An interview with Chris Alexander on the 2025 VX One North American Championship
by David Schmidt 14 Oct 08:00 PDT
October 16-18, 2025
One-Design VX One racing in STIR 2025 © Ingrid Abery /
www.ingridabery.com
If you enjoy fast, high-performance racing but aren't a fan of money changing hands in the pursuit of trophies and dinghy-park bragging rights, the VX One class should be on your radar. The 19-foot sloop carries a lifting keel, a powerful square-top main, a generous retractable sprit pole, and a fractional-rigged headsail and asymmetric kite. The two-to-three-person boat was designed in 2011-2012 by a Brian Bennett, Roger Martin, and Ross Weene, and has been delivering high-level racing since 2012.
Take, for example, this year's VX One North American Championship, which will be hosted by the Gulfport Yacht Club, in Gulfport, Mississippi from October 16-18. The event's eleven scheduled races will unfurl on the waters of the Mississippi Sound, near the GYC, and will feature up to 11 scheduled windward-leeward courses.
All competing skippers must be active members of the VX One Class Association, and all competing sailors must sign a declaration of compliance stipulating that they are not being paid or compensated (directly or indirectly). Moreover, all teams must declare their crew names eight days before racing starts (read: no weather-related crew-weight manipulations).
I checked in with Chris Alexander, who serves as event chair for this year's VX One North American Championship, via email, to learn more about this exciting event.
Can you give us a quick update on the health and status of the VX One class? Also, would you say the class is in a period of growth, stability, or an ebbing tide in terms of participation numbers?
I feel like the class has been doing great—we had better numbers in Miami for the winter series [this year] than the year before. Registration for North Americans this year is down just a couple boats from last year, but last year was in Miami, leading into the winter series, so it was a bit logistically easier for many participants.
New boats are being imported and selling well. We have matured and really built a family of people around what I would consider the best-built and most fun boat to sail in all the land.
What kind of competition levels can one can expect to encounter at this year's VX One North American Championship? Are we talking about Corinthian crews, or professionals?
We have an impressive mix of Corinthian and professionals in the class for North Americans.
No one can be paid in the class [so] they are all Corinthians in my eyes since everyone is there for the love of the sport. The [VX One North American Championships for the] previous four years of have all been won by different teams, and all four will be back this year.
Weather-wise, what kind conditions can sailors expect to encounter on Mississippi Sound's waters in mid October? What are the best-case and worst-case wind scenarios?
Best case would probably be a few days before a frontal system that sucks in a nice southerly breeze off the Gulf of America.
Worst case, a cold front rolls through and it's dead on the back side. [Previous] regattas that we have hosted [around] this time of year typically get full sailing and a mix of conditions.
Do you see local knowledge playing a big or small role in the regatta's outcome? Can you please explain?
As a local, there really isn't much knowledge to be had. It's a nice flat coastline with a fair amount of fetch if [it's blowing] from the south.
I can remember sailing the VX One North Americans here ten years ago and in one race I was really excited to get a five-degree lift.
Then it could also be coming off the land with your typical oscillating phases rolling through.
If you could offer one piece of advice to visiting (and local) sailors, what would it be?
Enjoy the food and a little slower pace of life!
Do you have any entries that you're eyeing for podium finishes? What about any dark horses who you think could prove to be fast, once the starting guns begin sounding?
It could be a toss-up or a parade of likely suspects!
I would expect to see previous winners Trevor Parekh, Geoff Moore, and Doug Clark all fighting hard.
For the dark horses I'd have to slide a few chips on Reed Baldridge, Charlie Welsh, and Paul Kleinschrodt. But most importantly, I'll be betting on myself!
What kind of evening entertainment do you and the other event organizers have planned?
We've got a 100 pounds of shrimp on the way and we will be doing a Cajun-style shrimp boil with all the fixin's.