2025 VX One Caribbean Cup Set to Return at STIR and BVI Spring Regatta
Introduction to the 2025 VX One Caribbean Cup
August 19, 2024 (U.S. and British Virgin Islands) – One of the hottest one-design sport boat classes returns to the Caribbean for the peak of the region’s race season in the spring of 2025. Organizers of the St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR) and BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival (BVISR) are pleased to announce their partnership with VX One to host the second VX One Caribbean Cup. The Cup allows racers to compete in a VX One one-design class in two of the Caribbean’s top regattas, held back-to-back – STIR (March 28-30, 2025) and BVISR (April 4-6, 2025).
Exciting Participation and Expectations
Nearly 12 boats from the VX One North American class association have already committed to participating, and the class expects at least 18 total or more to race.
“The St. Thomas Yacht Club is happy to warmly welcome the VX One class to race in our fun-filled St. Thomas International Regatta, where there’s hot racing by day and a cool island vibe in the evening. We invite all VX One sailors to come race and play and see why we say, ‘We love it here!’” says Pat Bailey, co-director with Greer Scholes of STIR 2025, hosted at the St. Thomas Yacht Club.
Chris Haycraft, chairman of the BVISR, hosted at the Nanny Cay Resort & Marina on Tortola, remarks, “We are thrilled to invite the VX One Class racers back to the BVI Spring Regatta where the tight fun racing is perfect for this high-performance, competitive group of sailors. We look forward to welcoming old and new friends back to the BVI to enjoy fierce and fun racing by day and camaraderie in the village every evening.”
A Bucket List Opportunity for Sailors
Over 400 VX One’s – 19-foot-long, strict one-design keelboats sailed by two to three crew with an optimum weight range of 380 to 550 pounds – have been built since 2012. National class associations are now in Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA. In the North American fleet alone, multiple former Olympians, America’s Cup participants, and pro sailors choose to race the VX One for fun with family and friends, as the fleet is 100% unpaid.
“Regret is a scary thing, that’s why you should do this event if you can,” says Rodrigo ‘Rod’ Favela, from Dallas, TX, who races his VX One Chignon, and is one of the almost dozen teams registered to race in the 2025 VX One Caribbean Cup. “I’ve helped coach at NorthU Clinics in St. Thomas, sailed the one-design IC24s at STIR, and the Virgin Islands are one of the best places in the world to sail.”
Reflecting on the 2016 Inaugural VX One Caribbean Cup
In 2016, 11 USVI, U.S., Canadian, and Australian teams competed in the inaugural VX One Caribbean Cup. The USVI’s Tim Pitts’s Cruzan Rhode topped the class at STIR, and the USA’s Jeff Eiber’s This Side Down won both the BVISR and the Cup overall. As in 2016, each regatta in the 2025 VX One Caribbean Cup will be scored separately, and winners will be awarded. A perpetual trophy will be presented at the BVISR awards ceremony to the overall champion of both events.
“The highlight of the week in 2016 for me was racing over to Willie T’s rum barge. Meeting the Australian VX’ers too. I didn’t know it then, but it was a bucket list regatta!” says Eibers.
Register Now for the 2025 VX One Caribbean Cup
Up to six VX One boats can fit in one container, making transporting the boat from Florida to the Virgin Islands and back relatively inexpensive, according to Pitts, a native of the USVI and former VX One North American Class vice president, who is heading up registration and logistics for the 2025 VX One Caribbean Cup. “We are looking at a target price of $3200 for turnkey boat transport registrations and loading and unloading. From there, your team pays for airfare and accommodations, but we are working on special rates with bareboat charter boats, hotels, and condos.”
Teams must submit a deposit by September 10, 2024, to guarantee a spot in the first two containers.
Join the Conversation
Join the conversation on the 2025 VX One Caribbean Cup’s Facebook Group. Or for more information, contact Tim Pitts at +1 (401) 419-9010 or Email: pitts.timothy@gmail.com
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