The St. Barth Cata Cup is set to sail November 18 to 22. (Photo by Pierrick Conton / Saint Barth Cata Cup 2025.)

ST. BARTH--42 teams, several serious podium contenders and a truly international fleet: from November 18 to 22, the 18th edition of the St Barth Cata Cup is once again set to deliver some fierce racing on the waters of St. Barth.

 European champions arrive as the defending winners - but without the pressure.

 After winning last year’s edition, Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren will naturally be among the teams to watch. Even more so as the Belgian-Swedish duo returns to St. Barth fresh from claiming the F18 European Championship title in Italy this summer.

 It is a status the Belgian sailor is taking in stride: “Honestly, we’re not putting any extra pressure on ourselves! We’re going to try to stay focused on the racing and enjoy it. At the last European Championships, our sponsor told us to ‘above all, have fun.’ That worked out pretty well for us, so we’re going into this event with the same mindset.”

 Last year, the pair built their victory on consistency and solid results throughout the week. It is an approach they fully intend to use again: “The Cata Cup really is all about consistency. You have to sail well in the Round the Island Race and put together strong finishes. Sometimes that means sailing conservatively when needed and avoiding big scores in the coastal races, which can be tricky.”

 On paper, the duo looks formidable. But at the Cata Cup, one tactical call, a technical issue or a few seconds lost on the racecourse can quickly reshuffle the standings. In other words, don’t count the Belgian out until you’ve actually beaten him