Beautiful weather, friendly people, amazing turquoise colored beaches, cool local festivals, delicious food and so much more. This is a sampling of what you will experience when you visit St. Croix, USVI, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the beautiful island of St. Croix last weekend.
As an athlete and beach lover, visiting St. Croix during the month of December is truly a treat especially with 30 and 40-degree weather at home. During the month of December, I was able to train outdoors in 70 and 80-degree weather on the rolling hills of The Buccaneer Resort while experiencing the Beauty & The Beast Triathlon, nicknamed the “race to rebuild,” the event focused around community support and the island’s recovery after Hurricane Maria passed over it in September 2017. This year’s race was headed by VI TRI, a nonprofit organization, who aimed to raise funds for three local nonprofits, all of whom lost their homes after the September storm.
This year’s half-distance course winner was St. Croix resident Stephen Swanton (5:17:46), followed by Travis Montgomery (5:50:36) in second place and Wayne Nichols (6:00:19) in third place.
The first-place woman in the half-distance course was Julie Sommer (6:02:18), with Esther Ellis (6:06:11) in second and Megan Lambert (6:30:57) in third.
Team Annaly Insurance, composed of Brent Mays, Scott Marusa and Billy Bohlke, took first in the Half-Distance Relay.
The Sprint Course was won by Dominic Pugliese (1:10:25) who recently represented the US Virgin Islands in the 2018 Junior Olympic Games followed by Dedrick Luikens (1:10:35), then Mason Lambert (1:14:07), the youngest competitor in the race. Team VING4, made up of Donna Prock, Garfield Ferdinand and Carl Christopher, placed first in the Sprint Relay. This year’s race debuted a sprint aquathlon with Savannah Logan (0:52:24) placing first, followed by Colleen Cooke (0:53:54), then Kyle Suddarth (0:56:58).
At the awards banquet, Race Director, Theresa Harper, announced that the race raised $30,000 to distribute to My Brother’s Table, the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center and the Caribbean Centers for the Boys and Girls of the Virgin Islands. Winners were awarded at the banquet with handcrafted jewelry from local jewelry stores Crucian Gold and iB Designs.
The race committee will continue their focus on community support with three new local nonprofit beneficiaries announced early next year. This year’s race could not have been possible without the support of the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism (USVI) and many other supporters and sponsors. VI TRI looks forward to continuing the triathlon legacy in America’s Paradise with the 2019 Beauty & The Beast race set for December 8, 2019.
This press trip was special for me because I was invited last year by the United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism to take a historical journey on St. Thomas and St. John for the Territory’s Centennial commemoration – marking 100 years since the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark to the United States. I was all set to cover the commemoration for Pathfinders Travel magazine but the trip was canceled because the Virgin Islands was impacted last year by two category 5 hurricanes, Hurricane Irma and Maria.
This year I was invited to St. Croix, along with two fellow journalists, Rachel Morris, health and fitness writer, and Hilary Topper, A Triathletes Diary. We were invited to cover the Beauty & The Beast Triathlon. In addition to covering the 30th year celebration of the Triathlon, we had the opportunity to explore the island of St. Croix and see the destination’s recovery since last year’s storms.
I’m happy to share that the recovery efforts are underway and the island of St. Croix is really nice and very welcoming to tourists. So if you are looking to experience a tranquil tropical destination look no further, St. Croix has something for everyone. Whether you are a solo traveler or if you are traveling with your family you are sure to have a great visit.
During our visit, we did an awesome food tour, the Taste of Twin City Food Tour, definitely a great way to experience the heart and soul of St. Croix – its food while strolling the cobblestoned streets of downtown Christiansted. We went swimming at Buck Island and snorkeling at Buck Reef, a must visit in St. Croix.
We spent the afternoon with friendly locals at the 3rd Annual Crucian Coconut Festival and enjoyed coconut water and food and drinks prepared by coconuts. We enjoyed fine dining on the island at restaurants such as Galangal and Savant.
Upon arrival on the island, I had a yummy lunch at La Reine Chicken Shack. La Reine is home to some of the most authentic, crucian cuisine on the island. And one of our tastiest meals we enjoyed was from Corine’s Food Truck, a local favorite, a must stop during your tour of the island. Along with the authentic island food, my sorority sister, Eunice Bedminster, a native of St. Croix who I met at Delaware State University gave us flavorful tarts, an island favorite.
Inspired by the athletes and the beauty of the island, I am already looking forward to visiting again next year and participating in the sprint relay of the Beauty & The Beast Triathlon.
RunPRDawn 