St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands — Colorful spinnakers filled Pillsbury Sound like Easter bonnets on parade on the final day of racing at the 2026 St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR). Hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC) from April 3–5, the event brought together nearly 40 boats competing across CSA Spinnaker Racing and one-design classes, including IC24, ISCA (Sunfish), and Hobie Wave.
Sailors traveled from across the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten, along with competitors from several U.S. states—from Massachusetts to California—and international entries from the UK and Ireland. The strong turnout once again underscored STIR’s reputation as a premier event on the Caribbean sailing calendar.
Ultimately, Privateer, Cachondo, Papi, and Boogie Board Bandits emerged as class winners.
“Congratulations to this year’s competitors and class winners for an exceptional performance,” said Jennifer Matarangas-King, Commissioner of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. “The St. Thomas International Regatta reflects the strength of our sailing tradition and the extraordinary conditions that continue to attract top competitors year after year.”
CSA Spinnaker Class: Privateer Takes the Win
Privateer, the Cookson 50 owned by the USA’s Ron O’Hanley, secured first place in CSA Spinnaker Racing with a narrow two-point lead over Puerto Rico’s Enrique Figueroa aboard the Melges 24, Exodus. Puerto Rico’s Juan Mari, sailing the J/100 Freelance, rounded out the podium in third.
Credit: STIR / www.ingridabery.com
“The first day was about figuring out starts due to the disparity in boat speeds,” said tactician Tim Dawson. “Conditions shifted throughout the regatta, and in the final race, a major squall brought a 70-degree wind shift and gusts up to 27 knots. We had a gear failure and dropped the spinnaker, but fortunately, our earlier lead held.”
IC24 Class: Cachondo Wins on Consistency
Puerto Rico’s Cachondo, helmed by Marco Teixidor, claimed victory in the highly competitive IC24 class through consistent performance across 15 races.
“We focused on consistency and avoiding bad races,” said Teixidor. “With such tight competition, especially among the top five boats, that was the key.”
The U.S. Virgin Islands’ Bill T, skippered by Teddy Nicolosi with an all-star crew including Olympian Thomas Barrows, finished second. The British Virgin Islands’ INTAC, helmed by Mark Plaxton, took third.
ISCA (Sunfish) Class: Stanton Dominates
St. Croix’s Peter Stanton, sailing Papi, delivered a commanding performance to win the ISCA (Sunfish) class.
Photo: Peter Stanton sails to victory in the ISCA class.
Credit: STIR / www.ingridabery.com
A seasoned competitor, Stanton brought decades of experience to the fleet, including a Sunfish Youth World Championship title and multiple world championship appearances.
“I knew if I let up, others would take advantage,” said Stanton. “The shifting winds and strong puffs made for challenging conditions—I had to stay sharp.”
Scott Stanton finished second aboard Stormy, followed by David Walworth in third on Kittikins.
Hobie Wave Class: Youth Team Takes Top Honors
In one of the regatta’s most inspiring stories, Boogie Board Bandits, sailed by 12-year-old Hunter Reinbold and 11-year-old Kip Hodgens, held onto their early lead to win the Hobie Wave class.
Credit: STIR / www.ingridabery.com
“This was our first STIR,” said Reinbold. “We came to have fun, and it felt great to be in first. Today was close racing, but we held on.”
Second place went to WINN, sailed by Finn Hodgens and Will Zimmerman, with Hobie Speed, skippered by Rowan Walters, finishing third.
Looking Ahead: STIR 2027
The next edition of the regatta is already on the calendar. The 53rd St. Thomas International Regatta is scheduled for March 25–28, 2027, kicking off with the Round the Rocks Race on March 25.
With its alignment with Easter weekend, the event continues to offer a compelling mix of world-class racing, Caribbean hospitality, and family-friendly travel.
Sponsors & Support
Organizers extended thanks to key supporters, including the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, The Moorings, K3 Waterproof Gear, Ocean Surfari, and beverage partners such as Mount Gay, Gosling’s, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Surfside, Aperol Spritz, and Michelob Ultra.
STIR 2026 was also recognized as a Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and environmentally responsible racing.
For more information, contact Regatta Co-Director Pat Bailey at Cell/WhatsApp (340-690-6607), Email: simpleislandboy51@gmail.com, or visit www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com. Check out St. Thomas International Regatta on Facebook, and @STIRVI on Instagram.
Media contact:
Carol Bareuther
Tel: (340) 998-3650
Email: bareuther@earthlink.net
Skype: Carol.Bareuther
