Elsie Piddock Smokes R2AK

Update: Team Elsie Piddock arrived in Ketchikan at 12:55 p.m. today to win the first R2AK, having sailed the 40 miles from Port Townsend, WA, to Victoria, BC, in 4 hours and 11 minutes, and the 710 miles from Victoria to Ketchikan, AK, in an amazing 5 days and 55 minutes.

Big congratulations are due Al Hughes, Graeme Esarey, and Matt Steverson, the three-member Team Elsie Piddock. Their F-25c has absolutely smoked the Race to Alaska fleet. As of 11:00 this morning, they had only about 16 miles to go in the 750-mile race, with a lead of maybe 200+ miles on the next two boats, the well-sailed Hobie 33 Por Favor and the Farrier 38 trimaran MOB Mentality. The rest of the boats are strung out another 100 to 300 miles back. The Oakland-based Warrior 29 cat Kohara is in fourth place but stopped south of Bramham Island.

While reports have been spotty, this has not been a pleasure cruise for anyone. In fact, most if not all boats have had to battle very challenging conditions, and 19 out of the original 40 full race participants have been knocked out or decided to drop out.

We’d also like to congratulate the founders and organizers of R2AK, Northwest Maritime Center of Port Townsend, for coming up with a simultaneously serious and wacky event that has caught the imagination of so many adventurers. That said, we wonder what they can do next time to maintain the wacky factor when it’s been demonstrated that the addition of human power has been a non-factor in who has done well. It’s good sailors in fast sailboats.

The Seattle-based Team Elsie Piddock should reach the finish line in Ketchikan, AK, this afternoon. To see what the destination city looks like, visit webcamketchikan.com.