Ray Sweeney, Sweeney Communications, (808) 533-0033
Sweeneycom@aol.com
Kaneohe, HI - In day #7 of the biennial San Francisco-Kaneohe Pacific Cup Yacht Race, Hula Girl, a Santa Cruz 50 out of San Francisco has earned the overall lead en route to Kaneohe Bay with a 282 mile run. Cayard, the first American skipper to win the Whitebread Round the World Race in 1998 is the navigator for his Pacific Cup entry. Hula Girl's skipper for the Pacific Cup is Daniel Cayard. Hula Girl is also holds the Division E, lead.
Yesterday's fleet leader, Sleeping Dragon, a Hobie 33 is now second in the fleet while maintaining the lead in Division D
Raindrop maintains the Doublehanded Division 1 lead while the Doublehanded 2 lead is held by Moore Havoc, the Moore 24 with Mark Moore and Rowen Fennell aboard.
Gaviota, a Cal2-46 leads all comers in Division A with several members of the Partridge family aboard, out of Los Angeles. Checkered Past, a Wyliecat 39 from Richmond CA, leads Division B. Local entry Cirrus sailing out of Kaneohe, is second in the division.
Dean Treadway's Sweet Okole, a custom Farr 36 leads in Division C. Les Vasconcellos' entry from Waikiki Yacht Club, Urban Renewal, a J-35 is fourth in the division.
The sleds in Division F are led by Velos, a 73 foot sloop. Philippe Kahn's Pegasus OP-50 is second in division. Division F entries are promising early arrivals at Kaneohe Bay.
Among the on-water bloggers is the crew from Kokomo. Nothing startling to report but the brief patches of sun the crew has enjoyed have been dubbed, "shineholes."
The Cirrus crew is getting a tad giddy and navigator Uli Steiner's blog has come up with a name for what can only be considered "mysterious" noises at sea. And there are generally several. Uli has named them Klabautermann noises.
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.
