Oct. 15, 2005 — The St. Croix Yacht Club will launch the return of the CORT series of races next year with its 13th Annual International Regatta, scheduled for Presidents Weekend, Feb. 18 – 20, 2006.
CORT is the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle series, last held in 2003, that now will include, in addition to St. Croix, the Culebra, Puerto Rico International Regatta March 17 – 19 and the British Virgin Islands Spring Regatta March 31 – April 2.
"We're excited about the reactivation of the CORT series, and about being the first Regatta," says Julie San Martin, director of the St. Croix event.
Sailors may participate in the three-race series by paying an entry fee of $50 (in addition to fees charged for the individual races) by Feb. 17 during registration for the St. Croix race. CORT prizes will be awarded at the end of the BVI Spring Regatta in Tortola on April 2.
The St. Croix International race committee kicks off the weekend with a Cruzan Rum welcome party on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m., featuring the Xpress Band. Other live entertainment is planned throughout the weekend. Innovative Communications Corporation has committed primary sponsorship once again this year for the adult race, and Cruzan Rum provides plenty of its product for the opening party, captains' bags, and winning skipper.
A separate Valentine Optimist Regatta for young people under age 16 is expected to attract more than 20 junior sailors from the region again, in its 3rd year. Optimist Regatta Director Karen Stanton advises that the race will be a qualifying event for the 2006 Optimist Worlds to be held in Uruguay.
"Racing for the Optis will be held out in Teague Bay with the same format as last year," says Stanton, who includes shore side events for kids and their parents such as taco and pizza parties at local restaurants. This year, for the first time, winning junior sailors will hop on the club's huge scale and be weighed in as adult skippers are—though the prizes will be cases of PowerAde, not Cruzan Rum, during the Opti awards ceremony Sunday afternoon.
St. Croix's regatta kicks off the series at the height of the winter Caribbean season, and San Martin suggests early reservations for hotels and rental cars, with resources posted on the club's web site.
All sailors are welcome, and Yacht Club membership is not a requirement for participation. A Notice of Race is now posted with registration forms: "www.stcroixyc.com").