Ocaso 🥇 Quintessence III 🥈 TEAM STRADA – Escapado 🥉
CSA6: Maëlia 🥇 More Zessin’ 🥈 SWEET CALYPSO 🥉
Melges 24: Team Island Water World 🥇 TEAM BUDGET MARINE – Rodeo 🥈 F.K.G. 🥉
Diam 24: zeebest 🥇 Opteamwork.dev 🥈 Andiamo 🥉
Multihull 1: Oceans Tribute 🥇 TiAna 🥈 Selika 🥉
Multihull 2: La Novia 🥇 Seaduction 🥈 Honey Badger 2 🥉
Bareboat 1: SOUTH STAR 🥇 JOYI 🥈 SEA BREEZE 🥉
Bareboat 2: CARA 🥇 JACKTAI 3 – Hindeloopen 1 🥈 Konig Ludwig – FULL CIRCLE 🥉
Sunfast 20: IGY Racing 🥇 Team Budget Marine Miss Tyknight 🥈 Team Spellbound 🥉
Island Time 1st Places 🥇: Thursday & Friday – Sao Jorge, Saturday – Maline, Sunday – Aletheia
Next Generation: Sheppard/Alexander 🥇 Adilyn Treadwell/van der Horst 🥈 Harper Treadwell/de Groote 🥉

Special Trophies:
Serious Fun Bridge Show: Kialoa III 🥇 Selma Racing – Sisi 🥈 Something Hot 🥉
Heineken Serious FUN Prize: Team Trident – ARIEL’S WISH & MASTY GIRL
SXM Youth Challenge Cup: Caraibes Diesel – Emilen Le Normand, Clement Le Normand, Achille Le Normand
45th entry for the 45th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta: Beautiful Day
Robbie Ferron Trophy – Promoter of Sailing in the Caribbean: Pat Bailey – Judge
Multihull Winner of CMC and St. Maarten Heineken Regatta: Oceans Tribute
FLOW – Representing Women in Sailing: DREAMBOAT, Salish Sisters, Vancouver, Canada
Randy D West Trophy: zeebest
TEAT Columbus Trophy Bareboat Overall: CARA
Windward Island Bank Trophy – Fastest Monohull Spinnaker Around the Island: Selma Racing – Sisi, 2:37:32
Fastest Monohull Non-Spinnaker Around the Island: Kialoa III, 3:56:53
Port St. Maarten Trophy – Fastest Multihull Around the Island: zeebest, 2:29:16
SXM Tourist Board Fastest Bareboat to Anguilla: JOYU, 3:34:15
Minister of Sports Most Worthy Performance Thursday: Altivo
Minister of Justice Most Worthy Performance Friday: SOUTH STAR
Heineken Most Worthy Performance Saturday: Opteamwork.dev
Sint Maarten Yacht Club Most Worthy Performance Sunday: CARA
St. Maarten/St. Martin Cup – Most Worthy Performance Overall presented by Prime Minister Luc Mercelina: El Ocaso
SEIKO watch presented to overall winners: El Ocaso

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St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Celebrating 45 years, this Regatta just keeps getting better, four days of world-class racing with some of the world’s most seasoned sailors, hailing from over 35 countries. This is genuinely a Regatta for everyone, including professional teams sailing Maxis, Monohulls, and Performance Multihulls to holiday-makers on chartered Bareboats to live-aboard families cruising the Caribbean. Crystal clear waters and cooling northeast trade winds give the pristine conditions for spectacular racing just off the coast of St. Maarten. This event is your bucket list must-do! Come and enjoy life in the Caribbean; come for some Serious Fun from March 5-8, 2026!

For complete information on the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, including results, photos, videos, party and band information, and much, much more, visit: www.heinekenregatta.com.