Please select your home edition
Edition
Sunstorm Marine - Mesh Bag - Sail

USVI's Krygsveld wins 28th International Optimist Regatta

by Carol Bareuther 21 Jun 2021 10:21 BST June 14-20, 2021
2021 IOR Champion, USVI's Tanner Krygsveld © Matias Capizzano

Fourteen-year-old Tanner Krygsveld focused on maintaining his lead as he started the third and final day of racing in the 28th International Optimist Regatta (IOR), hosted at St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), June 18 to 20.

The St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands sailor led the event from the first day, and despite a strong field of fellow competitors representing 6 nations - Antigua, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S.A, and all three U.S. Virgin Islands - and winds 15- to 18-knots, Krygsveld finished the day's first race in second and ultimately won the 10-race regatta by 16 points. This makes Krygsveld the third U.S. Virgin Islander in the IOR's nearly three-decade history to champion the event, with Cy Thompson, Teddy Nicolosi and Mia Nicolosi having done so in 2000, 2015 and 2016, respectively.

"Congratulations to the winning skipper of this year's International Optimist Regatta. These young sailors are the future of the sport, and I am proud to celebrate and support their accomplishments. I also commend the St. Thomas Yacht Club for another seamless sailing event and for ensuring that public health protocols were followed. We look forward to welcoming participants and visitors to the Regattas and marine events for the remainder of the year," says Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte.

The winners

Krygsveld's first place also put him at the top of the 13- to 15-year-old Red Fleet.

"The thought I had going into today was to maintain my lead. There were two races left, so I thought if I could lead the first one, I could relax on the second and that's what happened. I actually finished 19th in the last race after I fouled another sailor at the start and to take a 720-penalty turn," says Krygsveld, who travels to Lake Garda, Italy, with his fellow USVI Optimist teammates to compete in the Optimist World Championships, June 30-July 10.

Of note is that Krygsveld is the only sailor in this event's history to win the IOR, the TOTE Team Race, and the Volvo Race held after the TOTE Clinic held earlier in the week.

Fellow Red Fleet sailor, 14-year-old Sophia De Leon Urban, from Miami, FL's Coral Reef Yacht Club, earned the Top Female award. De Leon Urban finished 7th in Red and 10th overall.

"I try not to think I'm sailing against the boys, but that they are just other competitors. It's getting past that and sail fast," says De Leon Urban.

In the age 11- to 12-year-old Blue Fleet, 12-year-old Alfonso Lanseros, representing the Coral Reef Yacht Club, finished first and third overall.

"This was the second time I've sailed in St. Thomas. That experience helped me to know the conditions and what to do in the waves, winds and currents," says Lanseros.

Rounding out the Championship Fleet, 10-year-old William Michael from Austin, TX, who sails with the Lakewood Yacht Club, topped the age 10- and under White Fleet.

"I've experienced this much wind before, but not this big of waves," says Michael, speaking of the 4- to 6-foot seas off the south side of St. Thomas where racing took place. "In the Clinic, I learned to hold my spot on the line in a lot of wind, and that helped during the regatta."

Meanwhile, it was 12-year-old Juan Gonzalez, from Salinas, PR, sailing for Club Nautico de San Juan, who won the Beginner Green Fleet after a total of 18 races.

"It was very windy, and the winds variated a lot. I liked it. My goal was to start between the middle and the pin end of the line because that's where there was the most wind," says Gonzalez.

In other awards, it was Florida's Isabel Veiga, from Lauderdale Yacht Club, who earned the Pete Ives Award, given for a combination of sailing prowess, sportsmanship, determination and good attitude both on and off the water. Connecticut's Avery Beck, from Indian Harbor Yacht Club, earned the Chuck Fuller Sportsmanship Award.

A week of sailing

The 7- to 14-year-old sailors started the week by training in the three-day TOTE Clinic held June 14 to 16.

The Clinic was run by top local and international coaches: Esteban Rocha (Lauderdale Yacht Club), Manny Resano (California Yacht Club), Mike Dowd (Lakewood Yacht Club), Bernat Gali (Lakewood Yacht Club), Omari Scott (Coral Reef Yacht Club), Chris Craven (Coral Reef Yacht Club), Mykel Alonso (Coral Reef Yacht Club), Roberto Fabini (Lake Ontario Optimist Team), Martin Borrallo (Southern Yacht Club), Koky Gutierrez (Coconut Grove Sailing Club), and from St. Thomas Yacht Club: Argy Resano, Rayne Duff and Mateo Di Blasi.

The one-day TOTE Team Racing Championships took place, June 17. Out of 16 teams, the winner was Team CRYC Spectra. Team members are Alfonso Lanseros (Miami, FL), Sophie De Leon Urban (Miami, FL), Will Barnhart (Miami, FL), Sebastian Johan van de Kreeke (Miami, FL) and Tanner Krygsveld (St. Thomas, USVI).

The IOR was organized under the authority of the Virgin Islands Sailing Association, and it is a Caribbean Sailing Association-sanctioned event.

This year's event followed an eco-friendly theme. Sailors were encouraged to recycle all plastic water bottles, use the reusable water bottle in the goodie bag throughout the regatta, keep all lunch bags and wrapping out of the water, pick up any trash on shore and accept drinks without straws.

The IOR is sponsored by the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, TOTE Maritime, K3 and MSI.

For more information stthomasyachtclub.org/sailing/regattas/international-optimist-regatta

Results are available at www.regattanetwork.com/event/21742

Overall Results: (top five in each fleet)

Red Fleet
1. Tanner Krygsveld, St. Thomas, USVI (26)
2. Richard Sykes, CT, USA (42)
3. Will Barnhart, FL, USA (54)
4. Jose Guillermo Diaz, PR (76)
5. Gian Marco Piovanetti, FL, USA & PR (89)

Blue Fleet
1. Alfonso Lanseros, FL, USA (51)
2. Beck Brill, FL, USA (91)
3. Emilio Bocanegra, FL, USA (101)
4. Kyla Benesch, FL, USA (188)
5. Diego Ewinger, ANT (200)

White Fleet
1. William Michael, TX, USA (319)
2. Patrick McNamara, TX, USA (410)
3. Miles Gordon, CA, USA (482)
4. Jack Meade, LA, USA (553)
5. Kailee Moure, FL, USA (566)

Green Fleet
1. Juan Gonzalez, PR (79)
2. Diego Sepulveda, PR (82)
3. Diego Rivera Hermida, PR (108)
4. Kayaan Panthaki, FL, USA (116)
5. Rafael Vazquez, PR (120)

About the sponsors

U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. The U.S. Virgin Islands are in the Eastern Caribbean 1,100 miles southeast of Miami, Florida, USA. Each of the three major islands–St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John–possess a unique character of their own. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of watersports as well as immerse themselves in the territory’s rich culture by enjoying historical tours, culinary encounters, artisan fairs, parades, storytelling and other special presentations.

TOTE. TOTE is a domestic ocean freight carrier headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, that offers freight services for containerized cargo between the U.S., San Juan, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. TOTE is the first carrier to operate liquid natural gas (LNG) powered vessels.

Related Articles

Blackwater SC Cadet and Club Weeks
Fierce competition and memorable camaraderie for sailors of all ages and abilities The Blackwater Sailing Club is proud to celebrate another wonderful season on the water with two of the Club's most anticipated events in the calendar, the Cadet and Club Weeks that bring its members together in celebration. Posted on 9 Sep
Magic Marine Optimist and Tera Round Hayling Race
54 competitors enjoy the revived event originally from the 1980s Hayling Island Sailing Club (HISC) hosted the revival of the Round Hayling Island Race on Sunday 24th August 2025. Alex Browne, Optimist Class Captain at HISC, had the idea to bring this race back with a small volunteer committee. Posted on 3 Sep
Broadland Youth Regatta at Rollesby Broad
8 clubs race together in a safe, enclosed, and welcoming environment On the 30th August 2025, Rollesby Broad Sailing Club hosted the 31st Broadland Youth regatta. The event brought together eight sailing clubs across Norfolk and Suffolk, providing the youth sailors with the opportunity to showcase their skills. Posted on 2 Sep
Cadet Week at Thorpe Bay
Perhaps the highlight is the infamous Stingray Lemans Trophy Race 113 cadets arrived for the annual Thorpe Bay Yacht Club cadet week from 11th to the 14th of August, greeted with a forecast of five days of glorious sunshine and light breezes, perfect for their young sailors ranging from 4 - 18 years old Posted on 1 Sep
Euromarina Optimist Torrevieja 2026 Preview
The Real Club Náutico de Torrevieja is already working hard on the 18th edition The Real Club Náutico de Torrevieja is already working hard on the 18th edition of the Euromarina Optimist Torrevieja Trophy 2026. This edition will be held between 29th January and 1st February and will be very special. Posted on 28 Aug
2025 Canadian Optimist Nationals
Will Keilty wins historic three-peat Under sunny skies, shifting winds and monster swells from Hurricane Erin, the 2025 Canadian Optimist Dinghy Championships unfolded this past week at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. Posted on 27 Aug
Free entry for Coached Regatta Fleet
Book now for Optimist End of Season Championships in Parkstone The UK Optimist Class Association is offering free entry for all Coached Regatta Fleet sailors at this year's Optimist End of Season Championships, taking place 4-5 October at Parkstone Yacht Club. Places are limited to 36 sailors. Posted on 21 Aug
Optimists in the Ora Cup Ora overall
Three days of sailing and friendship for almost 600 young sailors from 35 nations The Circolo Vela Arco, together with the Italian Sailing Federation, wrapped up the 30th edition of the Ora Cup Ora in style, confirming its place as one of the most popular and eagerly awaited events on the Optimist calendar. Posted on 10 Aug
Optimists in the Ora Cup Ora day 2
Light winds, prize lottery, and new challenges ahead in Sunday's Gold Fleet The second day of the Ora Cup Ora 2025 was sailed in lighter winds, perfectly in line with the spirit of an event that, for 30 editions, has combined sailing, friendship, and tourism on Lake Garda. Posted on 9 Aug
Revival of the iconic Optimist Round Hayling Race
A landmark youth sailing event first held in the 1980s Magic Marine is proud to support the re-establishment of the Optimist Round Hayling Race, a landmark youth sailing event first held in the 1980s and now returning to the water after a long hiatus. Posted on 9 Aug