Overall leader arrives

Santa Cruz present handicap leader in West Marine Pacific Cup

Martin Brauns' Winnetou has arrived at Kaneohe Bay and appears to be the overall race leader in the 13th biennial West Marine Pacific Cup. The Santa Cruz 52, flying the San Francisco Yacht Club burgee took the lead on 4 July, and was able to hold off challenges by Jim Gregory's Schumacher 50, Morpheus and Steve Williams Santa Cruz 52, Natazak ever since.  While not yet official, Winnetou should take both the overall honors and Division E, as well.

Eyrie, Pole Cat and Salty Hotel continue to cover the doublehanded division in that order. They and the rest of their division will show up in Kaneohe Bay beginning July 14, missing a few of  the parties.

Ghost, First Light and Cayenne will lead the Division A boats into Kanohe Yacht Club beginning on July 13, if the ETA list maintains its accuracy.  If they keep the lead, Ghost will have repeated her 1992 division win and put another trophy in the KYC case. California Girl, Ikaika and Tutto Bene will lead a parade of Division B Sunday arrivals into the bay. 

Division C leader, Inspired Environments will be the only Division C competitor in on Sunday if the predicted ETAs are correct.  Punahele, running second in the division and White Fang who has moved into third in C, are expected the next day. Sensation continues in the lead of Division D with Surprise and Andiamo running second and third.

Colin Booth's Transpac 52, Braveheart out of the Corinthian Yacht Club in Seattle is credited as being first in the maxis. The Saturday finisher leaves only Icon, also from Seattle, on the water.

A yesterday noting of Eyrie's rating being beneficial as Sylvia Seaberg and Synthia Petroka's Hawkfarm 28 has held the doublehanded lead came into question - it should not have. There's no gift involved, here. The point that might have been missed was that the smaller boat deserves the benefit but no matter what the rating, seamanship rules.

When Mari Cha IV arrived and we shared the finish with local station KHVH's audience we noted that all the latest in technology, yards of sail and lightweight hull wouldn't mean squat if the sailing skills were not on board. 


July 10, standings
Doublehanded  
Eyrie
PoleCat
Salty Hotel
Mirage BS
Moonshine
Nina    
Mirage EX       

Division A        
Ghost
First Light                    
Cayenne
Bravo
Island Time                                                      
Ketch 22                                                          

Division B        
California Girl
Ikaika
Tutto Bene
MarCaballo
Cirrus
Acacia 
Tango


Division C        
Inspired Environments              
Punahele
White Fang
Lightwave
Auspice
Bodacious                    
Predator                                                          
Sea Peace

Division D        
Sensation
Surprise                                                           
Andiamo
Synge
Between the Sheets
Kaimiloa
Scorpio
Niele                                                               
ProMotion

Division E        
Winnetou  #1 in fleet
Morpheus #2 in fleet
Natazak    #3 in fleet
Lightning                      
WhiteCaps
Kyrnos
Chicken Little
CSquared

Division F        
Braveheart
Mari Cha IV
Magnitude 80
Icon