Vic - Maui Yacht Race - A spectacular start

In glorious sunshine and a nine-knot southerly, twenty competitors crossed the starting line at noon today, and began the first of more than 2,000 nautical miles to Hawaii. The event was witnessed by over 20 spectator boats, including HMCS SASKATOON and HMCS YELLOWKNIFE. Dan Sinclair's RENEGADE (an Andrews 73 Turbosled) and James McDowell's GRAND ILLUSION (a Santa Cruz 70) fought a highly-visible, neck-and-neck duel right near the Committee Boat, MV "SEA Q". RENEGADE finally edged GRAND ILLUSION, and won the start. HMCS ORIOLE, the beautiful 102 ft George Owen ketch launched in 1921 and skippered by Scott Cranshaw, also made an impressive debut this year. A veteran of the Vic-Maui, Sydney -Hobart, Tall Ships Bermuda-Halifax, and Transpac, this 92 ton vessel is about seven times heavier than anyone else, yet half-an-hour later she was still holding sixth place. With other boats passing within feet of SEA Q's bow, spectators had a front-row view of the crews at work.

It didn't take long for Juan de Fuca Strait to make its presence known, however. Though the race began at the end of the flood (giving the fleet a chance to pass through Race Rocks without too much effort) the fan turned off within an hour, becalming RENEGADE and allowing GRAND ILLUSION to overtake her. Forty minutes later, most of the fleet joined RENEGADE in her moment of contemplation. It didn't take long for FERRARI and PURSUIT to take advantage, set their spinnakers and pass outside Race Rocks in six to seven knots of wind while the rest continued to languish in two or three.

This is going to mean a long, slow slog for all the boats as they push towards Cape Flattery at the western end of Juan de Fuca Strait. The favourable tide which they are riding this afternoon starts to flood around 2000 tonight, and can easily hit two knots on the nose after that. So tonight promises to be a bit quieter than last night, when about 500 people and two bands took part in a convivial send-off to the crews and their boats in Victoria's inner harbour .

More Information: www.vicmaui.org