USA National Team Wins TOTE Team Racing Championship at STYC

Editor’s Note: This recap covers the TOTE Team Racing Championship and related events held in June at St. Thomas Yacht Club.

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. A strong start and a first-place finish in the final race secured victory for the USA National Team in Thursday’s TOTE Team Racing Championship at St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC). Sailors representing yacht clubs in Florida, Maryland, Virginia, and Rhode Island combined efforts to take the title in one of three events hosted at STYC during the week.

The Championship followed a three-day TOTE Clinic, which concluded Wednesday with a point-to-point distance event modeled after the Volvo Ocean Race. The week wrapped up with the 32nd International Optimist Regatta (IOR), sailed Friday through Sunday.

Seven teams of five sailors each competed in the Team Racing Championship. Members of the winning USA National Team were:

• Constantino Conrad, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Florida
• Trey Waters, Annapolis Yacht Club/Eastport Yacht Club, Maryland
• Daniel Skutch Tyson, Annapolis Yacht Club, Maryland
• Andrew Allgeier, Hampton Yacht Club, Virginia
• Christian Petersen, Saunderstown Yacht Club, Rhode Island

“Watching the team race ahead of ours was really helpful,” says Allgeier, age 12.

Waters, 14, added, “The clinic is where I learned how special the wind is here, especially during the Volvo Ocean Race. I used what I learned in the team racing.”

For Conrad, a three-time participant, practicing starts stood out. “There are so many boats on the line. That’s what I like best,” he says.

Petersen enjoyed the distance element of the Volvo-style race. “It’s something we can’t really do at home because the bay we sail in is small.”

Tyson appreciated the conditions. “The big winds and waves helped me prepare for this type of sailing,” he says.

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Volvo-Style Distance Racing

On Wednesday, Maxime McCulloch of Lakewood Yacht Club in Texas won the Volvo Ocean Race in the Championship Fleet, while Benjamin Lima of Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami topped the Beginner Green Fleet.

“I liked that there were four gates before the finish in the third leg,” says Lima. “I’d never raced a setup like that before. And ringing the bell at the club afterward was pretty cool.”

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Nearly 90 Sailors Take Part

Close to 90 sailors ages 8 to 15 from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, several U.S. states, and Argentina began the week at the three-day TOTE Clinic, led by top local and international coaches.

The 32nd IOR featured Championship and Beginner fleets. The Championship division was split into age groups:

• White Fleet: 10 and under
• Blue Fleet: 11–12
• Red Fleet: 13–15

The race committee aimed for 10 or more races over three days, weather permitting.

STYC sailor Hunter Reinbold, 12, looked ahead to the IOR with enthusiasm. “I like the starts best. They’re competitive, but in a fun way,” he says.

For Patrick Mitchell of STYC, the clinic provided valuable preparation. “I’m looking forward to the racing and what I’ll learn. I have a few more years before I age out.”

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Awards and Sponsorship

The Awards Ceremony took place Sunday at STYC, with trophies presented to the top five sailors in each fleet and the top three overall. Perpetual trophies awarded included:

• The Peter Ives Perpetual Trophy
• The Chuck Fuller Sportsmanship Award
• The Founders Trophy for Top Female Sailor

The IOR was sponsored by TOTE, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, The K3 Company, CC1 Virgin Islands, MSI Building Supplies, the St. Thomas Restaurant Group, and Barefoot Buddha.

This year’s event also emphasized sustainability. Each sailor received a reusable metal water bottle, and participants were encouraged to reduce waste onshore and on the water.

For more information, visit stthomasyachtclub.org or regattanetwork.com.

Carol Bareuther has written for ALL AT SEA since 2004.