Light start to Rolex regatta

Inaugural Governor's Race cancelled at International Rolex Regatta in St Thomas

Although dozens of boats awaited a starting gun today, the wind Gods in the Caribbean refused to cooperate, and the inaugural USVI Governor's Race had to be cancelled. The show will go on tomorrow, however, when the Governor's trophies are awarded to the winners of the official first race in the three-day International Rolex Regatta.

Hosted by St. Thomas Yacht Club and 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 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.

Sorted from the 78 boats signed up for the regatta, 12 racing classes will yield 12 individual winners, who will receive Rolex watches on Sunday for their efforts. 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 Andrews70) 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, Mich., won his class last year at the regatta with this boat. "I got lucky," said the defending champion. "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% more sail area than I do, so I know what I'm up against."

The forecast is for light air over the next three days, which may prove challenging for the event's new Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio. "We'll deal with it as we have to," said Reggio. For most of the racers, optimism prevails, as only two other individual races in the history of the event have had to be cancelled due to light air.

Entry list

Racing Over 50 Ft. Class (3 boats)
DONNYBROOK, Custom 73, James Muldoon, Washington, D.C.
EQUATION, Santa Cruz 68, Bill Alcott, St. Claire Shores, Mich.
TITAN XI, Andrews 70, Tom Hill, San Juan, P.R.

Spinnaker Racing Class 1 (7 boats)
WILD THING, Kiwi 35, David Baird/Boyo Sprehn, St. Thomas, USVI
PAYMENT ZONE, Henderson 30, Karen Van Haren, Curacao, AHO
MERMAID II, Custom 40, Bill Berardelli, Bluebell, Pa./Tortola, BVI
RED FEVER, Mumm 30, Gilberto Lopez, P.R.
SOCA, Henderson 30, Louis Juarbe, P.R.
TWISTED LIZARD, Mumm 30, Mike Lathrope, Naperville, Ill./St. Thomas, USVI
CACCIA ALLA VOLPE, Vallicelli 44, Carlo Falcone, Antigua

Spinnaker Racing Class 2 (7 boats)
UNCLE SAM, Beneteau 10, Sam Lang, St. Thomas, USVI
RHUMB SQUALL, Thomas Mullen, Campton, N.H.
RUSHIN ROWLETTE, Olsen 30, Kevin Rowlette, BVI
KOSALOKA, Olson 30, Kike Gonzalez, P.R.
LOST HORIZON II, Olson 30, James Dobbs, Antigua
GUILT TRIPP, Tripp 26, R. Martinez, P.R.
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, J/27, John Foster, St. Thomas, USVI

Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 1 (7 boats)
SPIRIT OF ISIS, Farr 65, Harry Spedding, U.K.
DON Q RUM, J/120, Michael Serralles, San Juan, P.R.
PIPE DREAM, Sirena 38, Peter Haycraft, Tortola, BVI
DIADEM STAR, Beneteau First, David Cook, Caracas, Venezuela
HULLABULLOO, Beneteau First, Phillip Allen, Southampton, U.K.
MATADOR, J/29, John Keniley, St. Thomas, USVI
SWEETNESS, J/29, Peter Clark, St. Thomas, USVI

Spinnaker Racer Cruiser Class 2 (6 boats)
TEMPEST, Beneteau First, JohnHaracivet, St. Thomas, USVI
ARAWA, Columbia 50, Douglas DeCluitt, St. Croix, USVI
COLD BEER 3, Tartan 10, John Schultheiss, Tortola, BVI
J.DOE, J/30, Cynthia Ross, St. Thomas, USVI
DISCO INFERNO, Sigma 33, Matt Abbiss, Herts, U.K.
RUNAWAY, E/24, Bruce Pettie, Glasgow, Scotland

IC-24 Class (10 boats)
BOAT DRINKS, IC-24, Bill Canfield/Ed Drury, St. Thomas, USVI
GREEN BOAT, IC-24, Carlos Aquilar, St. Thomas, USVI
WASN'T ME, Nick Bailey/Emily Newbold, St. Thomas, USVI
MODERATION, Sandy Sutherland, St. Thomas, USVI
NO EXPECTATIONS, John Amerling/Geoffrey Miles, St. Thomas, USVI
NO-SEA-UM, Cy Thompson/Lyn Reid/Tammy Waters, St. Thomas, USVI
OLD & GRAY, Chris Rosenberg, St. Thomas, USVI
RED DOG, IC-24, Mike Williams/Skip King/Jessica Rosenberg, St. Thomas, USVI
STINGER, Dick Johnson, St. Thomas, USVI
VOILA, Tracy Roberts/Anthony Kotoun, St. Thomas, USVI/Newport, R.I.

Melges 24-J/80 Class (7 boats)
2 CONTACT CARIB, Melges 24, Fritz Bus, St. Maarten, AHO
DON Q LIMON, Melges 24, Enrique Torruella, San Juan, P.R.
ORION, J/24, Efrain Lugo, Ponce, P.R.
EX MERO MOTU, J/80, Antonio Mari Jr., San Juan, P.R.
ABRACADABRA, J/80, Carlos Camacho, P.R.
NIGHT MARE, J/80, Rafael Calderon, P.R.
SUN BUM II, J/80, Angel Ayala, Carolina, P.R.

J/24 Class (7 boats)
BANCO POPULAR, J/24, Jorge Santiago Ramos, P.R.
CORA 2002, J/24, John Bishop/Carlos Stov, St. Croix, USVI
DON Q CRISTAL, Michael Serralles, P.R.
JERSEY DEVIL, J/24, Scott/Peter Stanton, St. Croix, USVI
KQ-LO, J/24, Jose M. Fullana, San Juan, P.R.
EL SHADDAI II, J/24, Jeff Fangman, St. Croix, USVI
BARCCARDIO/URAYO, Gilberto Rivera, P.R.

Beach Cats Class 1 (10 boats)
EXODUS-SAMBIAGO, Hobie 16, Enrique Figueroa, P.R.
FITNESS WAREHOUSE, Hobie 16, Carlos Gonzales, San Juan, PR
FLYWIND, Hobie 16, Alfredo Figueroa/Francisco Figueroa
INABON, Hobie 16, Alfredo Figueroa, P.R.
Yuisa, Hobie 16, Rosarito Martinez, P.R.
HF MORTGAGE, Hobie 16, Ibrahim Mustafd, P.R.
BLAME IT ON RHEA, Prindle 19, Mark Chong, St. Thomas, USVI
W.A.R.'s BOYS, Prindle 19, Eric Johnson/Tim Dutton, St. Thomas, USVI
SSSCAT, Nacra Cat, Brian Ostrander, St. Thomas, USVI
CATITUDE, Prindle 19, Lourilynn Throgmorton, St. Thomas, USVI

Beach Cats Class 2 (6 boats)
RUSH, Prindle 19 MX, Bruce Merced, St. Thomas, USVI
RED HOOK AGENCIES, Inter 20, John Holmberg, St. Thomas, USVI
OCEAN SPRAY, Inter 20, Kevin Raymond, St. Thomas, USVI
TEAM CARIBBEAN, Inter 20, Thomas Ainger, St. Thomas, USVI
CENTURY 21, Tornado, Terry Jackson, St. Thomas, USVI
SUZUKI TORNADO, Tornado 20, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan, P.R.

Non Spinnaker Racing Class (3 boats)
WILDFLOWER, Ron Noonan, Marion, Mass./Tortola, BVI
JECY, Oceanis 461, Emanuel Giancomelli/Stefano Spangaro, Rimini, Italy
ATN, J/27, Marcus Compton, St. Thomas, USVI

Fun Class - Jib & Main (no pole) (5 boats)
SOLMATE, Pearson 36, William Strandhagen, St. Augustine, Fla.
WINDS GLORY, Cal 30, Paul Davis, St. Thomas, USVI
FAR CRY, Bombay Clipper, Herve Chassin, St. Thomas, USVI
WINDFLOWER, Alberg 35, Stan Joines, St. Croix, USVI
NEMESIS, Hunter 42, Edwin Cruz, Fajardo, P.R.