March 29, 2002 – Joseph Thomas, Water and Power Authority executive director, calls Tuesday's action by a group of disgruntled WAPA employees an "unfortunate method of trying to resolve issues."
Some 35 employees demonstrated outside WAPA's Sub Base headquarters all morning, demanding an audience with the WAPA board, which was meeting inside, or with Thomas. The board voted not to come out to speak with them. Gov. Charles W. Turnbull was called, came to the site around noon, listened to the employees and then met with the board. When their demand still was not met, about 30 of the workers entered the building, went upstairs and stormed the board room, where they voiced their grievances for about 45 minutes. (See "WAPA workers take their complaints to the top".)
One of the employees' complaints was that Thomas is "inaccessible." Thomas said Thursday that the protesters had not availed themselves of the avenues of access that by agreement between labor and management are available. "The grievance process was ignored, and that was admitted to by the union president," he said. "When I asked if he [Hubert Turnbull] had exhausted the routes available to him, he admitted he had not; so, they basically bypassed the union process."
Thomas continued, "It's not as though we have been approached and have denied [the workers] access. We had a meeting set up with one of the union heads. We waited, and he never showed."
He added, "You know when the employees worked around the clock when we had the major power outage earlier this year, we had the linemen up here for a breakfast to thank them."
Thomas said his management team is "more committed than any other I have ever worked with, working 12 to 15 hours a day with the different issues in front of us." He said he isn't certain the meeting with employees scheduled for next Wednesday is the correct way to proceed, but it was approved by the board members present Tuesday, largely to bring closure to the demonstrators' intrusion.
The protesters charged that retiring employees haven't been replaced and that contract workers are sometimes hired. Thomas said that is not accurate. The reason for not replacing those who retire, he said, is that he foresees a downturn in the economy this year and is preparing for it.
"We are seeing lower sales now; we are expecting a drop-off in water sales in the last two months of this fiscal year and a decline in electric consumption. You plan for it," he said. "You run a little lean and pay a little more overtime and, overall, you keep the price down. The jobs we haven't filled amount to about a $4 million savings, and about $700,000 to $800,000 overtime."
The purpose of this procedure, he said, is to keep the current employees through the lean times and not be forced to lay anybody off until the economy improves. The alternative would result in layoffs, and "we want to avoid that," he said.
As for contract workers, he said, "They afford us the ability to pull the plug when we don't need them, without laying off full-time employees. Sometimes you need certain specific skills for a specific period of time, and that's what we've been doing. With the combination of contract workers and overtime, we are able to keep our employees, and we can be flexible.
"The real advantage," he said, "is that we haven't got people on our payroll we'd have to lay off if the downturn occurs. We are quietly evaluating positions as they come up. As the market gets better and revenues get stronger, positions will be filled." He added, "No critical positions have been left unfilled."
The employees' complaint about contract workers had to do specifically with WAPA's request for proposals (RFP) put out to fill positions for the additional work it is taking on now that responsibility for the territory's street lights has been transferred to the utility from the Public Works Department. "We don't know in which way our money is going to come to finance that program," Thomas said, and so for now, "We don't think it's responsible to use our own employees for it." He said WAPA "hasn't seen a dime of the funds legislated for the program yet."

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 29, 2002 – The 10-foot-high yellow mushroom is sprouting bright streams of water into the Easter weekend sunlight at high noon Friday as the blue, green, yellow and orange tumble buckets dump water on a handful of youngsters racing to pounce on yellow lemon drops and see more water shoot out.
Darlan Brin's fanciful notion of more than 18 months ago is a now a happy reality. Brin is senior planner for the Port Authority, and the water park is his pet project, although he shies from taking credit for it. In July of 2000, the park was a cement slab adjacent to Phase I of Lindbergh Bay Park, the little area with the colorful slides and natural wood gazebo at the west end of the beach.
Back then, Brin one day was flipping through the pages of an issue of the magazine Landscape Architecture. "It all came from an idea I saw in here," he said then, anxious to show pictures of the equipment. He expected the park would open in the fall of 2000, but it wasn't all that easy
There was a Coastal Zone Management permit to get, and solar panels to install that would provide energy for a windmill to pump seawater to the park. The water doesn't come directly to the park but is filtered through sand at 750 gallons a minute and then pumped on a circuitous route back to the sea through a series of drains.
For the safety of the children, the water doesn't accumulate; it drains right back out.
For this reason, the park provides an opportunity for children to have fun playing in the water without knowing how to swim. It helps them get over any fear of water they may have.
The park's floor is a bright blue and green rubberized surface designed to prevent young feet from slipping. It was the park's most recent hurdle before this weekend's opening.
Albert Brooks, a VIPA carpenter, leaned against the wood railing, smiling at all the kids running around jumping, getting water all over themselves and anything else that was handy. "I've worked with Darlan since it started," he said, "and it's had a lot of problems to deal with. Getting the water from the sea and back out again, and putting that rubberized coating on, wow!"
"But," he said with a big grin, "it's nice now, just like the other park. That's all Darlan wants, for it to be nice and cared for."
Brooks' pride in the project is evident as he shares the enjoyment of young mother Anna Placid, who looks on as her children run through the mushroom, or umbrella, the buckets and the drops. "I've got three kids there," she said. "Jose and Jason, they're 9 and 10, and Jordan, who's just a year and a half." Jordan looks even wetter than his big brothers. "They just love it," Placid said of the older boys. "And they're taking care of Jordan."
The park is open through Easter Monday from noon to 5 p.m. Regular hours will be Tuesday-Friday 2:30-5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. It will be closed on Mondays. A small admittance fee will be charged.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 28, 2002 – Speculation from the back-row seats on why Universal Studios has brought "E.T." back to a theater near you in a 20th anniversary edition: Well, for box-office potential and product tie-ins, of course. And just because the new technological capabilities are there …
But is it for the aging baby boomers yearning to get back in touch with their inner child? For the kids who saw it two decades ago and now have kids of their own? For the generation-later kids themselves who've never even seen it on video, or taken the bicycle ride at the Universal Studios theme park?
Is it so we can giggle at Drew Barrymore when she was a precocious preschooler? Or nod knowingly hearing Debra Winger as the voice of E.T.? Is it so we can all leave the theater feeling good in an era when we so seldom do?
The promotions for "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial the 20th Anniversary" promise "never-before-seen footage, newly enhanced visual effects and a new re-mastered sound track."
A Hollywood.com reviewer says "apparently 140 shots were reworked, E.T. got a more friendly makeover and a few never-before-seen scenes were added in (like the great scene where E.T. falls into a bathtub of water). True, E.T. looks even more lifelike and you can tell the spaceship had a few more bells and whistles on it, but it doesn't really matter. The film is a pure gem, proving once again what an incredible visionary [director Steven] Spielberg truly is."
Critics are clearly divided into two camps: those who reviewed the original two decades ago and mainly want to reminisce, and those who are doing so for the first time and are dutifully compelled to explain what the movie's about. One thing they have in common: Nobody is giving this film a thumbs down.
For those who've been on another planet for the last 20 years, the story line is that a kid-size alien is accidently left behind on Earth when his fellow travelers depart, and he's taken in by an 11-year-old boy who co-opts his brother and sister into helping keep their new housemate a secret — first from their mom and then from the usual misguided grownups out to get him. Then comes the race against time to get E.T. "home" before it's too late.
Don McKellar, writing in Cinema Scope, calls "E.T." a dog movie: "It's about a boy meeting a dog, naming it, taming it, learning from it and growing up … Of course, E.T. is not just a dog … He can move things telekinetically. Communicate telepathically. Heal messianically. Hold off his excretory needs indefinitely …"
Rolling Stone magazine's critic took a bit more jaded view: "In retrospect, 'E.T.' demonstrated also what a brilliant satirist of the pop-cultural wasteland Steven Spielberg might have been, had he not decided to become its major contributor."
But never mind. If you were attracted to the film 20 years ago, you will be again. And if you've never seen it and don't go see it now, hey, the world won't come to an end.
The film is rated PG. It's playing at Sunny Isle Theaters.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 29, 2002 – Jabahri Brown has come a long way from playing pickup games on the neighborhood basketball courts of St. Thomas to competing in the NCAA Final Four.
Brown, the Oklahoma Sooners' 6-foot-10-inch sophomore center, will take the court Saturday night in Atlanta in the national semifinal game against Indiana. Basketball fans on island say they will be glued to their televisions to watch him take the biggest stage in college basketball.
After a game of hard-fought two-on-two at Emile Griffith Park on Thursday, 14-year-old Lindelle Davis said he was working hard to follow in Brown's footsteps.
"This is Jabahri's home court right here," said Lindelle, who plays junior varsity basketball at Charlotte Amalie High School, where Brown used to play. "I'm rooting for Oklahoma all the way. Jabahri's my personal inspiration."
Brown is the territory's latest basketball player to reach the national spotlight. Several Virgin Islanders are currently playing in Division I college basketball and in the NBA, including San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan, a native of St. Croix.
Sitting in the crowd to watch Brown on Saturday will be Cyril Benjamin of St. Thomas, coach of the youth all-star team Brown played on in summer tournaments on the mainland. After getting attention at those tournaments, Brown was recruited to play his last years of high school basketball at Champagnat Catholic High School in Hialeah, Fla., where he was an all-state player in 1999.
After a year at Florida International University, he transferred to Oklahoma, where he became eligible to play in December.
CAHS basketball coach Pedrito Estrill, who coached Brown for two years before the youngster transferred to Hialeah, said he's "been keeping up with Jabahri's progress, just like everyone else." He added, "You won't be able to move me from my TV on Saturday."
Estrill said, "Anytime you have that kind of height, you have the opportunity to make it big. He's aggressive, and not a lot of big guys can run like Jabahri. He can handle the ball, too." With only two public high schools on St. Thomas, the coach said, Brown needed the higher level of competition he got in both high school and college in Florida to prepare for playing at Oklahoma.
Estrill and others compare Brown's high-flying game to Duncan's, but his coaches note that Brown still has a lot of work to do. "Jabahri needs to get bigger and stronger," Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson said. "But he's proven he can play at this level. He can score; he can rebound. He's a 6-foot-10-inch shot blocker, and that's something we haven't had."
Brown has averaged 4.6 points and 5.7 rebounds a game, and he has 40 blocked shots this season. Although he now plays a supporting role to Oklahoma stars Aaron McGhee and Hollis Price, his fans here believe Brown has what it takes be a star in his own right.
"People hope he'll make it to the NBA and be our next representative," 17-year-old Ashiel Smith said as he practiced his 3-point shot at the Winston Raymo court in Hospital Ground. "Jabahri shows that if you have a goal and work hard, you can reach it. It's all within yourself."
Lindelle Davis and his two-on-two teammate, Paul Grande, said that whenever Brown comes back to visit St. Thomas, he always stops by the Emile Griffith court to encourage the younger guys to keep working on their game and to keep hitting the books in school.
"He never forgets his roots," Paul said.
"It's great to actually see someone you know making it big. That's really inspiring for me," Lindelle added. "I just have to keep focused and keep working at it, too."

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 29, 2002 – Jabahri Brown has come a long way from playing pickup games on the neighborhood basketball courts of St. Thomas to competing in the NCAA Final Four.
Brown, the Oklahoma Sooners' 6-foot-10-inch sophomore center, will take the court Saturday night in Atlanta in the national semifinal game against Indiana. Basketball fans on island say they will be glued to their televisions to watch him take the biggest stage in college basketball.
After a game of hard-fought two-on-two at Emile Griffith Park on Thursday, 14-year-old Lindelle Davis said he was working hard to follow in Brown's footsteps.
"This is Jabahri's home court right here," said Lindelle, who plays junior varsity basketball at Charlotte Amalie High School, where Brown used to play. "I'm rooting for Oklahoma all the way. Jabahri's my personal inspiration."
Brown is the territory's latest basketball player to reach the national spotlight. Several Virgin Islanders are currently playing in Division I college basketball and in the NBA, including San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan, a native of St. Croix.
Sitting in the crowd to watch Brown on Saturday will be Cyril Benjamin of St. Thomas, coach of the youth all-star team Brown played on in summer tournaments on the mainland. After getting attention at those tournaments, Brown was recruited to play his last years of high school basketball at Champagnat Catholic High School in Hialeah, Fla., where he was an all-state player in 1999.
After a year at Florida International University, he transferred to Oklahoma, where he became eligible to play in December.
CAHS basketball coach Pedrito Estrill, who coached Brown for two years before the youngster transferred to Hialeah, said he's "been keeping up with Jabahri's progress, just like everyone else." He added, "You won't be able to move me from my TV on Saturday."
Estrill said, "Anytime you have that kind of height, you have the opportunity to make it big. He's aggressive, and not a lot of big guys can run like Jabahri. He can handle the ball, too." With only two public high schools on St. Thomas, the coach said, Brown needed the higher level of competition he got in both high school and college in Florida to prepare for playing at Oklahoma.
Estrill and others compare Brown's high-flying game to Duncan's, but his coaches note that Brown still has a lot of work to do. "Jabahri needs to get bigger and stronger," Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson said. "But he's proven he can play at this level. He can score; he can rebound. He's a 6-foot-10-inch shot blocker, and that's something we haven't had."
Brown has averaged 4.6 points and 5.7 rebounds a game, and he has 40 blocked shots this season. Although he now plays a supporting role to Oklahoma stars Aaron McGhee and Hollis Price, his fans here believe Brown has what it takes be a star in his own right.
"People hope he'll make it to the NBA and be our next representative," 17-year-old Ashiel Smith said as he practiced his 3-point shot at the Winston Raymo court in Hospital Ground. "Jabahri shows that if you have a goal and work hard, you can reach it. It's all within yourself."
Lindelle Davis and his two-on-two teammate, Paul Grande, said that whenever Brown comes back to visit St. Thomas, he always stops by the Emile Griffith court to encourage the younger guys to keep working on their game and to keep hitting the books in school.
"He never forgets his roots," Paul said.
"It's great to actually see someone you know making it big. That's really inspiring for me," Lindelle added. "I just have to keep focused and keep working at it, too."

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 29, 2002 – Jabahri Brown has come a long way from playing pickup games on the neighborhood basketball courts of St. Thomas to competing in the NCAA Final Four.
Brown, the Oklahoma Sooners' 6-foot-10-inch sophomore center, will take the court Saturday night in Atlanta in the national semifinal game against Indiana. Basketball fans on island say they will be glued to their televisions to watch him take the biggest stage in college basketball.
After a game of hard-fought two-on-two at Emile Griffith Park on Thursday, 14-year-old Lindelle Davis said he was working hard to follow in Brown's footsteps.
"This is Jabahri's home court right here," said Lindelle, who plays junior varsity basketball at Charlotte Amalie High School, where Brown used to play. "I'm rooting for Oklahoma all the way. Jabahri's my personal inspiration."
Brown is the territory's latest basketball player to reach the national spotlight. Several Virgin Islanders are currently playing in Division I college basketball and in the NBA, including San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan, a native of St. Croix.
Sitting in the crowd to watch Brown on Saturday will be Cyril Benjamin of St. Thomas, coach of the youth all-star team Brown played on in summer tournaments on the mainland. After getting attention at those tournaments, Brown was recruited to play his last years of high school basketball at Champagnat Catholic High School in Hialeah, Fla., where he was an all-state player in 1999.
After a year at Florida International University, he transferred to Oklahoma, where he became eligible to play in December.
CAHS basketball coach Pedrito Estrill, who coached Brown for two years before the youngster transferred to Hialeah, said he's "been keeping up with Jabahri's progress, just like everyone else." He added, "You won't be able to move me from my TV on Saturday."
Estrill said, "Anytime you have that kind of height, you have the opportunity to make it big. He's aggressive, and not a lot of big guys can run like Jabahri. He can handle the ball, too." With only two public high schools on St. Thomas, the coach said, Brown needed the higher level of competition he got in both high school and college in Florida to prepare for playing at Oklahoma.
Estrill and others compare Brown's high-flying game to Duncan's, but his coaches note that Brown still has a lot of work to do. "Jabahri needs to get bigger and stronger," Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson said. "But he's proven he can play at this level. He can score; he can rebound. He's a 6-foot-10-inch shot blocker, and that's something we haven't had."
Brown has averaged 4.6 points and 5.7 rebounds a game, and he has 40 blocked shots this season. Although he now plays a supporting role to Oklahoma stars Aaron McGhee and Hollis Price, his fans here believe Brown has what it takes be a star in his own right.
"People hope he'll make it to the NBA and be our next representative," 17-year-old Ashiel Smith said as he practiced his 3-point shot at the Winston Raymo court in Hospital Ground. "Jabahri shows that if you have a goal and work hard, you can reach it. It's all within yourself."
Lindelle Davis and his two-on-two teammate, Paul Grande, said that whenever Brown comes back to visit St. Thomas, he always stops by the Emile Griffith court to encourage the younger guys to keep working on their game and to keep hitting the books in school.
"He never forgets his roots," Paul said.
"It's great to actually see someone you know making it big. That's really inspiring for me," Lindelle added. "I just have to keep focused and keep working at it, too."

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 28, 2002 – At Hovensa headquarters on Thursday morning, the company's chief executive and the top officials of the University of the Virgin Islands signed a three-year agreement committing both organizations to establishing an associate degree in applied science in process technology at UVI.
The new degree program, oriented to the oil refinery's technology needs, will begin next fall on St. Croix. Hovensa will pay the salary of the professor for the first two years, provide technical personnel for the curriculum, and make its training center classrooms, laboratories and equipment available for the courses.
The program is aimed at attracting students to pursue careers in refinery operations and will provide industry-specific entry-level skills. The curriculum will cover not only training but a basic knowledge of how to apply scientific principles in the work environment.
After the first class graduates in the spring of 2004, Hovensa's entry requirements for employment in the field of process operations will change to include an associate degree in applied science in process technology.
Hovensa's president and CEO, Rene L. Sagebien set out a vision for providing high school graduates with an opportunity to acquire career training coupled with a college degree so they can meet entry-level requirements for the industry. The new program is the "culmination of a lot of good work between UVI and our company," he said. "This will provide a lot of opportunity for a lot of youngsters."
A team of UVI faculty, curriculum advisers from other universities, and Hovensa personnel developed the curriculum to meet the current needs of the refining industry.
Hovensa chemical engineer Yeisan Matthew, a 1984 graduate of Central High School, has been named senior course developer at the refinery. She has designed the curricula for two courses: Basic Electricity and Process Troubleshooting. The new program is "an opportunity to introduce the community to refining applications," she said.
The curriculum will include basic education course requirements in areas such as communications, algebra and chemistry, along with technical areas such as process technology, instrumentation and basic electricity. Part of the program is an internship in the fourth semester.
Admission requirements include SAT scores of at least 500 in verbal skills and 490 in math. The university offers skill-level courses in math and English.
Valdemar Hill Jr., the new program's manager of training and development, applauded UVI faculty member Alan Lewitt, professor of computer science and mathematics on the St. Croix campus, for his role in making Sagebien's vision a reality. "This is a really momentous opportunity for us," Hill said.
Hovensa will provide five $3,000 scholarships annually for V.I. residents who can provide evidence of financial need. To be considered, candidates must be enrolled in the process technology degree program, have at least a 3.0 grade-point average from high school, submit an essay expressing their interest in the program, and be interview before a panel.
As Sagebien signed the memorandum of agreement and passed it on to the UVI's retiring president, Dr. Orville Kean, and thence on to the incoming president, Dr. LaVerne Ragster, all were in smiles at the culmination of more than two years of cooperative planning. "This is really a milestone for UVI," said Kean, who indicated it was the first time a corporation had agreed to underwrite the cost of a program at the university.
Kean mentioned that a Hovensa employee had stopped him outside the administration building Thursday morning and asked if UVI would offer short certificate programs in computer technology. Kean said that plans are in place to offer more work-force development programs. "The university's vision is to contribute to the social and economic development of the V.I.," he said.
Sagebien recently received national recognition for his commitment to excellence in refinery operations and to fostering community outreach and growth. At a fuel conference in San Antonio, Texas, he was named Refinery Executive of the Year 2002 by World Refining Magazine.
"Knowledge alone won't do," he said Thursday. "It's the ability to work together to accomplish." He told the audience at the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of understanding that he plans to participate in the program. He said he hopes the students who enroll will strive for excellence and learn teamwork.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 28, 2002 – This year's stand-alone Rolex Regatta, newly independent of the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle, has attracted an international fleet of 78 boats that will race in 12 classes, including the locally popular new IC-24 class, a hybrid of a J/24 and a Melges 24 home grown in the Virgin Islands.
The competition, hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club, opens Friday. The forecast is for light air over the next three days
"We'll deal with it as we have to," the event's new principal race officer, Peter Reggio, said Thursday, after the lack of air forced cancellation of a pre-regatta event, the inaugural USVI Governor's Race. The race trophies instead will be awarded to the winners of the official first day of Rolex racing. Only two races in the history of the Rolex have been canceled due to light air.
Boats with local track records to watch this weekend include:
– Tortola entry Mermaid II, Bill Berardelli's Custom 40, which was the top winner overall in the first and second CORT contests — the St. Croix International Regatta in February and the Heineken International Regatta in Puerto Rico two weeks ago. (The series will conclude with the BVI Spring Regatta April 5-7 on Berardelli's home surf.)
– St. Thomas entry Magnificent 7, Rolex veteran John Foster's J/27, which finished third overall in the St. Croix regatta and second in class in the Heineken contest.
– St. Croix entry Jersey Devil, Scott and Peter Stanton's J/24, which won its class in the Heineken Regatta.
The Rolex field includes 10 boats racing in the newe IC-24 Class, seven in the Melges 24-J/80 Class, seven in the J/24 Class, three in the Racing Over 50 Foot Class, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 1, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 2, seven in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1, six in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2, 10 in the Beach Cats Class 1, six in the Beach Cats Class 2, three in the Non-Spinnaker Racing Class, and five in the Fun Class – Jib & Main (no pole).
There are 30 boats competing from St. Thomas (a couple of them with dual homeports), 24 from Puerto Rico, five each from St. Croix and the BVI, two from Antigua and one each from Sint Maarten; Curacao; Caracas, Venezuela: St. Augustine, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; Campton, New Hampshire; St. Claire Shores, Mich.; Herts, Southampton and Spedding, England; Glasgow, Scotland; and Rimini, Italy.
According to a Rolex release prepared for international distribution, "Among the returning favorites are big-boat entrants James Muldoon of Washington, D.C., with his Custom 73 turbo sled Donnybrook and Puerto Rico's Tom Hill, who brings his new Titan XI, also a sled (an Andrews 70) to the mix. Bill Alcott's Equation, a Santa Cruz 68, which he says may have difficulty keeping up with the others, may still be one to watch. Alcott, from St. Claire Shores, Michigan, won his class last year at the regatta with this boat."
The release quotes Alcott as saying of last year's win, "I got lucky. The other big boats started messing around with each other, and I just did my own thing. You have to consider that my boat was built to sail to class rules, and the sleds were not. They have 40 percent more sail area than I do, so I know what I'm up against."
For this year's running of the Rolex, an impressive number of local sailors who were competing in the early years are still at the wheel. Among them: Foster, Dick Johnson, Bill Canfield, Lyn Reid, Nick Bailey, Chris Rosenberg, Mike Williams and John Holmberg from St. Thomas; and Hill from Puerto Rico.
"Revered for its keen racing and a festive atmosphere, the International Rolex Regatta is celebrating its 29th year as an Easter weekend racing tradition in the Virgin Islands," the Rolex release states. "The Governor's Race was added as one of several enhancements to the regatta, which also includes an expanded social schedule that interfaces more closely with the island's community."
The top winner in each of the 12 classes will receive a Rolex watch at an awards ceremony to follow the third day of racing — Sunday, if all goes well.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 28, 2002 – This year's stand-alone Rolex Regatta, newly independent of the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle, has attracted an international fleet of 78 boats that will race in 12 classes, including the locally popular new IC-24 class, a hybrid of a J/24 and a Melges 24 home grown in the Virgin Islands.
The competition, hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club, opens Friday. The forecast is for light air over the next three days
"We'll deal with it as we have to," the event's new principal race officer, Peter Reggio, said Thursday, after the lack of air forced cancellation of a pre-regatta event, the inaugural USVI Governor's Race. The race trophies instead will be awarded to the winners of the official first day of Rolex racing. Only two races in the history of the Rolex have been canceled due to light air.
Boats with local track records to watch this weekend include:
– Tortola entry Mermaid II, Bill Berardelli's Custom 40, which was the top winner overall in the first and second CORT contests — the St. Croix International Regatta in February and the Heineken International Regatta in Puerto Rico two weeks ago. (The series will conclude with the BVI Spring Regatta April 5-7 on Berardelli's home surf.)
– St. Thomas entry Magnificent 7, Rolex veteran John Foster's J/27, which finished third overall in the St. Croix regatta and second in class in the Heineken contest.
– St. Croix entry Jersey Devil, Scott and Peter Stanton's J/24, which won its class in the Heineken Regatta.
The Rolex field includes 10 boats racing in the newe IC-24 Class, seven in the Melges 24-J/80 Class, seven in the J/24 Class, three in the Racing Over 50 Foot Class, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 1, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 2, seven in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1, six in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2, 10 in the Beach Cats Class 1, six in the Beach Cats Class 2, three in the Non-Spinnaker Racing Class, and five in the Fun Class – Jib & Main (no pole).
There are 30 boats competing from St. Thomas (a couple of them with dual homeports), 24 from Puerto Rico, five each from St. Croix and the BVI, two from Antigua and one each from Sint Maarten; Curacao; Caracas, Venezuela: St. Augustine, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; Campton, New Hampshire; St. Claire Shores, Mich.; Herts, Southampton and Spedding, England; Glasgow, Scotland; and Rimini, Italy.
According to a Rolex release prepared for international distribution, "Among the returning favorites are big-boat entrants James Muldoon of Washington, D.C., with his Custom 73 turbo sled Donnybrook and Puerto Rico's Tom Hill, who brings his new Titan XI, also a sled (an Andrews 70) to the mix. Bill Alcott's Equation, a Santa Cruz 68, which he says may have difficulty keeping up with the others, may still be one to watch. Alcott, from St. Claire Shores, Michigan, won his class last year at the regatta with this boat."
The release quotes Alcott as saying of last year's win, "I got lucky. The other big boats started messing around with each other, and I just did my own thing. You have to consider that my boat was built to sail to class rules, and the sleds were not. They have 40 percent more sail area than I do, so I know what I'm up against."
For this year's running of the Rolex, an impressive number of local sailors who were competing in the early years are still at the wheel. Among them: Foster, Dick Johnson, Bill Canfield, Lyn Reid, Nick Bailey, Chris Rosenberg, Mike Williams and John Holmberg from St. Thomas; and Hill from Puerto Rico.
"Revered for its keen racing and a festive atmosphere, the International Rolex Regatta is celebrating its 29th year as an Easter weekend racing tradition in the Virgin Islands," the Rolex release states. "The Governor's Race was added as one of several enhancements to the regatta, which also includes an expanded social schedule that interfaces more closely with the island's community."
The top winner in each of the 12 classes will receive a Rolex watch at an awards ceremony to follow the third day of racing — Sunday, if all goes well.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

March 28, 2002 – This year's stand-alone Rolex Regatta, newly independent of the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle, has attracted an international fleet of 78 boats that will race in 12 classes, including the locally popular new IC-24 class, a hybrid of a J/24 and a Melges 24 home grown in the Virgin Islands.
The competition, hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club, opens Friday. The forecast is for light air over the next three days
"We'll deal with it as we have to," the event's new principal race officer, Peter Reggio, said Thursday, after the lack of air forced cancellation of a pre-regatta event, the inaugural USVI Governor's Race. The race trophies instead will be awarded to the winners of the official first day of Rolex racing. Only two races in the history of the Rolex have been canceled due to light air.
Boats with local track records to watch this weekend include:
– Tortola entry Mermaid II, Bill Berardelli's Custom 40, which was the top winner overall in the first and second CORT contests — the St. Croix International Regatta in February and the Heineken International Regatta in Puerto Rico two weeks ago. (The series will conclude with the BVI Spring Regatta April 5-7 on Berardelli's home surf.)
– St. Thomas entry Magnificent 7, Rolex veteran John Foster's J/27, which finished third overall in the St. Croix regatta and second in class in the Heineken contest.
– St. Croix entry Jersey Devil, Scott and Peter Stanton's J/24, which won its class in the Heineken Regatta.
The Rolex field includes 10 boats racing in the newe IC-24 Class, seven in the Melges 24-J/80 Class, seven in the J/24 Class, three in the Racing Over 50 Foot Class, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 1, seven in the Spinnaker Racing Class 2, seven in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1, six in the Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2, 10 in the Beach Cats Class 1, six in the Beach Cats Class 2, three in the Non-Spinnaker Racing Class, and five in the Fun Class – Jib & Main (no pole).
There are 30 boats competing from St. Thomas (a couple of them with dual homeports), 24 from Puerto Rico, five each from St. Croix and the BVI, two from Antigua and one each from Sint Maarten; Curacao; Caracas, Venezuela: St. Augustine, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; Campton, New Hampshire; St. Claire Shores, Mich.; Herts, Southampton and Spedding, England; Glasgow, Scotland; and Rimini, Italy.
According to a Rolex release prepared for international distribution, "Among the returning favorites are big-boat entrants James Muldoon of Washington, D.C., with his Custom 73 turbo sled Donnybrook and Puerto Rico's Tom Hill, who brings his new Titan XI, also a sled (an Andrews 70) to the mix. Bill Alcott's Equation, a Santa Cruz 68, which he says may have difficulty keeping up with the others, may still be one to watch. Alcott, from St. Claire Shores, Michigan, won his class last year at the regatta with this boat."
The release quotes Alcott as saying of last year's win, "I got lucky. The other big boats started messing around with each other, and I just did my own thing. You have to consider that my boat was built to sail to class rules, and the sleds were not. They have 40 percent more sail area than I do, so I know what I'm up against."
For this year's running of the Rolex, an impressive number of local sailors who were competing in the early years are still at the wheel. Among them: Foster, Dick Johnson, Bill Canfield, Lyn Reid, Nick Bailey, Chris Rosenberg, Mike Williams and John Holmberg from St. Thomas; and Hill from Puerto Rico.
"Revered for its keen racing and a festive atmosphere, the International Rolex Regatta is celebrating its 29th year as an Easter weekend racing tradition in the Virgin Islands," the Rolex release states. "The Governor's Race was added as one of several enhancements to the regatta, which also includes an expanded social schedule that interfaces more closely with the island's community."
The top winner in each of the 12 classes will receive a Rolex watch at an awards ceremony to follow the third day of racing — Sunday, if all goes well.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.