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St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Precision is a quality in great demand both in world-class yacht racing and in Swiss premium timepieces. Therefore, organizers of the St. Thomas International Regatta…

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Organizers of the St. Thomas International Regatta are proud to announce that Cruzan Rum and Presidente beer, distributed by Glazer’s Premier Distributors, LLC, will provide major sponsorship in support for the 2015 regatta.

“Cruzan Rum and Presidente beer are a great fit to the sailing scene. Rum is the dominant beverage in the Caribbean and the US Virgin Islands is the home of Cruzan Rum. Presidente, which is produced in the Dominican Republic, has been exploding in popularity throughout the islands among sailors and non-sailors alike,” says Jon Charlton, vice president and general manager for the U.S. Virgin Islands of Glazer’s Premier Distributors, one of the largest distributors of wine, spirits and malt beverage products in the U.S. and headquartered in Dallas, TX.

Cruzan Rum, which is produced at its Estate Diamond distillery on St. Croix, was founded in 1760 and has been run by eight generations of the Nelthropp family albeit with changes in corporate ownership over the years. The company produces some 50 award-winning rum products in different flavors and ages. Skippers in the St. Thomas International Regatta will receive a commemorative 750 ml bottle of Cruzan’s flagship Cruzan Single Barrel Rum, a medium-to-full-bodied blend of vintage rums aged from 5 to 12 years. New this year too, the skipper winning the regatta’s most competitive class as judged by a trio of race officials will receive his or her weight in Cruzan Rum.  (more…)

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Top-quality competition, razor-close finishes and camaraderie that spanned decades for some and days for others proved that in spite of a new name, the St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR) has remained the ‘Crown Jewel’ of Caribbean yacht racing. Nowhere was this more apparent than on the third and final day of sailing. No one easily walked away with a win. Plus, the podium was filled with teams representing the Caribbean, U.S., and Europe.

First time racing in the STIR proved a charm for Near Miss, Franck Noel’s TP 52. The Switzerland-based team finished by winning every race but one in the CSA – Racing O Class. That defeat came at the hands of the Netherlands’ Peter Vroon aboard his Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens 3, which finished second. “The racing was very good, good competition and the courses were very nice around the islands,” explains Benoit Briand, Near Miss team manager. “It would have been easy to make a big mistake and finish last in this class, but we sailed the boat properly and grew more confident as a team every day.” (more…)