Horizon Yacht Charters: Official Sail-and-Compete Partner of the Drowned Island Challenge
Horizon Yacht Charters is a founding partner and Platinum sponsor of the Drowned Island Challenge, the British Virgin Islands’ only multisport event, held annually on Anegada. For both the 2025 inaugural edition and the 2026 event, Horizon has been involved not just as a sponsor but as the logistical and race support partner.
The sail-and-compete package
For 2026, Horizon Yacht Charters is offering a purpose-built race week package that combines BVI sailing with full participation in the Drowned Island Challenge. Competitors sail from Tortola aboard a crewed catamaran, spend nights moored off Anegada, and race across both days of the event running, swimming, and paddleboarding on the island’s north shore.
The package includes:
- Five nights’ cabin accommodation aboard a private crewed catamaran
- A captain and cook throughout the week
- All meals on board
- Full competition entry to the Drowned Island Challenge
- SUP (stand-up paddleboard) rental for the races
The charter departs Tortola on Thursday 28 May and returns after prize-giving on Monday. The event races take place on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May at Anegada Beach Club.
This is one of the most distinctive ways to experience the BVI: arriving by sea, anchored off one of the most remote islands in the Caribbean, and waking up race morning to flat turquoise water and a beach start.
2025: the inaugural Drowned Island Challenge
The Drowned Island Challenge launched on 7 and 8 June 2025. Horizon Yacht Charters was there from the beginning providing logistical support to Anegada and helping with the race management throughout the weekend.
The 2025 event drew competitors from Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and across the BVI. BVI residents Oscar McCall and Kitty Daniels took the overall Poseidon and Amphitrite awards for the top performances across the five qualifying races.
2026: the second annual event
The second Drowned Island Challenge takes place on 30 and 31 May 2026, again hosted at Anegada Beach Club on the island’s north shore. Horizon Yacht Charters returns as Platinum sponsor and sail-and-compete partner, with the 2026 package departing Tortola on 28 May.
The 2026 event expands on the inaugural edition with six races across two days: two runs (12 km and 7.5 km), two open-water swims (1 km each), two stand-up paddleboard races (4.5 km each), and an optional Beach Beer Mile on the final afternoon before prize-giving. Entry is open now from $160.
For athletes combining sailing and sport, the Horizon package remains the most complete way to experience the event — no flights to Anegada required, no separate accommodation to arrange, and no limit on how much time you spend on the water between races.
About Horizon Yacht Charters
Horizon Yacht Charters is one of the BVI’s leading yacht charter companies, operating a fleet of monohulls and catamarans from Tortola. The company has been operating in the BVI for decades and is one of the most established charter operators in the Caribbean. Its involvement with the Drowned Island Challenge reflects a shared belief that the BVI’s greatest asset -its water -should be the way athletes arrive, not just the backdrop they race beside.
To book the sail-and-compete package or enquire about availability for the 2026 Drowned Island Challenge, contact Horizon Yacht Charters directly at horizonyachtcharters.com.
Key facts: Horizon Yacht Charters & the Drowned Island Challenge
| Partner role | Founding partner, Platinum sponsor, official sail-and-compete operator |
| Years involved | 2025 (inaugural), 2026 (second annual) |
| 2026 charter departure | Thursday 28 May 2026, from Tortola, BVI |
| Duration | Five nights aboard a crewed catamaran |
| Package includes | Captain, cook, meals, competition entry, SUP rental |
| Event dates | 30–31 May 2026 |
| Event location | Anegada Beach Club, Anegada, British Virgin Islands |
| Horizon website | horizonyachtcharters.com |
Ready to sail and compete? The 2026 Drowned Island Challenge takes place 30–31 May on Anegada, BVI. Register here or contact Horizon Yacht Charters to book the sail-and-compete package.
