St. Thomas International Regatta, April 3-5, 2026
Round the Rocks Race, April 2, 2026
K3 Typhoon 35 Liter Dry Bag Backpack is STIR 2026's Official Skipper's Bags!
What do – IC24s Red Dog, Big Island, and INTAC; the J/100 Freelance; and race charters Escapado, a Beneteau 40.7 from the UK’s Sail Racing Academy, and Spirit of Juno from Antigua’s Ondeck Training – have in common? They will be on the start line for the 52nd St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR), set for Easter Weekend, April 3-5, 2026.
Come early and enter Round the Rocks Race (RTR) which circumnavigates the neighboring island of St. John on April 2, 2026.
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. 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.
STIR 2026
“Momentum is building for STIR 2026,” says Pat Bailey, co-director of the event with Greer Scholes. “For over a half-century, STIR has drawn world-class sailors—from America’s Cup and Olympic veterans to multi-generation Caribbean and U.S. teams—thanks to professionally set courses and outstanding race management paired with genuine club hospitality ashore. Longtime supporter, The K3 Company, continues to be a valued sponsor, and with strong entries and partners already committed, all signs point to a standout regatta. If you haven’t registered yet, we invite you to join us in April and experience why, here at STYC, ‘we love it here.”
Great Racing & Great Gear
Snow and cold up north have led to a flurry of entries for STIR 2026 over the holidays. One of these is Red Dog, an IC24 chartered from the St. Thomas Sailing Center by Trevor Kenopic, who regularly sails with Sarah Burke aboard their Beneteau First 36.7, Delirium, based in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.
“We usually sail on the fresh waters of Georgian Bay, the largest freshwater bay in the world,” says Kenopic, whose crew for STIR includes Jesse Woolnough and Heather MacDougall. “We’ve competed together in long-distance races such as the Bayview-Mackinac on Lake Huron, One Design races such as the 36.7 North Americans, and will be taking on the Chicago-Mackinac Race in 2026. This is our first event aboard an IC24, and we are looking forward to learning more about the class and these unique boats. We’ve had several mutual friends travel to St. Thomas and always speak highly of the hospitality, camaraderie, and positive experience of ‘sailing in paradise.’ It’s also a chance for us to escape the cold and snow of the far north!”
Photo: Trevor Kenopic, on the helm, has chartered IC24, Red Dog, and is bringing his Canadian team to race STIR 2026. Courtesy Kenopic.
Helmsmen, like Kenopic, will receive K3 Typhoon 35 Liter Dry Bag Backpacks, STIR 2026’s official skipper bags, at registration. This is one of the global manufacturer and distributor of premium outdoor gear and accessories’ newest products.
“We are delighted to announce sponsorship yet again for the 2026 St. Thomas International Regatta”, says Lisa Keogh, President/CEO of K3. “The STIR regatta is a highly regarded event on the 2026 sailing calendar and continues to attract a very competitive international field. We at K3 are thrilled to play a sponsorship role in the prestigious racing event.”
"We are delighted to announce sponsorship yet again for the 2026 St. Thomas International Regatta. The STIR regatta is a highly regarded event on the 2026 sailing calendar and continues to attract a very competitive international field. We at K3 are thrilled to play a sponsorship role in the prestigious racing event."
Typhoon is a heavy-duty waterproof dry bag that’s part of K3’s eye-catching, trend-setting portfolio. Built with sailors in mind, this rugged backpack keeps gear dry in spray, rain, and rough conditions. RF-welded seams and a roll-down closure create a watertight seal that even floats if it goes overboard. A large main compartment fits foul-weather gear or a wetsuit, while O-rings provide secure lash points on deck. Quick-dry backpack straps, bottle sleeves, and reflective trim make it practical on board and ashore.
.Can’t wait until April? From now through January 15, K3 is offering an exclusive 30% discount as part of its STIR sponsorship. Visit the K3 website and use the coupon code STIR2026 at checkout.
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 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.
For those who want to bring their own boat, Caribbean Regatta Logistics, owned and operated by St. Thomas native Ben Beer, can assist owners and teams in getting 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/
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 Visitusvi.com
STIR organizers thank the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, The Moorings, K3, and Ocean Surfari for their strong sponsorship support.
For more information, please contact Regatta Co-Director Pat Bailey at Cell/WhatsApp (340-690-6607), Email: simpleislandboy51@gmail.com.
Check out St. Thomas International Regatta on Facebook, and @STIRVI on Instagram.
Top Photo: Puerto Rico’s Quino Sanchez and his team racing Sanchez’s First 40.7, First Love. Credit: Ingrid Abery Photography/www.ingridabery.com
