St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Five teams representing the U.S. Virgin Islands hospitality and tourism industry competed in the 7th Annual Hotel & Tourism Association Regatta on Saturday, May 9, hosted by the St. Thomas Sailing Center (STSC) at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC). Racing aboard the Center’s one-design IC24s, teams completed a series of competitive races that highlighted teamwork, communication, and sailing’s role in the territory’s marine tourism product. Coral World’s all-women team earned first place with 5 points, followed by one of Margaritaville’s teams in second with 13 points, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism team in third with 16 points.

Winners Named

Coral World’s all-women team of Erin Moran, Eryca Hassing, and Sam Shively, racing aboard Desperado, earned the regatta win after a half day of close competition.

“Winning is, of course, what we liked best,” says Moran. “There was so much interest among the employees that we were able to enter two teams. We’re all passionate about the water, so we all jumped at the opportunity. Today, it was fun to come together as a team, to work together even though we all had different levels of sailing experience, and ultimately have fun.”

The Margaritaville team of Mahlon Monsanto, Alique Briggs, Augustine Schneider, and K’Quadeem Christopher, racing aboard Voila, improved on their second year in the event with a runner-up finish.

“We were trying to get first place,” says Monsanto. “Even though we finished second, we had a lot of good teamwork.

Representing the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism for the second consecutive year, Alani Hennaman-Todman, Ian Turnbull, Wilbert Smith, and Tanya Duran raced aboard One Love and successfully defended their third-place finish.

“We love sailing!” says Henneman-Todman. “The marine industry is an important part of our tourism product. It’s always good to enjoy spending time with other members of our industry. Overall, it was a beautiful day, true Emeralds of the Sea like no other.”

Coral World’s second team, racing aboard Stinger, finished fourth with 19 points, while Margaritaville’s second entry on Roundabout placed fifth with 22 points.

STYC members Amanda Attandi, Chuck Pessler, Rian Bareuther, Sam Martin, and Andy Johnson served as on-board team coaches.

Team Building in a Tourism Paradise

The morning’s racing delivered ideal Caribbean conditions, with 12 to 15 knots of breeze powering three round-the-buoy races off St. Thomas’ east end. Teams showed rapid improvement with each start, evolving from a spread-out fleet in the opening race to a much tighter and more competitive group by race three. The double-points final race sent crews on a clockwise circumnavigation of Great St. James, where teams tackled rolling seas along the island’s north shore before making tactical decisions to navigate the swift currents on the south side.

“Few activities build teamwork quite like sailboat racing,” says Bobby Brooks, director of the St. Thomas Sailing Center. “Success on the racecourse depends on communication, trust, and every crew member working together toward the same goal. It was rewarding to watch the teams grow more connected and confident throughout the event while also having a fantastic time on the water. Congratulations to all the competitors for their strong performance and great spirit.”

Before the regatta, each team received a three-hour coaching session at the St. Thomas Sailing Center with Bobby Brooks and Hailey Hathaway, gaining valuable practice time along with racing techniques and strategy.

The 8th Annual Hotel and Tourism Association Regatta will take place in May 2027.

Special thanks go to the USVIHTA’s President, Lisa Hamilton, and Public Relations, Laurel Kaufmann; the USVI Department of Tourism’s Alani Henneman-Todman; Kalina Kennedy of Margaritaville; Neil and Trudy Prior of Coral World; STYC staff Lori Vaughn and Rebecca Carroll; and STYC volunteer Michael Connor.

About the St. Thomas Sailing Center

The STSC offers several sailing courses, from a 3-hour Intro to Hobie instruction that lets students, even those who have never sailed before, safely skipper a 16-foot Hobie Wave catamaran to an intensive 7-day Bareboat Certification course that enables students to bareboat charter a sailboat in places like the Virgin Islands. Other courses include Discover Sailing, 3 hours of instruction to learn the fundamentals of sailing, such as points of sail, sail trim, and boat parts; Learn to Sail; Performance Sailing, which covers skills for both cruising and racing; and Cruising Course, 4 days of practical liveaboard instruction. Private lessons are also available aboard the STSC’s luxury Hanse 38-foot cruising boat. Half-day, full-day, and weeklong team-building courses are also available. All major courses include a Blue Water Membership ​in the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC) for 30 days, where you can enjoy all the amenities the club offers: bar, restaurant, tennis and squash courts, beach, and more. In addition, STSC provides an after-school program on Wednesdays to public school students, ages 8 to 16, who have participated in the annual VIPCA summer camp programs at the STYC.

For more information, call (340) 690-3681, Email: director@stthomassailingcenter.com, or visit: stthomassailingcenter.com