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Pacific Cup Maxis Start Today

With today’s final starting sequence, the 2016 Pacific Cup shifts into high gear, as it features the fastest racing machines in the fleet: the maxis. Sponsored by BMW of San Rafael, the division includes Manouch Moshayedi’s 98-ft Super Maxi Rio100, which won Transpac’s Barn Door Trophy in 2015; Jens Kellinghusen’s custom Ker 56 Varuna VI from Germany; and three hot 70-ft sleds: Roy P. Disney’s Andrews 70 Pyewacket, Hector Velarde’s Andrews 70 Runaway and Edward Marez’ Santa Cruz 70 Buona Sera.

Yesterday’s starters, seen here, got off to a booming start. And the big boys head west today. 

© 2016 Leslie Richter

As seen in the video below, Thursday’s start of the Pasha Hawaii Division was fueled by ample winds in the high teens, adrenaline and plenty of competitive spirit. As noted by Pac Cup correspondent Elisa Williams, "The Club Swan 42, Elusive, barged the line, but was nudged outside the starboard mark by the Schumacher 46, Surprise, which crossed first, followed by the Santa Cruz 50s Chasch Mer and Oaxaca." This division features a resurgence of the SC 50s, as four of them are now chasing one another’s wakes to Kaneohe.

Thursday start video by John Navas

Check out all the news at the official website and you’ll see that even the so-called Cruising Division, sponsored appropriately by Latitude 38, is seeing hot competition and moments of glory. As noted in a press release yesterday, "On Day 4 of racing, the Pac Cup’s pack leader is the Jeanneau 57, Ticket II. Zipping along at speeds over 8 knots, and posting a 202-nm 24-hour run, skipper Rick Niello [on the Jeanneau 57 Ticket II] passed the lead Honu Division A boat, Cal 40 Redhead, by 4 p.m. on Monday and has stayed in front ever since… Next closest to the bar in Kaneohe on the afternoon of Day 3 was the Jeanneau 42, Aquavit, skippered by Michael Hutchinson. He’s done an extensive amount of offshore cruising for 20 years." They say racing is an ideal form of sharpening skills for cruising. Perhaps the opposite is true as well. 

Cruising Division? Don’t be fooled. Boats such as the Jeanneau 42 Aquavit are pushing as hard as competitors in the loftier divisions. 

© 2016 Leslie Richter

If you couldn’t join the fun in real time this year, you can take in blow-by-blow action (with time delay) via transponder technology. Look for more here next week. 

Meanwhile, the Vic-Maui fleet is converging on Lahaina, Maui. Check out the latest reports here.

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