On Friday, “No Rush” with its thirteen-member crew, became the first vessel to arrive in Saint Lucia, having crossed the finish line for the 2024 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC).
“No Rush” was among more than one hundred vessels to set sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Sunday November 24, 2024 for Saint Lucia.
The crew completed the 2,700 nautical mile journey to Saint Lucia in twelve days, 5 Hours and 8 Minutes.
On Friday, a welcome ceremony was held at the IGY Rodney Bay Marina, hosted by ARC organisers, the World Cruising Club (WCC) and attended by tourism officials.
Paul Tetlow of the WCC welcomed and congratulated the “No Rush” crew saying that a great programme of events was organised for participants. “We wish all those visiting Saint Lucia, a wonderful time exploring and enjoying what it has to offer,” Tetlow said.
Speaking with St. Lucia Times, Ghada Barsoum a native of Egypt and owner of “No Rush” said that the experience across the Atlantic was amazing.
“This is my first crossing ever and it went very smooth,” Barsoum said.
“It is also my first time visiting Saint Lucia and I will be staying here for a few days and looking forward to exploring the island. So far everyone seems so warm and friendly and I am excited to experience more of Saint Lucia,” she added.
When asked about the name of the vessel and the irony of the name, she laughed saying it was a long story. “The short version is that I was looking for a name that translated to this period in my life,” Barsoum told us.
The 105 foot “No Rush” was built in 2021 and acquired by Ghada Barsoum just in time to register for the ARC. She credits skipper Diogo Cayolla for putting together a wonderful crew of professionals for the journey to Saint Lucia.
The second boat to cross the finish line into Saint Lucia Friday evening was “Leaps & Bounds 2.”
The 39th ARC from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia includes a record-breaking 45 multihulls, an 11-strong IRC racing fleet and 83 cruising yachts. Most of the vessels will continue to cross the finish line into Saint Lucia over the next week.
