MEET OUR TIER A + B YOUTH SAILORS
HUNTER REINBOLD
Montessori School + Peter Gruber International Academy Class of 2031
Sails: Optimist
“Sailing shows you what you're capable of, train hard because you can only rely on yourself! Sailing may get hard sometimes but, stick with it and you will travel the world!”
Hunter sails at St. Thomas Yacht Club with the Optimist Racing Fleet. He has competed in Optimist Regattas in across the USVI and BVI, Puerto Rico, Florida, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and will travel to Optimist Worlds in Morocco in June 2026. His most recent and largest regatta attended was the 2025 USODA South American Championships in Salinas, Ecuador where he sailed among humpback whales!
KAI REINBOLD
Montessori School + Peter Gruber International Academy Class of 2036
Sails: Optimist
“I love sailing because you get to be out on the water, and I think competing is fun. When I make a mistake, I get to learn what to do next time. ”
Kai sails at St. Thomas Yacht Club, and has recently graduated to Green Fleet. He started racing this year, and really loves it. He’s looking forward to continuing to sail this summer, and in Spain starting this Fall.
FLIP KEMP
Gifft Hill School Class of of 2028
Sails: Optimist
“I love the tacks, jibes and sailing downwind. The fun thing about sailing is that you can control a boat and one of my favorite times of controlling a boat is going downwind.”
MEET OUR TIER C YOUTH SAILORs
ANAIS
CRAIG
Gifft Hill School Class of of 2028
Sails: ILCA 6, ISCA, 420, IC24
“Sailing has taught me that perseverance is the most important thing to succeed, and that you have to learn how to solve your own problems. however, the most important thing is having fun.”
Anais sails with Kids and the Sea (KATS) in Coral Bay. She has sailed locally in the USVI and BVI, as well as traveling to Texas to sail Sunfish/ISCA. In December, she traveled to Ecuador to compete in ISCA Worlds. She loves the thrill of a regatta and feeling competitive and in the zone.
JACKSON ZACHARY
Montessori School + Peter Gruber International Academy Class of 2036
Sails: Optimist
“I love being able to sail to Christmas cove on an Opti.”
AKSEL TARR
Gifft Hill School Class of of 2028
Sails: Optimist
“I love to have the wind blowing on my face and switching from Port side to Starboard side with each tack! Most of all I love sailing with my buddies.”
St. John Yacht Club aims to promote the sport of yachting in the Virgin Islands and to encourage youth sailing here in the Caribbean. Competitive sailing has proven itself to be an incredible springboard for young Virgin Islanders, providing opportunities and experiences for youth sailors to hone their skills, compete nationally and internationally, and offers collegiate-level interest and Olympic opportunities.
St. John Yacht Club awards scholarships annually to local youth sailors to support their endeavors and offset the costs of gear, regatta registration, travel + other costs associated with competitive sailing.
YOUTH SAILING SCHOLARSHIPS
St. John Yacht Club awards up to $10,000 per year in scholarships to St. John youth sailors.
The criteria, submission rules are as follows:
TIER A
STJ Youth Sailor: St. John resident youth sailors who compete at national and international level regattas (minimum of three regattas) will be awarded between $1000-1500
TIER B
STJ Youth Sailor: St. John resident youth sailors who compete at the local level (USVI/BVI/PR) regattas (minimum of two regattas) will be awarded between $500-750
TIER C
STJ Youth Sailor: St. John resident youth sailors who have not yet competed/don’t meet other tier criteria, but are recognized and profiled on the St. John Yacht Club website
Youth sailor or sailor’s immediate family must be members of SJYC.
Eligible sailors are in grade school and high school only. Collegiate sailors are not eligible.
Sailor should complete their own application.
Scholarships will be announced at a summer social.
To qualify for any money, the sailor must have competed in a minimum of 2 regattas annually