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 News from Around Banderas Bay | March 2006 
Vallarta Race Proves to Be 1,000 Nautical Miles of Fun
 Catherine French - thelog.com
| | Blaze of Glory - Blue Blazes, along with skipper Dennis Pennell (third from left) and crew, took first in the Americap Division of the Vallarta Race. The sailors clocked in at Puerto Vallarta just behind first place overall winner, Iataia. (Jeff Johnson) |
There were plenty of ups and downs, but racers enjoyed the lighthearted event.
San Diego - In 1953, San Diego Yacht Club began hosting international races that start in the waters just off Point Loma and finish in various ports in Mexico.
This year, 15 boats entered the Vallarta Race with the first boat starting February 21 and the last boats February 24.
"Competing yachts sailed 1,000 nautical miles to the finish line, located off Punta Mita, on the north end of Banderas Bay," said Jeff Johnson, San Diego YC regatta director. "From the finish, the entrance to Nuevo Vallarta Harbor is another 14 nautical miles southeast."
Entrants competed in one of three racing divisions under the Americap II Ratings system or in two Performance Cruising Divisions using PHRF ratings.
"In this type of racing, performance cruising boats are allowed to use their engines to motor through the light air patches - for a time penalty," Johnson said.
Iataia, a Beneteau 36.7 with Marcos Rodriguez and crew from Acapulco Yacht Club, started the race alone in the Perform-ance Cruising B class February 21.
In the Americap Division 3, Blue Blazes and Dennis Pennell from San Diego YC were second to start, on February 22.
"Like Iataia, she hooked into a nice offshore breeze at the start," Johnson said. "But it took all of 128 hours, 24 minutes and 31 seconds to reel in Iataia."
"Luckily, we were able to watch this pursuit on the FIS Race Tracking site, sponsored by the San Diego YC Sailing Foundation. This is a real advance for spectators and race organizers."
Rodriguez and crew in Iataia crossed the finish line first, earning first place overall.
"As the sole competitor in Performance Cruising B, she may not have had any class competitors, but the race to the finish was on with Blue Blazes who followed 36 minutes later," Johnson said.
Iataia completed the race in 167.41 hours elapsed time (144.08 corrected).
Free Range Chicken, Bruce Anderson's Perry 56 from Balboa Yacht Club, beat out Jim Madden aboard his J-65, Brand New Day of San Diego YC in Performance B, finishing in 185.59 hours (corrected time).
Of special note, Rodriguez and his crew were finally bringing Iataia home after more than a year in the U.S., including competing in the 2005 Transpac race to Hawaii.
Pennell sailed Blue Blazes to victory and a first place finish in Division 3, besting the fleet of five competitors and edging out Morpheus, Jim Gregory's Schumacher 50 from Richmond Yacht Club, by only three hours (corrected time).
Also in Division 3, Lucky Dog, Bob Shanner's J-125 from San Diego YC, checked in at the dock in Puerto Vallarta on February 28ÿwith the bottom two or three feet of her rudder missing.
The damage didn't deter Lucky Dog from finishing fourth overall in the Americap Division.
For complete race information and results, go to www.sdyc.org/vallartarace. |
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