May 2009 - Caribbean Compass

Round-the-island and round-the-buoy racecourses. CSA-handicap, IRC-handicap
and one-design classes. Custom 73-footers, Hobie 16s and everything in between.
The 36th Annual International Rolex Regatta, sailed March 27th through 29th out
of the St. Thomas Yacht Club, US Virgin Islands, offered something for everyone.
Sixty-four boats took to the seas for inter-island racing the first day when winds
from the north made these courses most favorable. The second day’s famous race
into the Charlotte Amalie harbor and back brought a band of spectators to cheer on
the fleets. The theme of “bringing Rolex to the island” got a double boost that evening
when Yacht Haven Grande marina hosted a party for the sailors and the public.
Declining, yet still 12- to 15-knot winds blew over the final day’s buoy racing when
the winners — and new Rolex watch owners — were ultimately decided.
The homegrown IC-24 fleet saw some of the swiftest competition. Thirteen races
gave the fleet plenty of practice, but no throw-outs meant one false move could spell
disaster on the scoreboard. That’s just what happened to Puerto Rico’s Efrain
“Fraito” Lugo, who has won this class more often than anyone else. One point from
the lead going into the last day, Lugo’s Orion ultimately parked itself in 8th place. “It
wasn’t my day,” says Lugo. “You can’t have a bad day in the IC-24s. It’s just too
close.” St. Thomas’ Chris Curreri, helming his Brand-New Second Hand, won by one
point over the BVI’s Mark Plaxton on Intac.
Spinnaker Racing proved the biggest class with 14 boats, including several of the
northern Caribbean’s hotshot racers. “It took us three years, but we finally clawed
our way to the top,” says the BVI’s Dave West, who won aboard his Melges 32,
Jurakan. Named for the Taino god of wind, West took all the secular measures his
could to assure his boat’s victory. “We started training in November,” says West,
“and we had Anthony Kotoun onboard.” Kotoun is a former St. Thomas sailor,
Olympic contender and 2005 J/24 World Champion.
Perennial winner Antigua’s James Dobbs’ J/122, Lost Horizon, had its work
cut out in the Racer-Cruiser class. The USA’s Bruce MacNeil’s Morris 48, Barra,
took over the lead the second day, until two bullets the last day secured the lead
for Dobbs.
In the Non-Spinnaker Racing Class, the USA’s Tom Mullen won aboard his J/120,
Shamrock, while St. Croix’s Joe San Martin, helming his Newick Trimaran, Piglet,
won the Large Multihull Class — and was the lone entrant!
Five stalwart beach cats braved up to ten-foot seas and 20-knot-plus wind gusts to
compete, with St. Croix’s Chris Schreiber, on his Hobie 16, Auto-Manic, the winner.
Finally, the International Rolex Regatta was one of a handful of events this year to
host a class specifically for IRC-rated yachts. Jim Mitchell, aboard his Reichel-Pugh,
Vincitore, handily won with a near-flawless string of bullets. Of course, the rest of the
class had fun too. “We had two spinnakers up at one point and three jibes, which
weren’t supposed to be,” says the New York Yacht Club member Ron O’Hanley, driv-
36TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ROLEX REGATTA
Something for Everyone
by Carol Bareuther
ing his Farr/Cookson 50, Privateer, “but we had a great time. It’s beautiful sailing
here in the Caribbean.”
For full results visit
www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=218.
Above: Watch
this! The IC-24
Class races into
Charlotte Amalie
harbor
Right: The BVI’s
Three Harkoms
comes barreling
down the racecourse
to place
third in
Spinnaker Racer
Cruiser
DEAN BARNES (2)
MAY 2009 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 13