Entry is Open! 52nd St. Thomas International Regatta Set for April 3-5, 2026 – Round the Rocks Race on April 2, 2026
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Get ready to STIR up the fun! Entry is now open for the 2026 St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR) (yachtscoring.com/emenu/50483), set for April 3-5, 2026. This is the place to be for world-class racing, and the chance to trade tacks and tactics with professional crews as well as with weekend warriors who have sailed year-round in anticipation of besting fellow competitors. What’s more, enter too for the Round the Rocks Race (RTR) (yachtscoring.com/emenu/50495), which circumnavigates the neighboring island of St. John on April 2, 2026. RTR is a terrific opportunity to tune up for STIR and provides an additional chance to land a podium finish at the prizegiving. Add the one-stop venue at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), with its quintessential Caribbean beachfront vibe, and organizers ‘can-do’ attitude toward competitors, and it’s easy to see how STIR earned its motto, ‘We Love It Here.’ You will too!
“Sailors can look forward to the best in handicap and one-design racing on round-the-islands and round-the-buoy courses professionally set by some of the best race management in the world. In 2026, we will host the second annual IC24 Caribbean Championship as part of STIR. This top-quality racing we match with friendliness, hospitality, and an equally popular club-run event ashore,” says Pat Bailey, who co-directs STIR 2026 with Greer Scholes. “As we like to say, ‘We Love It Here,’ and we invite you to enter now and race with us in March.”
Entry is Open – Early Discount Available
Everyone is invited! STIR 2026 invites 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. $170 by January 31, 2026. From February 1 to April 1, the entry fee increases to U.S. $340 for all classes, except for $240 for IC24s and Diam 24s, and $150 for Hobie Waves.
Charter or BYOB
Chartering makes it especially easy to fly in, jump on a race-ready yacht, and sail!
The St. Thomas Sailing Center (STSC) at the STYC has limited Hobie Waves and IC24s available for race charter for STIR 2026. The charter fee for the IC24s is $ 3,400 for STYC members and $ 3,800 for non-members, including race-ready sails. The IC24 package is fully prepared to race. Charter teams also have the option to join a full-day pre-regatta clinic on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 (additional fee), led by STSC director, North U Coach, and professional sailor Bobby Brooks, with additional insights from local experts on IC24 performance and racing in Virgin Islands conditions.
Beyond this, the J/120, J-aguar, is available for whole boat charter for STIR 2026 from www.CaribbeanRaces.com or Email: mrbenjelic@gmail.com.
LV Yachting, based in the UK, offers two vessels for charter for STIR 2026: Belladonna (Grand Soleil 46) and Bella J (J/133). To reserve, visit lvyachting.com.
“Chartering a yacht with LV Yachting at STIR isn’t just about the racing – it’s about the whole experience. From the buzz on the dock each morning, to the thrill of competing on the water, and the incredible atmosphere ashore in St. Thomas, it’s the kind of regatta that leaves sailors buzzing for the next edition!” says Lucy Jackson, director.
Sail Racing Academy, also based in the UK, will be chartering three vessels for STIR 2026: Escapado (Beneteau First 40.7), Venturoso (Beneteau First 40), and Sao Jorge (Harmony 52).
For those who want to BYOB, or bring their own boat, Caribbean Regatta Logistics, owned and operated by St. Thomas native Ben Beer, can assist owners and teams in bringing their boats to race. Beer handles logistics for big international race teams that compete in the Caribbean, such as Vesper, Prospector, Spookie, and all the 72s. (Cell (340) 998-6203; Email: benbeer13@gmail.com; stthomasinternationalregatta.com/faq/caribbean-regatta-logistics/
The STIR Website will be updated regularly regarding race charter opportunities.
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). New, 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. Airbnb listings number over 3,000 in St. Thomas. For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands, go to www.visitusvi.com
For more information, please contact Regatta Co-Director Pat Bailey at Cell/WhatsApp (340-690-6607), Email: simpleislandboy51@gmail.com, or visit www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com. Check out St. Thomas International Regatta on Facebook, and @STIRVI on Instagram.
Media contact:
Carol Bareuther
Tel: (340) 998-3650
Email: bareuther@earthlink.net
Skype: Carol.Bareuther
Top Photo: Sailing rock stars win the One-Design IC24 Class in STIR 2024 – College All-Americans Graceann and Teddy Nicolosi, two-time Olympian Thomas Barrows, US SailGP’s Mac Agnese, and Dan Nicolosi, past STYC Commodore. Credit: Ingrid Abery Photography
