HIGH SPIRITS, QUIRKY WINDS FOR LASER REGATTA
by Carol M. Bareuther
January 6, 2002

©Dean Barnes

From L-R: Regatta Director - Verian Aguilar, Regatta sailor - Meaghan Firestone, Bellows International Marketing - Amy Heikkila.

Rounding the leeward pin in first place, St. Thomas's Christine Thompson knew close competitor Sarah Swan was tight on her heels. "I had to cover her all the way up to the finish," Thompson would say afterward of the St. John teen-ager. Across Cowpet Bay on St. Thomas's East End, five-time Rolex Yachtswomanof the Year and guest regatta coach Betsy Alison watched the action intently from the spectator boat. "Tack, tack, tack ... now!" Alison said aloud to herself. But, blocked by Thompson, Swan overshot the tack for the layline to the finish, thus allowing the St. Thomas sailor to win the last race of the Veuve Clicquot Women's Laser Regatta. However, that wasn't the end of the story. As was the case for many other positions fought for in this highly competitive regatta, Swan ultimately triumphed in a three-level-deep tiebreaker that won her first place in the Radial Laser Singles.

Postponed from November in part because of conflict over the minimum age of competitors, the Jan. 4 - 6 regatta attracted 25 teen-agers and women representing St. Thomas and St. John. "We have a good turnout considering the hasty change," regatta director Verian Aguilar said. "It's great to see all the college kids home from school and able to compete."

Conditions that ranged from dead calm to a fierce bluster across the windward-leeward courses proved challenging as the sailors competed in four classes: Standard Laser Singles, Radial Laser Singles, Senior Doubles and Junior Doubles. Yet, the caliber of competition was evident from the small number of "turtled," or flipped, boats, despite a stiff wind, tandem sailing upwind and downwind, near bumper-car starts, tight-packed mark roundings, and successive finishes that were sometimes so fast it was hard to see who was in first.

Some of the keenest competition of the eight-race series came in the Standard Laser Singles, won via a tiebreaker by St. Thomas's Meaghan Firestone. "I haven't been on a Laser for two years, but I think three semesters of sailing on the College of Charleston's team really helped me," said Firestone, a December graduate with a business administration and hospitality degree. She and fellow St. Thomas sailor Kelly O'Brien finished with 14 points for the event. Both also had the same number of first-place finishes; however, Firestone had a greater number of seconds, which earned her the win.

Likewise in the Radial Laser Singles, both Swan and Thompson scored 15 points and had a like number of first-place finishes. Swan's two second-place finishes gave the St. John teen-ager the win over Thompson. The dynamic duo of O'Brien and Meaghan Firestone won the Senior Doubles on yet another tie-breaker. This time they and the team of St. Thomas's Ashley Clark and Jennifer Firestone both scored 11 points, but the Clark-Firestone duo had fewer first-place finishes.

In the Junior Doubles, O'Brien and St. Thomas's Lauren Probyn handily won two points ahead of St. Thomas's Sophie Newbold and Aguilar.

Watching the race action from on shore, Dee Spear, one of the originators of the event some 16 years ago, confided that the older she grew, the smaller the Lasers appeared. "We began the event when all the guys started sailing Lasers and we girls wanted to have our fun, too," Spear recalled. "This is heartwarming to see. Girls that were only babies when we started are now out sailing, and those that were young girls are now grown women with daughters of their own." From that first regatta, sailed on Mother's Day in 1986, flowers and champagne have always been a part of the event, Spear noted. Veuve Clicquot Champagne and Evian water, both distributed by Bellows International, are long-time sponsors of the event. During the awards ceremony, Alison summarized the spirit of the event: "It's so nice to see such a positive atmosphere and all the encouragement," she said. "It's exciting to be a part of it. There's a sense of camaraderie that's unique at an event like this, and a great chance to learn, as well as experience a sense of recreation and positive physical challenge. It's a win-win situation."

See the Results page for the final standings .........

Dear Members of the St. Thomas Yacht Club and the Sailing Community:

I have today postponed the 15th Annual Veuve Cliquot Women’s Regatta until early January due to a lack of entrants at this time. Summer Westman and Louri Lynn Throgmorton have scheduling conflicts that will prevent them from chairing the postponed event. However, Verian Aguillar has graciously consented to step in and direct the event.

The issue of an appropriate age limit will be raised again at the November 20th meeting of the Board of Governors and I shall again strongly recommend to the Board that the age limit be 15. The revised Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions will be published shortly.

We regret any inconvenience this postponement may have caused our entrants, volunteers and generous sponsors and it is our sincere wish that you participate in the delayed Regatta.

Sincerely,
Philip H. Brady
Commodore, St. Thomas Yacht Club

It is time to gear up for the 15th Annual Veuve Clicquot Women’s Regatta. The Regatta Committee is already hard at work planning an exciting, fun-filled event. This year, we are making some terrific changes, such as adding classes to the Regatta in an effort to get more competitors on the water! In addition to Lasers, we plan to be racing lateen-rigged sailboats, such as Sunfish and Aqua Fins, (for Bronze class), and Wayfarers (2-person, privately owned boats). Prizes will be awarded to the top three competitors in all classes. Additionally, to help us party just right, Dick Solberg (the Fiddler) and the Sun Mountain Band will be at the St. Thomas Yacht Club all weekend.

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An important change, and one that we are most proud of, is that beginning this year the Veuve Clicquot Women’s Regatta will be a fund-raising event for the Women’s Coalition.

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New Regatta Details are below, so read carefully!

First, we believe we have begged and borrowed enough lateen-rigged sailboats (Sunfish and Aqua Fins) and Lasers so that each participant can sail the same boat for the whole weekend. Class ranking (Bronze, Silver, or Gold) will be determined by a series of qualifying races to be held Friday morning. Scores from those qualifying races will determine your class; the number of boats we have will determine what you sail (lateen-rig or Laser). The sailor with the highest rank will choose her boat first, the second highest rank will choose second, and so forth. Those of you who bring your own boat* will, of course, race your own boat in the Regatta. If you are willing to share your private boat should it be needed for round-robin racing, please indicate so on your Registration Form.

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Second, if we have enough interested boat owners, we hope to add Wayfarers as a one-design class to the Regatta. A captain and the female crew of her choice will race the same boat all weekend. A special “crew only” entry fee is available for sailors who are crew on Lasers and Wayfarers. If notified in advance, we can add a class, such as 420’s, to this Regatta. If you want to add a class, call Andy Heath at 777-1424, to make arrangements. For the purposes of this Regatta, four (4) one-design boats will constitute a class.

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Third, STYC will have delicious dinners (the price of which are included in your entry fee) available on Friday and Saturday evenings. Dick Solberg and the Sun Mountain Band will entertain us on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. We will, of course, have drink specials available.

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Finally, the 15th Annual Veuve Clicquot Women’s Regatta will be helping to raise funds for the Women’s Coalition. A portion of the Regatta profits will be donated to this organization. The Women's Coalition provides the Virgin Islands with crisis intervention services, victim advocates, a shelter for battered women and their children, parenting skills workshops, violence and sexual abuse prevention workshops and much more.

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*If you want to bring your own boat to the Regatta, please contact Andy Heath at 777-1424. He has arranged for discounted round-trip transport of borrowed boats from Virgin Gorda, Tortola, St. Croix, and St. John. Andy can try to arrange to have your boat transported with the borrowed ones, giving you a break on the shipping cost. The cost for transporting your Laser or lateen-rigged boat is as follows:

From V. Gorda: $50 From St. Croix: $40 From Tortola: $35 From St. John:$20

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Betsy Alison will be returning this year to offer us the benefit of her experience in the form of pre-race talks, on-the-water race critiques, and question-and-answer sessions. As you may remember, Betsy is a Five-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, former World Women’s Laser Champion and is presently 4th ranked in the Women’s Match Racing Circuit. Betsy was a tremendous asset last year and we look forward to seeing her again.

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Don Makowiecki, US Sailing Senior Judge and US Sailing Umpire, will also be with us again this year. In addition to being a patient teacher and an all around great guy, Don has this year been nominated by US Sailing as an International Judge. An accomplished sailor as well as judge, Don won the International Twelve Meter Worlds in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, which was held last month. Congratulations, Don! We can’t wait to hear all about the race.

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So, dig out your life jacket and whistle, dust off your dancing shoes, get your crew together and note the following dates and events on your calendar:

Friday, November 9
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Early registration, last chance for $15 discount!

Thursday, November 15
4:30 - 5:30PM
Practice race - open to all competitors
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Welcoming party, Check-In, and Final Registration
Mystery Gift Fund Raiser
Cocktail Party with good food, Live music by the Sun Mountain Band!

Friday, November 16
7:00 – 8:30 AM
Breakfast at STYC
9:00 – Noon
Qualifying races and seminars (1st gun at 9:00 AM)
Noon – 1:00 PM
Box lunch at STYC, Question & Answer Session
1:30 – 4:00 PM
Racing
6:00 – 10:00 PM
Italian Dinner, Live music by the Sun Mountain Band!

Saturday, November 17
7:00 – 8:30 AM
Breakfast at STYC
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Racing (1st gun at 9:00 AM)
1:00 PM – ?
Box lunch at STYC, Question & Answer Session
6:00 – 10:00 PM
BBQ Dinner, Live music by the Sun Mountain Band!

Sunday, November 18
7:00 – 8:30 AM
Breakfast at STYC
9:00 – Noon
Racing (1st gun at 9:00 AM)
2:00 PM
Awards Luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas

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Click on the Registration Form link and sign up for the Women’s Regatta before November 9, 2001 to receive a $15.00 discount! Please complete the Registration Form and mail it with your check (made out to St. Thomas Yacht Club) just as soon as you can. If you have any questions with regard to the new Regatta format, please contact one of the Women’s Regatta Co-Directors, Louri Lynn Throgmorton or J.Summer Westman (listed at the bottom of this page).