For Immediate Release
Point Richmond, CA, June 4, 2014 – The Pacific Cup Yacht Club (PCYC) has announced starting dates and divisions for the 2014 race from San Francisco Bay to Kaneohe, Hawaii. Sixty boats are currently entered in the 18th edition of the “Fun Race to Hawaii.”
The first start, on Sunday, July 6th, will be the new Holo Holo (Hawaiian for “just walking around and having fun”) Cruising Division. The Alaska Airlines Division and ‘Iwi Double-handed Division start Monday the 7th, followed by the Weems & Plath Division, Matson Division and Kolea Double-handed Division on Tuesday, July 8th. The Hokulea Multihull Division and Sonnen BMW Division start Thursday, July 10th. The fastest boats start on Friday, July 11th, in the Latitude 38 Division.
As in past years, the PCYC takes a keen interest in preparation and safety, and offers support to participants through numerous pre-race training seminars and direct contact with race experts. A rigorous set of equipment rules and inspections have been established for all boats including those in the cruising division.
This year’s fleet is diverse and competitive. Coming all the way from Australia via Capetown, Rio de Janeiro, and the Caribbean, Robert Date’s R/P52, Scarlet Runner, is racing in the Latitude 38 Division. This division also includes: Roy Disney’s Andrews 68, Pyewacket, with an all-star crew including Robbie Haines, Torben Grael, Tom Addis and Scott Easom; Frank Slootman’s R/P 63, Invisible Hand, division winner of the 2013 Transpac; Cayman Islands-based Roccomare, Ltd.’s Botin 65, Caro, with an accomplished international crew skippered by Max Klink; and Peruvian Hector Verlarde’s Nelson/Marek 92, Locura, with a mostly California crew.
Among other entries to watch are the five double-handed male/female teams. In the ‘Iwi Double-handed Division, Jim Quanci is racing his seventeenth Pacific Cup with wife Mary Lovely (veteran of seven Pacific Cup races) on their Cal 40, Green Buffalo. The other four couples will compete in the Kolea Doubled-handed Division: Melinda and Bill Erkelens, double-handed and overall winners in 1994 and veteran ocean racers, on a Donovon 30, Wolfpack; Justin and Chris Wolfe, from Texas and Seattle, WA, on their J/120 Shearwater; Cecile Schewedes on her Marina Del Rey, CA based C&C 40 Tall Rig, Aeriagnie, sailing with Perry Peters; and three-time race veteran Mark Howe on his Farr 36, War Pony, with one-timer Shana Bagley.
Pre-race festivities begin Monday, June 30th, with the official opening of the Pacific Cup Village at Richmond Yacht Club (RYC). New this year, the Village will feature a week of speakers, music, entertainment and great food for the racers, their families, friends and anyone interested in attending. With nine RYC skippers participating in this year’s race, the club is offering their harbor facilities and a variety of support services to out-of-town competitors, so the Village will be a busy and fun place.
For more information, please contact:
Karin Knowles
(510) 232-8420
media@pacificcup.org
About Pacific Cup Yacht Club – The Pacific Cup Yacht Club is responsible for organizing the biennial Pacific Cup, dubbed the "FUN RACE to Hawaii." Since 1980, the Pacific Cup has been sailed from San Francisco Bay to Hawaii every other year, and since 1988 the finish has been at the warm and welcoming Kaneohe Yacht Club on Oahu. With an emphasis on pre-race preparation for the 2070-mile race, PCYC’s volunteer membership has helped to ensure that thousands of racers have been delighted with their Pacific Cup experience. For more information about the Pacific Cup, visit http://dev.paccup.org
About Richmond Yacht Club – Since 1932 Richmond Yacht Club has been dedicated to serious sailing while at the same time having tremendous fun. Our Point Richmond location and excellent harbor facilities make it easy for us to hold both small boat and big boat regattas, and RYC has a proud tradition of hosting world class championships as well as a multitude of regattas for Bay Area racers, junior and youth boaters, and RYC members. As a volunteer club we are proud to have the most active racing and cruising membership in the San Francisco Bay area. For more information about Richmond Yacht Club, visit http://www.richmondyc.org
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