MARRIOTT
FRENCHMAN'S REEF INTERNATIONAL MATCH RACE
TO SHOWCASE AMERICA'S CUP TEAMS
AND TOP SAILING TALENT

St. Thomas- November 11, 1997 - With fewer than 24 months to go before racing in the America's Cup begins again, The Marriott Frenchman's Reef International Match Race will provide an intriguing glimpse at a number of the teams which will race in Auckland, New Zealand.  The St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands regatta will be held from December 3-7, and will feature eight teams from around the world in a professional competition with a $20,000 purse at stake.

This will be the first event leading up to the next America's Cup where this many actual syndicates will compete in a match racing regatta.  It will also be the first-ever event in which America's Cup teams are competing in the Caribbean.

The announced America's Cup teams represented by the sailors are from Japan, Italy, France, Switzerland, Great Britain, United States, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Each of the renowned skippers is a veteran of either past America's Cups, Olympic races, the Whitbread Round the World Race, National Championships or all of these prestigious events.  Because of the uniqueness and importance of the Marriott Frenchman's Reef International Match Race, it is expected to attract media attention from around the globe, including a feature on ESPN's "The Road to the America's Cup," scheduled for airing on December 21.

Leading the teams are the following sailors:
· Peter Holmberg, representing the Virgin Islands America's Cup Challenge, is currently ranked number 4 on the Omega World Match Race Rankings and has won four match race events this year, and was a silver medalist in the Finn Class at the 1988 Olympics.

· Chris Law, representing Great Britain, is currently ranked number 6 in the world and is a veteran of four Olympiads and several America's Cup campaigns.

· Rod Davis, representing the Prada Challenge 2000 from Italy, was for many years in the top 10 on the rankings and he has participated in every America's Cup since 1977, most recently as the helmsman of OneAustralia in 1995.

· Dawn Riley, representing the America True Challenge from San Francisco, United States, has sailed on two Whitbread teams and two America's Cup teams, including the 1992 victor America3.

· Dave Dellenbaugh was the starting helmsman for the victorious America3 team in the 1992 America's Cup and served as tactician on the 1995 America3 team.

· Ken Hara, representing the Nippon Challenge from Japan, sailed as crew to win two Congressional Cups, a Merit Cup, and the World Match Race Championships.  He also raced with both of the Nippon Challenges for the America's Cup in 1992 and 1995.

· Jean-Marc Monnard, representing the Swiss Team from Switzerland, was last year's winner of the Omega Achievement Award for the greatest gain in the world match race rankings.

· Luc Pillot, representing the Yaka Challenge from France, is currently ranked number 11 and is a gold medal winner in the 470 Class at the 1988 Olympics.

All races will be held in Charlotte Amalie Harbor using 40-foot J/120 yachts supplied by The Moorings in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.  The match racing format, identical to that used in the America's Cup, pits one boat against another in each race.  Racing in the Marriott Frenchman's Reef International Match Race will begin on Thursday, December 4 and the eight teams will be divided into two groups. 

Each team will compete in two round robins consisting of a total of six races and then the top two teams in each group will advance to the semi-finals, and consolation races to decide fifth through eighth places scheduled for Saturday, December 6.  The finals will be held on Sunday, December 7 and the third and forth places will be determined then as well.

A highlight of the event is the Virgin Islands Youth/Celebrity Regatta to be held on Saturday, following the professional racing.  Young sailors from St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Tortola  and Puerto Rico will compete in a series of fleet races onboard the J/120s with the professional skippers acting as coaches.  Following the day's races, four island celebrities will join the top four youth teams for a fleet race through the harbor.

Co-hosts of the Marriott Frenchman's Reef International Match Race are the Virgin Islands America's Cup Foundation and the St. Thomas Yacht Club.  Steve Morton, a spokesman for the V.I. America's Cup Challenge said: "We're excited about this opportunity to demonstrate to some of the world's best sailors why we think we can provide the world's best sailing conditions.  Once they experience our fresh winds and clear seas, it might soften the blow a little when we bring the America's Cup back here in the year 2000!"  Check
out our web site at http: //sailing.org/vimatchrace/.

Contact: Paul Larsen, Larsen Media Group, 203-975-5255 or
Arlene Martel, VIACC, 340-776-0921.