Successful First Annual St. Thomas Women's Clinic + Regatta
by Carol Bareuther 20 Mar 20:06 GMT
10-14 March 2025
A dozen women and world-class coaches participated in the first St. Thomas Women's Clinic + Regatta in Paradise © Nikki Barnes
D'Amy Steward sat tiller in hand at the helm of an IC24. The Washington, D.C. resident and her team were sailing in one of several round-the-islands races at the first annual St. Thomas Women's Clinic + Regatta in Paradise, held March 10-14 at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), U.S. Virgin Islands.
When Steward rolled over the boat beside her, onboard coach, Nikki Barnes, Team USA's Women's 470 skipper in the 2020 Summer Olympics, turned to Steward and asked, 'Want some butter with that roll?' In that instant, Steward, who hadn't sailed in four years nor raced since her high school laser days, said, "That was my wow moment when I rediscovered that spark, that excitement, and love for sailing all over again."
Women from all corners of the U.S. embarked on the inaugural Clinic + Regatta, run by the St. Thomas Sailing Center (STSC) in partnership with Sailing World and Team One Newport. The signature format combined instruction by world-class Olympic, one-design World Champion, and Match Race women coaches, with round-the-buoys and round-the-islands racing on converted J/24s called IC24s, and a 'fun in the sun' itinerary that included swimming, snorkeling, lunch from a boat-based pizzeria, and evening rum tasting on neighboring St. John.
"There are more qualified women racers out there than you can imagine," says Sarah Renz, the Chicago, IL-based Director - Sailing World/Regatta Series/Firecrown Media. "Providing a clinic and regatta experience, in a race week format, in a community of women, with champion women sailors as coaches, has long been overdue. Especially in such an ideal sailing destination. It was incredible to see everyone work together as a team, rotate teams and coaches for greater learning throughout the week, and see the huge growth spurt in teams and the women individually by the end of the week."
Women on the Water
The St. Thomas Women's Clinic + Regatta in Paradise started with a Welcome Party and Beach BBQ, where participants met the coaches. In addition to Renz and Miami, FL-based Barnes, the coaching roster included Martha Parker, founder and owner of Team One Newport, with two World Titles and multiple North American Championships to her credit, and Allie Blecher, a three-time U.S. Women's Match Racing Champion, living in Marina del Rey, CA.
"Sailing with Team Convergence deepened my interest in women's sailing," says Ava Wilson, from Chicago, IL, who helmed the J/70 in the class World Championship last year. "When I heard about this event from Sarah and Martha and the stellar coaching lineup, it sounded like a fantastic opportunity. I wanted to learn new positions onboard, sail a boat I hadn't sailed before, and improve on everything."
The first two days featured a Race Clinic, combining on-the-water drills and classroom training, with a video debrief at the end of the day. The mid-week lay day included friendly match-racing in the morning, sailing Hobie Waves to the floating pizzeria, Pizza Pi, for lunch, and later taking a ferry to St. John to visit a local art gallery and enjoy a Rum Tasting.
"The onboard coaching was a highlight," says Valerie Tarr, from St. John, an instructor for the local Kids and the Sea (KATS) youth sailing program. "All of Martha's tips for working foredeck, spinnaker hoists, and dousing added up and made a huge difference in our speed. I didn't know what to expect at the start, but at the end, I found the week so powerful and inspiring."
The Virgin Islands Sailing Association sponsored the St. John women to attend the week's clinic and regatta.
The week concluded with two exhilarating regatta days featuring buoy and short-distance races, culminating in an Awards Ceremony.
"What was incredible is how the group gelled together. We had everyone change boats, crews, and coaches, giving each woman various learning experiences. It was a best of both worlds experience with lots of learning and fun alongside," says Parker.
Mark Your Calendar for 2026
Dates will be announced for the 2026 second St. Thomas Women's Clinic + Regatta in Paradise at stthomassailingcenter.com/womens-adventure-race-week
"This inaugural St. Thomas Women's Clinic + Regatta in Paradise exceeded all expectations, providing an incredible amount of information and hands-on experience from some of the best female sailors in the world. The structured format allowed participants to rotate through different roles and boats, accelerating their learning curve and building confidence on the water. Events like this are crucial in increasing opportunities for women in sailing, ensuring more representation at every level of the sport. We are grateful for the partnership with Sailing World and Team One Newport, whose support helped bring this vision to life. Looking ahead to 2026, we're excited to build on this momentum and continue creating more opportunities for women to excel in sailing," says Bobby Brooks, STSC Director.
Traveling to St. Thomas is easy! Airlines fly direct from major U.S. cities: American Airlines (Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, New York, Philadelphia), Delta (Atlanta, New York), Frontier (San Juan), JetBlue (Boston, San Juan), Spirit (Fort Lauderdale, Orlando) and United (Houston, Newark, Washington-Dulles). U.S. citizens don't need a passport to enter the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Accommodations on St. Thomas include resorts, villas, condominiums, VRBO rentals, HomeAway, and Airbnb's. The nearest options within walking distance of the Club are vacation condo rentals on Cowpet Bay at The Anchorage, The Elysian, Cowpet Bay West, or Cowpet Bay East. The STSC maintains a list of our favorite condo and villa rentals, some of which you can book directly with owners to avoid extra fees. For a copy, email
For more information on the STSC and its programs, visit stthomassailingcenter.com, email , or call Cell/WhatsApp (340) 690-3681. For travel information to the U.S. Virgin Islands, visit www.visitusvi.com
To request an invitation to the 2026 St. Thomas Women's Clinic + Regatta in Paradise, email .
About the St. Thomas Sailing Center
The St. Thomas Yacht Club, located in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, has introduced a unique concept of sailing instruction, boat access and racing and cruising through the opening of the St. Thomas Sailing Center. Now you can join the club and sail whenever you want, race on a regular basis, or cruise the waters of the USVI, BVI, and Spanish Virgin Islands all without the need to own a boat. Learn to sail or learn to race or learn to cruise with the guidance of a professional coach and be able to do any of these things in one of the most perfect sailing venues and one of the most beautiful places in the world. Become part of a community of like minded people who share a passion for sailing! Join the St. Thomas Yacht Club as an Annual or Blue Water (30 day) Member and sign up for Boat Access and you'll be able to blast around on Hobie Waves, daysail IC-24s or cruise on one of our monohulls whenever and as often as you like at no additional cost beyond the annual Boat Access Fee.