| | |  Americas & Beyond | July 2009 
Alfa Romeo and the Big Boats Speed Toward Hawaii
 Lynn Fitzpatrick - WorldRegattas.com
Los Angeles (July 6, 2009) - Alfa Romeo logged 269 nautical miles from Sunday's 1300 start through the Monday 0600 roll call. Neville Crichton's super maxi is averaging 14.6 knots, nearly a knot faster than Morning Glory's average during her Transpac record-breaking run in 2005.
A sampling of what the Division I and Division II boats have experienced during their first day at sea come from Ernie Richau, Magnitude 80's navigator and Philippe Kahn aboard Pegasus 50.
Form Richau, "We passed Catalina Island sailing upwind with our AP 1 jib up at about 3pm. The wind was from the west at about 13 knots. Before sundown we were west of San Nicholas Island close reaching in about 20 knots of breeze. Early this morning we changed to the Blast Reacher and continue to have 16-18 knots of wind from about 320 degrees."
Kahn and Mark Christensen, reported gusts up to 25 knots and swells 3 meters high washing waves and flying fish over their Owen Clarke Open 50 deck. At 0100 they threw up more sail area and "cracked the sheets and stood on to 14 to 16 knots." According to Kahn, they are "cold, wet and battered by waves, yet happy as can be. We sailed fast and smart." They are on pace for a doublehanded Transpac record.
Having much better conditions at and following their start, Division I yachts and the Division II sleds are destined to skirt the Pacific high and are setting up for fast races to Hawaii. Alfa Romeo and Pegasus 50 are on course to establish new course records for the world's most enduring and greatest yacht race. Alfa Romeo is looking at toppling Morning Glory's 6:16:04:11 record and Pegasus 50 is going for a new doublehanded record.
Reports from the boats that started last Monday and Thursday in light to drifting conditions are of a different nature.
Meals can be the highlight of your day when you are out at sea, and Admiral Mark Forster captured a look of sheer ecstasy for all of us. Take a look at Passion's blogspot, http://www.sailblogs.com/member/passion95/) and you will agree that Suzette's barbecued ribeyes and garlic mashed potatoes aboard Passion brought even more joy to the crew than Gib Black's boiled hot dogs, potato salad, Bing cherries, girl scout cookies served on a stars and stripes paper plate along with a Budweiser aboard Chasch Mer.
The 4th of July feasts were cleaned up quickly and it was back to business for the Transpac fleets that have been out on the water for the better part of a week. The 1300 starting gun for Divisions I and II must have been heard west of the Baja Peninsula. It was a signal for Transpac 09 sailors to start cracking the whip and hoist their spinnakers. The weather is warmer offshore and winds have clocked. The frontrunners are flying their spinnakers and will be able to keep them flying all the way to Hawaii.
Crews resort to different measures to keep spirits high when voyages don't go as expected. The deck of the Lynx has been doubling as a dance floor. Some boats preoccupied with ferreting out the source of leaks and troubleshooting computer problems, yet the beauty of being offshore touches everyone differently and still heartens even those with hundreds of thousands of ocean miles behind them. This from Admiral Mark Forster as we approach a full moon. "Sailing at night in a smooth sea with the moon peaking out from the clouds is just a wonderful experience. While I was steering it came out and then appeared in the tell tale window. You know I am always amazed with what Mother Nature can spring on you to brighten your day. "
Alfa Romeo leads Division I on distance covered, but Flash, Tom Akin's TP 52, is leading the division on corrected time.
Grand Illusion, James McDowell's Santa Cruz 70, is setting the pace for the fleet of sleds, which includes Ragtime, a Spencer 65, which was built in 1964. The sleds are trucking along with the Division I yachts, but Alfa Romeo has over a 25-mile lead on Magnitude 80, which in turn, is over 40 miles out in front of Akela, Bill Turpin's Reichel Pugh 78.
Both Alfa Romeo and Magnitude 80 have had more mileage pass under their bottoms than nearly all of the boats in Division III. Cipango is holding onto the lead in Division II and has 1648 nautical miles to go before crossing the finish line.
Nearly all of Division I and II are sailing at average speeds above 10 knots. Criminal Mischief and Relentless 52 are the speed demons in Divisions II and IV. Relentless 52 is the frontrunner among the Division IV Santa Cruz 52's
While Passion has chipped off more miles than other boats in Davison 5, Might Tongaro is ahead on corrected time.
Tim Fuller and Erik Shampain are nearly 100 nautical miles ahead of the next closest Division VI boat, J World. Relentless' duo has been making some great decisions and good speed toward Hawaii despite being shorthanded.
Charisma, Alejandor Perez Calzada's Sparkman & Stephens 57 is over 100 and in some cases, over 200 miles ahead of the other boats in the Aloha Division VII.
 Transpacific Yacht Race 2009
FThe 45th running of the Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Hawaii is underway, and we've got the daily coverage right here on BanderasNews.com
A SECOND CENTURY ACROSS THE PACIFIC
The Transpacific Yacht Race, 2,225 nautical miles from Los Angeles to Hawaii, is sailed in odd-numbered years as the oldest and longest enduring ocean race in the world. Originally, it was the vision of Hawaii's King Kalakaua as a way to build the islands' ties with the mainland U.S., although he didn't live to see his dream come true in 1906, when Clarence MacFarlane organized the first race. The many famous celebrities who have sailed and won the 44 Transpacs include Roy E. Disney, actor Frank Morgan and such business tycoons as Hasso Plattner, Larry Ellison, Richard Rheem, Doug DeVos, Jim Kilroy and Philippe Kahn. In the past 100 years, Transpac has become synonymous with challenge, adventure, teamwork and excellence ... inspiring a sense of achievement and camaraderie in participants, that lasts a lifetime. TranspacRace.com |
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