On November 11-15, the waters off St. Thomas’ East End will play host to eight of the best women match racers in the world, at the U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship.

US Women's Match Racing Championship Trophy

The US Virgin Islands, a major Caribbean bareboat charter hub, offer the ideal location for both casual yacht charter vacations and exciting Olympic-style competitive sailing races.  Constant breezes and warm, dry weather make this a great bareboat destination and should provide just the right mix of wind and sun for a great match race competition.

After spending a day or two watching the action, Caribbean yacht charter enthusiasts can easily sail their rental sailing yacht into the nearby British Virgin Islands.  There are mooring buoys in almost every protected cove. The beaches, Caribbean food, tropical music, and friendly locals make this a great yacht charter destination.

More about the big match race:

Competitors include US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Anna Tunnicliffe (North Cape Yacht Club/Lauderdale Yacht Club; ranked 19th), Genevieve Tulloch (St. Francis Yacht Club; ranked 21st), Katy Pilley-Lovell (Southern Yacht Club; ranked 23rd), Debbie Capozzi (Chicago Match Race Center; ranked 25nd), Annie Gardner Nelson (San Diego Yacht Club; ranked 182), Maegan Ruhlan (Pymatuning Yacht Club; 200 rank), Evan Brown (Davis Island Yacht Club; unranked) and Kelly O’Brien (St. Thomas Yacht Club; unranked).

Tunnicliffe is the defending 2008 champ, while Capozzi won the event in 2006.

Match racing consists of two identical boats racing against each other. It is the format that is used in the America’s Cup, and it is a one-on-one duel of strategy and tactics where there is only one winner. This year, the competitors will sail in IC24′s. The IC24 or Inter-Club 24 was designed and built by two St. Thomas sailors. It uses a J/24 hull, which is fitted with a Melges 24-style deck mold that is wider, has no traveler, and is capable of carrying four to five sailors.

The first U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship was held at Southern Yacht Club in 2001. This marks the first time that the St. Thomas Yacht Club will host the event. However, the Club has hosted many high level match racing championships in the past.

The event is sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. and Dry Creek Vineyard.

Charter a bareboat sailboat or motoryacht and enjoy the action!  For more information, contact 1-800-BAREBOAT (227-3262) or email info@bareboat.com

Join in the Fun at VI Raceweek!

Prizes and camaraderie await Caribbean bareboat charter enthusiasts as the 2009 Virgin Islands Raceweek draws near.   Three events, back to back, makes this a favorite time for Caribbean bareboat charter tourists to flock to the islands, and entice sailors from all over the world to join in the mix of racing and partying in the tropics.

The St. Thomas International Rolex Regatta,  the BVI Sailing Festival, and the BVI Spring Regatta, are being held March 27 and April 5, 2009.   The festivities are held within twelve miles of each other in the charter-friendly Virgin Islands, the world’s most popular bareboat charter destination.

Adding to the temptation are the prizes!  The winner of the IRC division will enjoy a week’s holiday on St. Thomas at the Frenchman’s Cove Resort, while the overall leader in the CSA division will win an all-inclusive week’s stay at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands.

The St. Thomas International Rolex Regatta kicks off  the 2009 Virgin Islands Raceweek, from Friday, March 27 through Sunday, March 29, 2009. The International Rolex Regatta is one of the most popular of several Caribbean sailing events which mixes long course sailing with Windward/Leeward formats.

On Monday, March 30, the BVI Sailing Festival begins at the Nanny Cay Marina in the British Virgin Islands. More relaxed and laidback than the other two regattas, Caribbean yacht charter boats as well as privately-owned vessels race to Bitter End for a chance to win the Bitter End Cup.  End of the day entertainment includes cocktail parties, limbo contests, and layday activities. The Sailing Festival ends on Thursday with the Nanny Cay Cup which takes the racers back from Bitter End to Nanny Cay.

The BVI Spring Regatta kicks off on Friday, April 3, 2009 and caters to a large spectrum of sailing enthusiasts. Choices abound in this regatta from racing IC 24s (modified J24′s), Lasers, and Beach Cats to traditional keel boat racers. While many Caribbean yacht charter enthusiasts join in, others are content to relax aboard their charter yacht vessels and take in the action.

Boats registered in the St. Thomas International Rolex Regatta and the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival are automatically registered for the 2009 Virgin Islands Raceweek.

For more information, contact your bareboat yacht charter specialist at 1-800-BAREBOAT (www.bareboat.com).  “Great Prices and the Newest Bareboats in the World’s Best Destinations” allows 1-800-BAREBOAT to present new yachts such as the Beneteau 43.3; the Robertson and Caine 4600 catamaran; and the Sun Odyssey 39i.