Want to tune up for the Optimist North American Championships in Puerto Rico in July? Or learn new tactics for a summer of racing? Then register now at www.regattanetwork.com/event/2735 for the 31st International Optimist Regatta (IOR), TOTE Clinic and TOTE Team Race, June 10-16, which boasts a three-decade-plus history of past entrants that reads like a Who’s Who of college All-Americans, national, continental, and world champions, America’s Cup sailors and Olympians. The International Optimist Regatta is hosted at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC).
Early entry discount ends May 1. The registration fee for the International Optimist Regatta (Opti) is $300, with late registration after May 1st of $350. The fee to enter the International Optimist Regatta and TOTE Clinic is $700, or $400 for the clinic only. A refund, less a $150 processing fee, will be granted to those entries that cancel by May 1.
The 2024 International Optimist Regatta can accept only a maximum of 125 sailors. Don’t miss out!
“This year, the IOR offers a fantastic opportunity to tune up for the Optimist North American Championships, set for July 13-20, in neighboring San Juan, Puerto Rico, and for other youth sailing events this summer,” said Lauren Hodgins, regatta co-director with Lori Vaughan. We look forward to welcoming sailors, their friends and families to St. Thomas to race where the competition is hot, and camaraderie and hospitality are warm.”
Entry Preview
Nearly 90 sailors, representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and several U.S. states including New York, New Jersey and Florida, are registered in the International Optimist Regatta’s Championship and Green Fleets.
Among these entries is St. Thomas’ Will Zimmerman, who won the 11- to 12-year-old Blue Fleet in the 2023 IOR and will be in the highly competitive 13- to 15-year-old Red Fleet this year.
Puerto Rico’s Isabel Rivera Fernandez, representing Club Nautico de San Juan, will return to the regatta. Most recently, Rivera Fernandez finished 5th in Red Fleet and third Top Female in the Championship Fleet at the 2024 Regata de Gigantes held in January, in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Three In One Event
The spectacular week of junior sailing kicks off with the TOTE Maritime Clinic, June 10-12. Some of the best Optimist coaches conduct on-the-water training sessions and instructive on-land debriefs for both advanced (age-divided Red, White and Blue Fleets) and beginner (Green Fleet) sailors. This year’s coaches include Agustin ‘Argy’ Resano, U.S. Virgin Islands National Team; Manny Resano, USA National Team head coach; Gonzalo Pollitzer, USA National Team Optimist World Championship’s team coach; Esteban Rocha, Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club, Florida; Mike Dowd, Team CERT, N.J.; Matias Renzini, St. Pete Yacht Club, Florida; Mykel Alonso, Green Fleet head coach, Coral Reef Yacht Club, Florida; Emily Verdoia, St. Thomas Yacht Club; and Joie Paciulli, St. Thomas Yacht Club.
Most of these coaches have 20-plus years of experience in the Optimist class as coaches, and/or they are former Optimist sailors.
On June 13, over a dozen teams are expected for the TOTE Maritime Team Race. The entry fee for this one-day event is $160 per team of four sailors. Registration is available only on-site from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 12.
The International Optimist Regatta sets sail from June 14 to 16.
“It’s just the perfect week,” says Agustin ‘Argy’ Resano, TOTE Clinic and TOTE Team Race organizer. “The sailing conditions are there for us. We pretty much get seven full days of sailing guaranteed, unlike many venues where it’s not possible to sail some days due to weather conditions. The Clinic/IOR Regatta combo is the perfect training scenario, where sailors develop their skills for three days and then put them into action in the IOR. The team racing event between the two gives the week the ‘full experience’ because it’s a different sailing format where the sailors sail on teams of four. The kids love it!”
The regatta is sponsored by TOTE, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, The K3 Company, Cardow, MSI Building Supplies and Lagnappe Interiors.
For charters, contact Simmons Boatworks at
www.simmonsbw.com/collections/packages-transfers/products/winner-3d-star-optimist-charter The charter package comes with a Winner-brand hull with airbags, blocks, 3-to-1 mainsheet and painter on a dolly with top cover. N1 Blades Optimax Spars are included. The deadline to reserve charter boats is May 1.
For coach boat charters, contact: internationaloptiregatta@gmail.com
Traveling to St. Thomas is easy! The following airlines fly direct from major U.S. cities: American Airlines (Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, New York), Delta (Atlanta, New York), Frontier (San Juan), JetBlue (Boston, San Juan), Spirit (Fort Lauderdale, Orlando) and United (Chicago, Newark, Washington-Dulles). Air Sunshine, Cape Air, Fly the Whale, Sea Flight, and SKYhigh Dominicana are airlines that operate within the Caribbean with service to St. Thomas.
Discounted room rates are available for the IOR at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa, at Frenchman’s Reef from June 6-June 16, 2024. Yo book room, follow this link.
Other available accommodations on St. Thomas in the Cowpet Bay area where the regatta takes place include hotels, B&Bs, resorts, villas, condominiums, VRBO rentals and Airbnb’s. For more information, visit www.visitusvi.com or www.usvihta.com.
For more information, email: internationaloptiregatta@gmail.com or call (340) 775-6320. Or, for the Notice of Regatta (NOR), registration form or other information, visit the St. Thomas Yacht Club website at www.stthomasyachtclub.org/sailing/regattas/international-optimist-regatta or Regatta Network at www.regattanetwork.com. Please also visit the International Optimist Regatta on Facebook or Instagram @internationaloptiregatta
