The 24th Annual St. Croix International Regatta drew 19 boats from the USVI, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands to compete Friday through Sunday.
According to organizers at the St Croix Yacht Club, racers tested their skills in the Buck Island Channel while 23 young Optimists challenged each other in Teague Bay. Light winds of about 10 knots on Friday increased to 15 by Sunday, giving sailors a chance to prove their prowess.
Among the larger boats, divisions included CSA-Spinnaker, CSA-Non-Spinnaker, CSA-Multihull and Rhodes 19. Lead positions changed throughout the weekend.
Friday’s "Captain Nick’s Race" honored Nick Castruccio, former St. Croix Yacht Club commodore and founder of the regatta, known as the Mumm’s Cup when it began in 1992. Bad Monkey, skippered by Mike Royer, took first place in the Spinnaker division while Chris Stanton on Margaret secured top honors in Non-Spinnaker.
Scott Stanton skippered 19ini, which beat out Rhode Runner, skippered by Morgan Dale, and Chrys, with captain Manuel Gutierrez, in the Rhodes 19 division.
Joe San Martin on Piglet, the lone Multihull, was alone in his division aimed for a personal best.
After nine competitive races – 11 for the Opti sailors – in Saturday’s regatta racing, Race Committee Director on the Water Julie San Martin presented awards to big boat winners. Karen Stanton awarded the Optimists. SCYC saluted two boats that
cross the seas to contend every year – Pipedream from Tortola and Sun Bum II from Puerto Rico.
In a tradition fr the awarding of prizes, winning skippers in divisions with six or more boats perch on one side of the great scales; rum (or Gatorade) is stacked on the other.
St. Croix’s Scott Stanton of 19ini took home five cases of Cruzan Rum, while Opti sailor Nathan Haycraft of the BVI won his weight in the tamer Gatorade.
Overall regatta winner Christopher Haycraft of Pipedream, from the British Virgin Islands, took home a case of Cruzan.
Final International Regatta Results:
CSA – Spinnaker (CSA – 5 Boats)
1. Pipedream, IVB14, Christopher Haycraft – 2 -2 -3 -1 -1 -2 -2 ; 13
2. Crucian Confusion, ISV4041, Peter Stanton – 1 -6 -1 -6 -2 -1 -1 ; 18
3. Bad Monkey, USA41, Mike Royer – 3 -1 -2 -2 -3 -4 -3 ; 18
CSA – Non-Spinnaker (CSA – 4 Boats)
1. Margaret, USA302, Chris Stanton – 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 8
2. El Shaddai II, USV1482, Dave Tomlinson – 3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -3 -2 ; 18
3. Nauticayenne, ISV364, Antonio F. Sanpere – 2 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -2 -3 ; 22
CSA – Multihull (CSA – 1 Boats)
1. Piglet, USA3, Joseph San Martin – 1 -1 -1 -1 ; 4
Rhodes 19 (One Design – 9 Boats)
1. 19ini, 1554, Scott Stanton – 2 -2 -1 -5 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 14
2. Chrys, VIVI 64, Manuel Gutierrez – 1 -3 -2 -1 -3 -2 -2 -2 ; 16
3. Rhode Runner, ISVVI5, Edward Dale – 3 -1 -4 -3 -2 -3 -5 -3 ; 24
Crucian Confusion is crewed by high school sailors.
Full results are online at www.yachtscoring.com.
Optimist Results:
Top Green Fleet Optimists
Ryan Moorehead, STX
Ariana Schwartz, STX
Kael Chalwell, BVI
Top Optimists (White, Blue and Red Fleets)
Nathan Haycraft, BVI
Kyle Roose, BVI
Milo Miller, STX
Ryan Lettsome, BVI
Carson Oakley, STX
Samuel Allen, BVI
Max Reshetiloff, BVI
Full results are online at http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/13356.
The St. Croix International 2016 Regatta also featured a pig roast, a Crucian buffet, music, fire dancers, and plenty of rum.
The SCYC thanked the V.I. Department of Tourism and Cruzan Rum.
