51st St. Thomas International Regatta - Overall
by Carol Bareuther 31 Mar 04:15 BST
March 27-30, 2025
51st St. Thomas International Regatta: Black Pearl wins the IC24 Class © STIR /
www.ingridabery.com
Calm, cool, and collected proved the strategy to success for the team on Black Pearl, winner of the highly-competitive 22-boat IC24 Class at the 51st St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR).
"We made fewer mistakes, and when we did, we took a breath, got everything back under control, and the boat back up to speed," says St. Thomas' Teddy Nicolosi, a college All-American sailor at the helm. Nicolosi's all-star crew included sister and All-American, Graceann, brother-in-law Mac Agnese, who is a member of the US SailGP Team, friend and two-time Olympian St. Thomas' Thomas Barrows, and father Dan, past commodore of the St. Thomas Yacht Club.
The IC24s were one of nearly 60 boats in six classes, from one-design to CSA handicap, monohull to multihull, 13- to 70-feet, with teams from the Caribbean, US, Europe, and Australia, with everyone from weekend warriors to Olympians and Volvo Ocean winners as crews, that competed in this 'Crown Jewel' of Caribbean Yacht Racing. Tradewinds blowing to 20-plus knots over round-the-buoy and round-the-islands professionally-set courses, surfing seas, and bright Caribbean sun with a couple of passing clouds for some wind fluctuation fun created a picture-perfect final day of racing in the 2025 STIR. Ultimately, Black Pearl, Kinship, Tatihou, Flying Jenny, Nuts/Bartlett, and Thunder and Lightning were class winners.
"We are proud to welcome once again an impressive fleet of sailors to the US Virgin Islands for the St. Thomas International Regatta. Congratulations to all this year's competitors and class winners for an incredible showing on the water. Events like STIR not only celebrate the spirit of competition but also spotlight the natural beauty and vibrant marine culture that make the US Virgin Islands truly unique," says Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.
Top of The Classes
In the IC24 Class, Black Pearl also won the 2025 IC24 Caribbean Championship, sponsored by Sea Glass Properties, an event within STIR this year. Puerto Rico's Marco Teixidor, on Cachondo, finished second, with St. Thomas's two-time Olympian, Cy Thomas, in third onboard Bill T.
Kinship, a 52' Baltic skippered by the USA's Ryan Walsh, won the CSA Racing Class.
"We started the season cruising and then switched into race mode to sail the RORC Caribbean 600, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, and now STIR," says Walsh, whose crew represented a mix of friends and family. "We enjoyed the mix of round-the-islands courses."
The USA's Øivind Lorentzen driving Jax, a 43' Brooklin Boat Yard design, finished second, while El Ocaso, a J/122 with the UK's Dan McGanty at the helm, ended third.
In the CSA Non-Spinnaker Class, the USA's Martin van Breems' Jeanneau 409, Tatihou, raced first, proving that cruising boats can have as much fun as hot rod racers.
"We had good starts and sailed well," says van Breems, who owns the Sound Sailing Center in Norwalk, Connecticut, and sailed STIR as the finale to his annual spring Bareboat Certification Course. "It would be great to get more cruising boats out next year."
STIR served as the first leg of the 2005 VX One Caribbean Championship, sponsored by Evolution Sails, which ends next weekend at the BVI Spring Regatta. The USA's Sandra Askew's Flying Jenny handily won the class with eight firsts in 11 races. "I loved one-design racing because all the boats are the same," says Askew. "Today was difficult with the washing machine chop and high winds, but we did well."
St. Croix native Tim Pitts, president of the VX One North American Class, finished second on his Another Bad Princess, while St. Thomas' Chris Cilliers and St. Maarten's Jolyon Ferron, on Easy Breezy Cheesy ended in third.
Thunder and Lightning, a TF10, won the Multihull Class.
"We were only able to sail two races the first day and discovered structural issues with the boat," says Jim Gibson, captain. "It was a great time, and we look forward to next year."
Finally, in the 9-boat Hobie Wave Class, the UK's Ian Bartlett won on Nuts/Bartlett.
"I've been sailing in this regatta since 2007," says Bartlett. "It was great to see some of the younger sailors competing in the class."
WINN finished second, with St. Thomas teen boys, Finn Hodgins and Will Zimmerman, and High Tide Hooligans third, with St. Thomas' Mila Melbourne on the tiller.
2025 St. Thomas International Regatta Results: (top three in each class)
IC24 (One Design - 22 Boats)
1. Black Pearl, Teddy Nicolosi, US Virgin Islands (29)
2. Cachondo, Marco Teixidor, Puerto Rico (35)
3. Bill T, Cy Thompson, US Virgin Islands (47)
CSA (CSA - 7 Boats)
1. Kinship, Ryan Walsh, USA (15)
2. Jax, Øivind Lorentzen, USA (22)
3. El Ocaso, Dan McGanty, UK (30)
CSA Non-Spinnaker (CSA - 4 Boats)
1. Tatihou, Martin van Breems, USA (7)
2. Hotel California Too, Stephen Schmidt, USA (17)
3. Trinity VI, David McDonough, USA (35)
VX One (One Design - 11 Boats)
1. Flying Jenny, Sandy Askew, USA (12)
2. Another Bad Princess, Tim Pitts, USA (35)
3. Easy Breezy Cheesy, Christopher Cilliers and Jolyon Ferron, US Virgin Islands/St. Maarten (37)
Multihull (CSA - 1 Boats)
1. Thunder and Lightning, Skiff Sailing, USA (2)
Hobie Wave (One Design - 9 Boats)
1. Nuts/Bartlett, Ian Bartlett, UK (17)
2. WINN, Finn Hodgins, US Virgin Islands (27)
3. High Tide Hooligans, Mila Melbourne, US Virgin Islands (46)
Full scores for STIR 2025 are posted at www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative/16918
The Prize of Time By Cardow Jewelers - Strong Sponsor Support
Cardow Jewelers provided the prized timepieces for class champions in STIR 2025. Each winner received one of Cardow's signature Virgin Islands Watches, sleek white silicone sports timepieces that celebrate island pride and performance. These unisex watches are designed for durability and style, making them perfect for an active lifestyle both on and off the water.
"At Cardow, we are proud to sponsor STIR 2025 because this regatta embodies the energy, tradition, and vibrant community spirit that make the Virgin Islands unique. It's an honor to recognize the achievements of the sailors with a keepsake that reflects the excellence and beauty of our islands," says Carolina De Lyrot, marketing director.
Established in 1954, Cardow is a landmark jewelry and watch store in the heart of St. Thomas, known for quality, craftsmanship, and warm local service. New this year, Cardow is expanding our experience-driven offerings, including rum tastings and cultural mixology classes that showcase the best of the Virgin Islands' heritage, inviting locals and visitors to experience our history, flavor, and style. Cardow has three locations on St. Thomas: #1 Main Street in Charlotte Amalie, the Crown Bay Center, and Cyril E. King Airport.
STIR organizers thank the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism; The Moorings; Mount Gay Rum, Gosling's Rum, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Teremana Tequila, Surfside Iced Teas & Vodka, and Michelob Ultra, distributed by CC1 USVI; Sea Glass Properties; Cardow; K3; Ocean Surfari; and Crucian Gold for their strong sponsor support.
STIR 2025 is a Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta, with green initiatives such as paperless event management and a water refill station.
Mark Your Calendar Now! 52nd STIR - March 27-29, 2026
Mark your calendar now to race in the 52nd STIR, set for March 27-29, 2026, with the Round the Rocks Race on Thursday, March 26, 2026. These dates coincide with the weekend before Easter, making it a perfect time to travel with family and friends, enjoy Virgin Islands hospitality, and race on the best courses in the world's top yacht racing conditions. The NOR and entry on www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com and www.yachtscoring.com will be open in late summer.
Bring your own boat (BYOB) or charter!
Caribbean Regatta Logistics, owned and operated by St. Thomas native Ben Beer, can assist owners and teams in bringing their boats to race. (Tel: (340) 998-6203; Email: ), Web: stthomasinternationalregatta.com/faq/caribbean-regatta-logistics/)
Chartering makes it especially easy to fly in, jump on a race-ready yacht, and sail! IC24s are available for race charter from the St. Thomas Sailing Center. To reserve, Email or (340) 690-3681, or visit stthomassailingcenter.com/st-thomas-international-regatta. Also, over half a dozen outfits offer vessels to charter by boat or crew spot for STIR. For a list, visit stthomasinternationalregatta.com/regatta/charter-companies/
STIR is the easiest to reach of all the Caribbean regattas. The host destination, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, welcomes direct flights on six major airlines from mainland gateway cities in the US These include American Airlines (Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, New York), Delta (Atlanta, New York), Frontier (San Juan), JetBlue (Boston, San Juan), Spirit (Fort Lauderdale, Orlando), and United (Houston, Newark, Washington-Dulles). Air Sunshine, Cape Air, Fly the Whale, Sea Flight, and SKYhigh Dominicana operate within the Caribbean, serving St. Thomas.
Accommodations on St. Thomas include resorts, hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and timeshares. Approximately 600 villa units and 200 charter yachts are on St. Thomas/St. John. Airbnb listings number over 3,000 in St. Thomas. For more information about the US Virgin Islands, visit www.visitusvi.com
For more information, contact Regatta Co-Director Pat Bailey, Cell/WhatsApp (340) 690-6607, Email , or visit www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com Check STIR out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stirvi), Twitter @stirvi, and Instagram #STIRVI