Virgin Islands Race Week Great prizes on offer

by caribbeanracing.com on 7 Feb 2008 Discounted rates on hot yachts and destination vacations as top prizes. This is just a sample of what awaits sailors who compete in the inaugural Virgin Islands Race Week – March 28 to April 6 – presented by the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.

Virgin Islands Race Week is a glorious 10-day holiday opportunity for sailors and sailing families, which encompasses the International Rolex Regatta held in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival, hosted out of Tortola and Virgin Gorda.

'The response we've received to date has been fantastic. Sailors are clearly excited about Virgin Islands Race Week and we expect it to grow rapidly over the next few years,' says Judy Petz, director, BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival.

After a several year hiatus, Bill Alcott is bringing his Andrews 68, Equation, back this year to compete in Virgin Islands Race Week.

Sailors can race their own yachts or charter.

ONDECK Sailing, in St. Thomas, is offering specially discounted rates to charter its Volvo 60, Farr 40s and Beneteau 40.7s for Virgin Islands Race Week.

There are classes for both CSA (Caribbean Sailing Association) and IRC handicap yachts in this new sailing event, which is built around regattas that feature professional race management and a mix of round-the-buoys and round-the-islands courses that makes for fierce competition.

Spectacular grand finale prizes await the winners, which are calculated based on combined scores from both the International Rolex Regatta and BVI Spring Regatta.

The top CSA yacht will receive a week for two compliments of the Bitter End Yacht Club, in Virgin Gorda.

The top IRC yacht will collect a week's complimentary stay at the new Marriott's Frenchman's Cove, in St. Thomas. Accommodations sleep up to 8. Certificates for dinners at local restaurants are also part of the prize package.

The beauty of this Virgin Islands holiday is that it offers both intense racing and quality family time. Sailors and their families can customize their sailing vacation by mixing and matching hardcore racing, just-for-fun racing, and leisurely cruising. Add to this a day of duty-free shopping and dining in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, an opportunity for the kids to sail their own dinghy regatta or a family golf outing, and it combines to make a holiday with something for everyone.

Sponsors for Virgin Islands Race Week include the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Bitter End Yacht Club, Marriott's Frenchman's Cove, ONDECK Sailing and Clearpoint.

For regatta information, contact Judy Petz, Director, BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival. Tel. (284) 494-3286; Cell. (284) 496-6732; Email: judy@bvispringregatta.org

For ONDECK Sailing charter information, contact Clive Yearwood, Tel. (340) 777-4944; Cell. (340) 344-0988; Email: cy@ondeckoceanracing.com

For sponsorship information, contact Bill Sandberg, Niche Sports Group, LLC, Tel. (203) 637-4363; Cell. (203) 219-7256; Email: bill_sandberg2003@yahoo.com