IRC, CSA & One-Design Classes Invited to the 52nd St. Thomas International Regatta
by Carol Bareuther 7 Mar 15:08 GMT
April 2-5, 2026
Nearly two dozen IC24s will race at the 52nd St. Thomas International Regatta © Ingrid Abery /
www.ingridabery.com
With one month to go, the 52nd St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR), set for April 2-5, 2026, is gearing up to deliver the high-quality racing sailors count on, served up with the relaxed, beachside setting of the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC) that defines this long-running Caribbean event.
Like other major regattas in the region, STIR will offer IRC (International Racing Certificate) handicap racing this year, alongside CSA (Caribbean Sailing Association), ORC (Offshore Racing Congress), and Multihull classes, plus competitive One-Design competition on challenging round-the-island and round-the-buoy courses. What sets STIR 2026 apart are a few of the event's unique strengths: the Caribbean's largest IC24 fleet, Sunfish tuning opportunities ahead of the Worlds, and an inclusive Hobie Wave class that welcomes sailors of all ages. Adding to the excitement, regatta organizers are pleased to announce that longtime partner, The Moorings, is once again onboard as sponsor of the race committee boat, continuing its valued support of this signature Caribbean regatta.
Sneak Peek at Who's Racing
STIR is no stranger to offering and running IRC race handicap classes. Organizers invite IRC racing yachts to enter now.
"We have IRC boats that have raced in St. Thomas in the past who have said they will be back in 2027," says Anthony Kotoun, a St. Thomas-raised professional sailor based in Newport, Rhode Island, who calls tactics on race yachts in IRC fleets worldwide. "The appeal is that it's fun to do something different from the windward-leeward that happens for much of the year. The island geography of the Caribbean, and especially around St. Thomas, creates such a robust variety of course options."
The second annual IC24 Caribbean Championship takes place this year as a class event within STIR. Nearly two dozen IC24 teams from the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the USA will compete for this title and the class win.
"Our crew, consisting of Andrew Kotchen, Rob Diemar, Bill Liddle, and David Franzel, is thrilled to be coming to St. Thomas to compete in the STIR. We hail from the chilly and snowy Northeast, from Nantucket to New York. While Dave has a diverse sailing background, the rest of us sail Alerions, a classic wooden one-design class better suited to picnics than racing," says Bill Liddle, whose team is chartering an IC24 from the St. Thomas Sailing Center (STSC) for STIR. "Our team is looking forward to consistent winds, well-managed courses, friendly competition, and time on the water. Our goal is to do our best, while learning, and enjoying being among other sailors."
The STYC hosted the first Sunfish Worlds in 1970, and now this global championship returns to the Virgin Islands when the St. Croix Yacht Club hosts the event, November 7-14, 2026. STIR will host a Sunfish Class to capitalize on this momentum and serve as a competitive practice ground.
"Sailing in STIR is valuable because it offers competitive racing in Caribbean trade wind conditions very similar to St. Croix. It will be a great opportunity for our sailors to sharpen their boat speed, starts, and race strategy in the kind of conditions they'll see at the Worlds," says Peter Stanton, who is the current ISCA Master's World Champion, 1999 Sunfish Youth World Champion, and CAC Games bronze medalist, who has represented the USVI in the Sunfish class at three Pan American Games.
St. Croix sailors competing in the Sunfish Class in STIR 2026 are Peter Stanton, Beacher Higby, Scott Stanton, Dr. Joyce Campbell, Steven Rogers, Parker Nagle, and Meg Deegan.
The STSC's Hobie Wave fleet will race as a one-design class in STIR.
"Youth sailors will get the boat charter fee for the Hobie donated while they are still responsible for the regatta registration fee," says Bobby Brooks, STSC executive director.
A limited number of IC24s and Hobie Waves are available for charter from the STSC.
The Moorings Is on Station
The Moorings is sponsoring the use of one of its Moorings 464PCs, a 46' power catamaran with 4 en-suite cabins, ideal for parties of up to 8 guests, as the race committee and IRC and CSA course Committee boat.
"Our power catamarans have been identified by Race Committees all over the world as being the ideal platform from which to manage and host a regatta, featuring ample living space, the elevated flybridge is perfect for visibility during the race, and the top speed of roughly 20mph makes it a fast and nimble vessel to quickly reposition when needed," says Ian Pedersen, senior marketing manager for The Moorings and Sunsail, headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. "All of these features are custom-designed for charter vacations as well, focusing on maximizing the space, stability, comfort, and maneuverability to help guests experience everything the Caribbean has to offer. There is simply no better way to vacation in the Virgin Islands and experience the full breadth and variety that this region offers."
Enter Now!
Enter now for STIR 2026 at yachtscoring.com/emenu/50483. Sailors to race under the CSA (Caribbean Sailing Association-handicap rule), ORC, IRC, and Multihull handicaps, and in classes that include Racing, Cruising, CSA Bareboat, and One Design IC24s, Diam 24s, Hobie Waves, and other One Design classes with a minimum length of 19 feet. Pay only U.S. $340, except for $240 for IC24s and $150 for Sunfish and Hobie Waves.
Yachts racing in the BVI Spring Regatta, March 23-29, 2026, are eligible for a 10% discount on entry to STIR at registration.
Enter too for the Round the Rocks Race (RTR) at yachtscoring.com/emenu/50495, which circumnavigates the neighboring island of St. John on April 2, 2026. IRC, CSA, Multihull, and One Design classes are invited. Pay only U.S. $50 per boat.
Book Flights and Accommodations Now!
St. Thomas offers outstanding accessibility—now enhanced with a new low-cost option. In addition to established access via American Airlines (Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, New York), Delta (Atlanta, New York), JetBlue (Boston, San Juan), Spirit (Fort Lauderdale, Orlando), United (Houston, Newark, Washington-Dulles), and Frontier (San Juan), Southwest Airlines will launch daily nonstop service from Orlando (MCO) to St. Thomas (STT) beginning February 5, 2026, with service from Baltimore/Washington (BWI) starting February 7, 2026.
On the regional front, intra-Caribbean air connectivity remains strong through Cape Air, Air Sunshine, Fly the Whale, SKYhigh Dominicana, and Seaborne Airlines, which continue to serve St. Thomas from neighboring islands.
Accommodations on St. Thomas include resorts, hotels, inns, bed-and-breakfasts, and timeshares. There are approximately 600 villa units and 200 charter yachts on St. Thomas/St. John. There are over 3,000 Airbnb listings in St. Thomas. For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands, go to www.visitusvi.com