International
Rolex Regatta - Unusual Weather Makes For Challenging
First Day
ST. THOMAS, USVI (March 26, 2004)--Rain
squalls seemingly disrupted paradise today as
hundreds of sailors on 91 boats started their
three-day competition at the International Rolex
Regatta 2004. In actuality, however, the dramatic
changes in weather merely tested the preparedness
of participants and race committee members, and
both groups were pleased with results at the end
of the day. Hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club
in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the International
Rolex Regatta is celebrating its 31st consecutive
year and is one of the islands' oldest and most
popular regattas, attracting sailors from the
Caribbean, the United States and Europe.
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Photo
courtesy Rolex
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"We
went through all four seasons today," said
local sailor Jennifer Firestone, who skippered
Viola through five races on the IC-24 course.
"It was hot, it was cold, it was windy, it
was dead." After all was said and done, Viola
wound up at the back of the 14-boat fleet in overall
standings, while Robert and Michael Hirst of Roadtown,
Tortola, BVI, co-skippered Seahawk for the best
scoreline to lead. Two perennial local favorites--Chris
Rosenberg and John Holmberg, both of whom have
won this regatta several times in other classes
before switching to the IC-24, sit in third and
fourth, respectively. "The Race Committee
did a great job," said Holmberg. "I
loved the conditions…. These boats are underpowered
so they are a blast in 20 knots, and in light
air you really have to work to keep them moving,
but they are very evenly matched."
On
the other end of the size scale, the Spinnaker
Racing ("Over 50 ft.") Class relished
the go-fast conditions and waited patiently at
times for wind to arise--in particular, during
the two-hour interlude between today's two races.
Tactician Peter Holmberg (brother of John) positioned
Tom Hill's (Puerto Rico) Titan XII perfectly for
two good starts and as many wins. In race one,
the boat hit all the correct shifts and stretched
a lead at the first windward mark before the wind
died and left much of the back of the fleet in
dire straights. Titan, at 75 feet, is the largest
boat in the seven-boat fleet. "Yes we owe
the others time, but we did get pretty far ahead,"
said Holmberg.
"Every
time a squall came through, the wind shifted 40
degrees," said Principal Race Officer Peter
Reggio. "Thankfully, winds in the second
race were more reliable."
Tony
Bessinger (Newport, R.I.), sailing to two victories
aboard Bill Dockser's (Bethesda, Md.) Farr 65
Team Atlantic in Spinnaker Racer/Cruiser Class
1, wasn't bothered at all by the rain that accompanied
the winds. "It's so warm, it's heaven. But
the best part is that no bad stuff happened. We've
been practicing for three days, and everything
came together beautifully. In the second race,
we were going 13 1/2 knots in 26-30 knots of breeze!"
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Photo
courtesy Rolex
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Clearly
the boat to beat in the Beach Cat class, Enrique
Figueroa's MoviStar/Suzuki/Red Bull blasted to
the lead in today's first race and finished second
in race two despite capsizing--an unusual mishap
to have befallen this 2004 Puerto Rican Olympic
Sailing Team member. "You had to make a decision
whether to follow the rain. That was where the
wind was, but I paid the price when I flipped."
Racing
continues through Sunday when Rolex watches will
be awarded to the winners in each class.
Spinnaker
Racing ("Over 50 ft.") (7 boats)
1. Titan XII, Tom Hill, San Juan, PR, 1-1; 2
2. Equation, Bill Alcott, St. Clair Shores, Mich.,
2-4, 6
3. Flirt, Richard Matthews/J. Alvarez, Ipswich,
Suffolk, UK, 4-3, 7
Spinnaker Racing 1(8 boats)
1. Abracadabra, Calos Camacho, Guaynabo, PR, 2-2,
4
2. Cosmic Warlord, Mick Shlens, Palos Verdes Estates,
Calif., 3-1, 4
3. Caccia Alla Volpe, Carlo Falcone, Antigua,
1-4, 5
Spinnaker Racing 2 (15 boats)
1. J-Bird, Dave Janes, Newport Beach, Calif.,
3-1, 4
2. Mistress Quickly, Guy Eldridge, Roadtown, Tortola,
USVI, 1-4, 5
3. Lost Horizon II, James Dobbs, St. Thomas, USVI,
4-2, 6
Spinnaker Racer/Cruiser 1 (9 boats)
1. Team Atlantic, Bill Dockser, Bethesda, Md.,
1-1, 2
2. Pipe Dream, Peter Haycraft, Roadtown, Tortola,
BVI, 2-2, 4
3. Lazy Dog, Sergio Sagramoso, San Juan, PR, 3-3,
6
Spinnaker Racer/Cruiser 2 (7 boats)
1. Dehlerious, Bungie Flynn, Roadtown, Tortola,
BVI, 1-2, 3
2. Trouble, Geoffrey Pidduck, Falmouth, Antigua,
2-1, 3
3. Tempest, John Haracivet, St. Thomas, USVI,
3-3, 6
Non Spinnaker Racing (13 boats)
1. Monhegan, J/44, Norwalk, Conn., 1, 1
2. Affinity, Jack Desmond, Marion, Mass., 2, 2
3. Zing, Chris Thompson, St. Thomas, USVI, J/30,
3, 3
J/24 (6 boats)
1. XX Tu, Juan Jose Mari Agustini, San Juan, PR,
2-1, 3
2. Orion/Coors Light, Fraito Lugo, Ponce, PR,
1-3, 4
3. Urayo, Gilberto Rivera Morales, Guaynabo, PR,
5-2, 7
IC-24 (14 boats)
1. Seahawk, Robert/Michael Hirst, Roadtown, Tortola,
BVI, 2-1-2-8-3; 16
2. Brand New Second Hand, Christopher Curreri,
St. Thomas, USVI, 6-6-1-2-2; 17
3. Old & Gray, Chris Rosenberg, St. Thomas,
USVI, 4-2-4-7-1; 18
Beach Cats (12 boats)
1. Movistar/Suzuki/Red Bull, Enrique Figueroa,
San Juan, PR, 1-2, 3
2. Exodus/Ensysa, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan,
PR, 4-1, 5
3. HF Mortgage Bankers, Ibraim Mustafa, San Juan,
PR, 2-5, 7
Complete results, photos and competitor lists
are online at www.rolexcupregatta.com
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Photo
courtesy Rolex
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Photo
courtesy Rolex
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