New Dates, New Classes for 2027 St. Thomas International Regatta
by Carol Bareuther 17 Jul 05:50 PDT
April 8-11, 2027
Privateer, Cookson 50, racing in STIR 2026 © Ingrid Abery /
www.ingridabery.com
New dates and bold new classes are setting the course for the 2027 St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR).
The event has moved off the Easter holiday to April 8-11, 2027, to make flights and accommodations easier to secure and give sailors time to celebrate with family. At the same time, STIR is embracing the future of sailing with the addition of an Open Wing Foiling Class, one of the sport's fastest-growing and most dynamic disciplines. The new class joins CSA Racing, CSA Cruising, IC24, Sunfish, Hobie Wave, and One Design classes of at least 19 feet.
New too is the Three Sheets Distance Race & Rally division, which moves this popular 100-nautical-mile St. John-St. Croix-St. Thomas-based regatta under the STIR umbrella and offers something exciting for those who like point-to-point multi-day racing. Renowned as the 'Crown Jewel of Caribbean Yacht Racing' for its professional race management, challenging courses, and spirit of innovation, STIR continues to honor its rich racing tradition while evolving to showcase the future of competitive sailing.
No matter where you are from, or what you sail, consider joining us at the St. Thomas Yacht Club for STIR 2027, and experience our spectacular sailing conditions and after-race activities," says Pat Bailey, regatta co-director with Greer Scholes.
Make Plans to STIR-up the Fun
The Notice of Race (NOR) and online registration will open in early fall. For the latest updates and entry information, visit www.stthomasinternationalregatta.com
Chartering makes it especially easy to fly in, jump on a race-ready yacht, and sail!
The St. Thomas Sailing Center (STSC) (stthomassailingcenter.com/racing/st-thomas-international-regatta) has IC24s, Sunfish, and Hobie Waves available for race charter for STIR 2027.
"We have the perfect charter for you," says Bobby Brooks, STSC director. "Choose our IC24 10-day package and race one-design in two of the Caribbean's premier regattas—the BVI Spring Regatta and the STIR Regatta. Or opt for our 5-day STIR package, Race with a Pro, or the NORTH U Regatta Experience (Clinic + STIR).
Additionally, UK-based companies Sail Racing Academy and LV Yachting offer race charters for STIR 2027, as does Ondeck Sailing in Antigua.
Caribbean Regatta Logistics, owned and operated by St. Thomas native Ben Beer, can assist owners and teams in bringing 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: , Web: stthomasinternationalregatta.com/faq/caribbean-regatta-logistics
Both Sevenstar Yacht Transport and DYT Yacht Transport offer direct transportation from St. Thomas to the Mediterranean and the U.S., making it easy to make the most of the Caribbean season and prepare for summer regattas in Europe and New England.
Book Flights and Accommodations Now!
Hands down, STIR is the easiest to reach of all the Caribbean regattas. The host destination, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, welcomes direct flights on major U.S. airlines from mainland gateway cities in the U.S. These include American Airlines (Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, New York, Philadelphia), Breeze Airways (Tampa), Delta Air Lines (Atlanta, Boston, New York), JetBlue (Boston, San Juan), Southwest Airlines (Baltimore/Washington and Orlando), and United Airlines (Chicago, Houston, Newark, Washington-Dulles), with seasonal service by Sun Country Airlines from Minneapolis-St. Paul. Cape Air, Contour Airlines, Fly the Whale, Sea Flight VI, Seaborne Airlines, and SKYhigh Dominicana also provide regional service within the Caribbean.
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, visit www.visitusvi.com.