"We need to raise $2.5 million by January 31 to meet the demands of the program we've developed to capture the America's Cup," said Steve Morton, Vice President of Operations.  "That money will allow us to post the quarter-million dollar Performance Bond all challengers must put up on January 31, to compete in the Mini-America's Cup next April in New Zealand to which we've been invited, and to complete the necessary design tests and modeling before we build the fastest boat in the world 12 months from now."

Can they do it?  History may provide the answer.  First was the idea that the smallest nation ever to challenge for sport's oldest trophy might actually form a team and announce its intentions.  "Impossible" said the skeptics.  Announcement made and challenge accepted.  Next came the need to buy an existing International America's Cup Class (IACC) boat on which to train.  "Never happen," was the cry of the nay-sayers.  Purchase price raised and boat bought.

Then the goal was to sign one of the world's leading designers.  "You'll never do it," opined the cynics.  David Pedrick, designer of two yachts which won the America's Cup, came on board. Perhaps the loftiest goal was the necessity of raising $2 million to begin the complex operations needed to be successful.  "Truly impossible," voiced the non-believers.  Money raised locally in 30 days.

Most recently the idea was to organize an international match race with the world's best America's Cup sailors competing on the waterfront of Charlotte Amalie Harbor.  "Can't find sponsors and the sailors won't come," said the ever-decreasing band of doubters.  Sponsors found, America's Cup teams competed, international recognition received.

So with the success of the Marriott Frenchman's Reef International Match Race still fresh in the minds of potential donors and sponsors, VIACC officials are hitting the money trail immediately.  "We want to capitalize on the momentum the match race produced," says Morton.  "We said that we can run a world-class event and we did just that.  The spotlight was focused on us and we gained a lot of believers.  People are now saying, ‘you know, these guys are for real.'  Well, we are for real and we can win the America's Cup, but now is the time when that event is won or lost on land.  It's a money game until your boat is on the water racing in Auckland Harbor, and we need to win that game now.  Corporate sponsors are negotiating with the challenge now, but their dollars will not be received until mid-1998.  We can not allow their delay to impact our chances of winning."