Dee Caffari Tackles Caribbean Waters in High-Stakes Nelson's Cup

British sailor Dee Caffari recently reached Antigua, having completed a sub-58-day global race. She will soon transition from the vast Southern Ocean to the tactical waters of the 2026 RORC Nelson's Cup Series. Competing on the Swan 58 WaveWalker, Caffari leads this critical Caribbean regatta leading up to the RORC Caribbean 600.

Set to commence on Tuesday, the Nelson's Cup is both a standalone event and a precursor to the Caribbean 600. Spanning two days, it includes inshore racing and the Antigua 360 circumnavigation. Intricate maneuvers, quick decisions, and immediate feedback dominate the races, accelerating teams' learning processes. It offers international crews a chance to refine their skills in the challenging Caribbean climate.

Caffari terms the transition from endurance to short-course races as 'active recovery,' with stakes high. The Nelson’s Cup is the last opportunity for teams to fine-tune before the Caribbean 600. Antigua's conditions quickly reveal which teams are prepared for the upcoming 600-nautical-mile offshore race, set to loop 11 Caribbean islands.