Racers Saturday saw continued excellent speed. Potential trophy winners emerge

Kathleen Helsper
July 20, 2008 – SAN FRANCISCO – Almost a week into the 15th Pacific Cup, some of the earliest starters are preparing to hold their traditional halfway parties as they pass the 1035-miles-to-Hawaii mark.

Aboard perennial victor Cal 40 California Girl (Richmond, Calif.), a memorial will be held at the halfway party, with other boats joining in via SSB radio, for Davey Glander. Glander was an avid racer and friend to many Pacific Cup racers who passed away after the 2006 race. His motto, "go for greatness," inspired many. Glander participated in 2006 on California Girl and returned on Valis (Sausalito, Calif.). He passed away on November 17, 2007 at the age of 49. He was planning to participate this year on Valis,

Following Sunday’s standings, many will notice Paul Cayard’s family performance on Hula Girl (San Francisco), which moved them into first place overall. The crew sailed almost 300 miles in a single day, putting them on track to win several awards, such as the overall Pacific Cup trophy, the Division E trophy, and the Blue Water Sailing Family Trophy for “Fastest Family Afloat.”

Competition has grown for the Storm Trysail Club's Team Trophy, awarded to the yacht club team of three boats performing best in their divisions and overall. Currently, a team from the Richmond Yacht Club (Richmond, Calif.) leads the scoring, consisting of Mark A. Moore’s Moore Havoc, Joshua Grass;’ Summer Moon and Dean Treadway’s Sweet Okole, all of which are doing very well in their divisions.

Another new trophy to the 2008 Pacific Cup is the Blue Water Sailing Family Trophy for the "Fastest Family Afloat." Nearly one-third of the fleet, seventeen boats, has registered for this prize, reflecting the strong tradition of families sailing this race together. As of Saturday, the family of internationally-acclaimed Paul Cayard aboard Hula Girl is the leading the family effort.

Other notable racers in this category include father and daughter team Bob and Becca Hinden (San Francisco) aboard Acacia, father and son team Chris and Larry Gibbs aboard Checkered Past (Richmond, Calif.) and newlyweds Marika Edler and Steve Hocking aboard Ohana (Sausalito, Calif.). Ohana, in Hawaiian, actually means family; hopefully, this will be a sign of good luck for Steve, Marika and crew.

Renewing a tradition on the water, boats racing were invited to nominate a "crew member of the week." Selected by acclaim was Chris Parkman, sailing aboard Acacia, a Valiant 42 out of Alameda, CA. When Acacia became entangled in a crab pot near the Farallon Islands, Chris, without a wetsuit, at midnight, in cold "shark-infested waters," dove in and untangled the boat from its captor, returning safely to the Acacia to sail on. As an additional good deed, he managed the feat without cutting the pot free of its float and depriving a fisherman of his catch. Bravo, Chris.

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The Pacific Cup: Started in 1980, the Pacific Cup race has attracted sailors of all stripes, from the hard-core ocean racer to the family ready and prepared for a true adventure. Roy Disney, Stan Honey, Philippe Kahn, and other luminaries in the sport have taken home Pacific Cup trophies, as have many family enterprises. The 2008 race will be one of the most heavily-attended in recent years, with 61 entries from 24 to 73 feet competing for a range of trophies including the Pacific Cup itself for best corrected time over the 2070-mile course.

Pacific Cup Yacht Club (PCYC) was established in 1979 to run the biennial Pacific Cup. PCYC's mission is to realize the dreams of 70 or more yachts full of sailors, in a competitive, safe, and fun race from San Francisco to Hawaii. As such, its pre-race seminars are not only qualifying events for Pacific Cup participation but a way to introduce and encourage participation in offshore sailing. Visit the official site at www.PacificCup.org

About the Storm Trysail Club - The Storm Trysail Club (STC), reflecting in its name the sail which must be shortened when facing adverse conditions, is one of the world's most respected sailing clubs, with its membership comprised strictly of skilled blue water and ocean racing sailors. In addition to holding various prestigious offshore racing events (including the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race, Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex and Block Island Race), STC also hosts the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta and annual junior safety-at-sea seminars. It also has developed, in cooperation with the Transpacific Yacht Club, the Storm Trysail Transpac 65 and the Box Rule that will govern its design. Additional information is available at www.stormtrysail.org.