Good news! There will be a St Croix International Regatta in 2012. Not only will it mark the St. Croix Yacht Club (SCYC) hosted event’s 20th anniversary, but the regatta will move back to its roots with the fall dates of November 9th –11th.
“There has been discussion amongst the Caribbean regatta organizers to space the regattas out and that’s what we did by moving our event back to the fall,” says organizer Karen Stanton. “Also, our regatta founder, Nick Castruccio, felt the fall was the best time because it’s the first big one and it gets crews and their boats race ready for the winter regattas. Hopefully, too, in November we won’t see any hurricane activity. November is too early for the Christmas winds, but hopefully they should blow ten to 15 knots.”
Who’s coming? St. Thomas’ Peter Holmberg, although he hasn’t confirmed his boat, and John Holmberg, as well as former St. Croix sailor Tony Sanpere who will be arriving from Chicago to race. There will also be a hot Rhodes 19 class with St. Croix’s Peter Stanton at the helm, hopefully an IC-24 class, multihulls and more.
More good news! Three days of racing only costs $100. Register online or on November 8th at the SCYC. Courses for all classes will be set off St. Croix’s north shore as well as into Christiansted Harbor, and officiated over by an experienced race committee. In addition, and in an effort to attract sailors from throughout the Caribbean and U.S. mainland, there will be on-site expedited immigration services (contact organizers with crew lists and passport numbers in advance) as well as condo accommodations for as low as $50 per night. There’s also free (limited availability) dock space, shuttle service for boats on moorings, and airport transfers – just schedule with organizers ahead of time. Shower and bathroom facilities are on site and restaurant and supermarkets are located a short drive away. There will be nightly parties with food, drink and live music including the Cruzan Rum Welcome Party on Thursday November 8th, and Kurt Schindler playing off the beach aboard the Heineken Barge on Saturday November 10th.
Best of all, says Stanton, “We are the only Caribbean regatta where you can win your weight in rum. New this year, the winning skipper of any class with seven or more boats will win their weight in rum. Yes, we still use the original scales from the regatta’s inception in 1992!”
For more information and to register, call (340) 773-9531 or visit: www.stcroixyc.com
Carol M. Bareuther, RD, is a St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands based marine writer and registered dietitian.
