Divisions I and II yachts in the Los Angeles to Hawaii Transpacific Yacht Race started their 2,225 nautical mile voyage in an 12-15 knot breeze from the Southwest.
Cameramen in the helicopters hovering over the starting area and following the 17-boat fleet along the racecourse to see whether they would clear the west end of Catalina, were filming the Mylar sails, white decks and glistening hulls in nearly crystal clear conditions. As the race boats moved through the white capped seas they left a frothy wake behind.
The conditions for the final start of Transpac 09 were quite a contrast to those of the earlier fleets that have been out on the Pacific since June 29th and July 2nd. Those who have been heading toward Hawaii for nearly a week have covered barely a quarter of the route in the world’s most enduring and greatest ocean race. A standard Pacific high is …Â Details
Outrigger Canoe Club made its first victory of the season an impressive one, scoring 100 points to win the Walter J. Macfarlane Regatta today at Waikiki Beach.
Outrigger won 13 of the 39 races in the regatta, including the prestigious women’s senior race. Lanikai won nine races and finished second in the team standings with 85 points.
Wave-face heights were in the 3- to 5-foot range off Waikiki. The Macfarlane Regatta is unique because the canoes have to navigate in and out of the surf…Â Details
SNAV OSG recovered from a freak first-lap spin-out to score a sensational victory in Saturday’s Evolution Class Sprint Race at the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea.
The Italians capitalised on their rivals, Cigarette Smash Poker’s, sixth-lap spin-out – notably at the very same southern buoy as the eventual winners – to power to their second win of the 2009 Powerboat P1 World Championship.
Managing the perfect Central Adriatic racing conditions better than the pacy Lucas Oil Outerlimits and Metamarine Pignolo hulls, there was little to separate between Italy’s two premier Evolution Class teams, who were neck-and-neck throughout.
Triumphant SNAV OSG Pilot Giancarlo Cangiano said: ‘It was the most exciting race for me so far this year, particularly as all the boats were …Â Details
SNAV OSG, piloted by Giancarlo Cangiano and Giovanni Carpitella, re affirmed its Powerboat P1 World Championship challenge with an impressive win in today’s first leg of the Italian GP, a perfect return to form for the OSG Racing team after the previous GP ended with engine difficulties.
In flat waters, it was nip and tuck on the first lap with three Italian challengers, SNAV OSG, Cigarette Smash Poker and Metamarine Pignola all battling for the lead. As the race unfolded, the Cigarette of Luca Fendi and Matteo Nicolini began to pull away but SNAV OSG was never out of contention, posting several impressive lap times including the fastest lap of the day at 110.8 mph (unofficial).
For the second time this season – as the pressure began to tell – the Cigarette span out, opening the way for …Â Details