Vic - Maui Yacht Race - Grand Illusion smashes record

GRAND ILLUSION SMASHES VIC-MAUI RECORD

About 11.09 HST amid great excitement, GRAND ILLUSION crossed the finish line under spinnaker, breaking the Vic-Maui race record held by Roy Disney's PYEWACKET by a huge margin. A level-rated sled in the ULDB70 Association, she sailed an impeccable race in near-perfect conditions. She was the first boat to finish, and looks like being the winner of Class A on corrected time. GRAND ILLUSION completed the 2308 mile course from Victoria, British Columbia to Lahaina, Maui in about 9 days, 2 hours, cutting something like 17 hours off PYEWACKET's 1996 record of approximately 9 days, 20 hours. GRAND ILLUSION of course is no stranger to Maui. Owned by James McDowell, she sails out of Lahaina Yacht Club. Her hailing port is Redondo Beach California, and she has an impressive racing record in the Eastern Pacific. She has completed five Transpacs (First Overall in 1999) and more than 20 Mexican races (with First Overall in the San Diego-Puerto Vallarta Race 2000). She was First ULDB70 in the 1999 Ensenada Race, and she was ULDB70 Season Champion in 1990 and 1992.

When asked how they were able to take such a slice off the record, McDowell responded: "Well, the weather was good and we were able to sail close to the rhumb line. The first half of the race, we didn't think we would make it, but when the trades picked up, it was just incredible. We were in 25 to 35 knots of breeze for three days straight and we were doing, like incredable miles, like 350 a day, and after two days of that, we realised we could beat the record."

"Everbody just pushed together just so hard...we are all instinctively really hard sailors. The other night we blew up our spinnaker...it was just too damn windy...but we had another kite up and we were back in our bunks in five minutes. The remaining boats now heading for the finish have been sailing in 8-24 knot winds."

Those in Class A and Class B have gybed onto port tack after over 1000 miles on a starboard reach and run. At roll call, RENEGADE had logged 309 miles (averaging about 13 knots) and was 217 miles from Lahaina. She is estimated to finish around 0450 HST tomorrow. SHOW ME and MIDNIGHT SPECIAL have both put in almost identical runs to yesterday's, and hold the same positions in Class A. FARR-ARI continues to lead Class B. Both she and PURSUIT logged almost 200 miles apiece, while JOIA, lying third, got in 184. PENDRAGON III is back on a direct track for Lahaina after her jog to the south a few days ago. In Class C, the fleet is closing up even more. The competition here is really heating up as they race towards Maui. This class now includes boats placed from third to seventh in the fleet on corrected time. So while NIGHTRUNNER, GREY HOUND, TURICUM and WINDS OF TIME hold on to their class standings from yesterday, GREY HOUND is presently third overall, WINDS OF TIME fourth, NIGHT RUNNER fifth, WINDSHADOWX sixth, and TURICUM seventh overall. This is where the action is going to be over the next few days. In Class D, ORIOLE got in 181 miles. The next-best performance was TETHRA's, with 157. This fleet is more dispersed. ORIOLE is 761 miles from the finish. As long as she can maintain her average 180 miles a day, she has a good shot at first overall. Though DREAM CATCHER has about 1108 more miles to go, the water is warm, the wind is true, and the company's good; so who's worrying about the distance to go?

The sailors in this race share all kinds of ties, but some boats manage to make the trip a family affair too. JOIA (slang in Brazil for "cool") is a case in point. Owner Tom Huseby thinks it's pretty cool that sons Connor (18) and Devin (20) are with him. They have been racing with dad for several years, and Tom hopes to recruit his other two children too (they are seven and five!). And parties on the high seas continue as the crew of SHOW ME (from Lahaina Yacht Club) celebrate a birthday. Crew-member Joe Grieser is 24 today. Can there be a better place for a party?

Our Website address is www.vicmaui.org. Daily Race Reports can be found in its News Center/Daily Reports Section, and there is a Discussion Group in the News Centre/Discussion Group. Local television coverage will be on CHEKtv in Victoria and VTV in Vancouver during their evening news programs.