by Kate Sheahan
West Coast Tour Coordinator
The Transpacific Yacht Race, or “Transpac,” competes with the East Coast Bermuda Race as one of the two most enduring long distance races in the world. The two races both began in 1906, however the Transpac’s open ocean course to Hawaii measures 2,225 nautical miles, eclipsing the 635 mile Bermuda Race.
Stitched with the
past Transpac races of her beloved husband, Barbara Wallace, 2013 Transpac race
committee member, reflected on cruising the Hawaiian islands post Transpac in
1953 before the big tourism push - "when daily life was as simple as
storytelling and reading books." She
recalled when the Transpac started all classes together on the Fourth of July. Staggered
starts sent the slower boats this past Monday, a second round Thursday and the
fastest yesterday in order to let all racers celebrate together in Hawaii.
Transpac Yacht Club Commodore, Dave Cort, commented, “the
worldwide reputation of Transpac is one that draws sailors who want to compete
and sail ‘Downwind to Paradise.’” Sixty boats were entered this year,
representing seven countries. Six boats from Japan, two from Australia, one
Italian, and one German, in addition to Canadian, Mexican and American teams
from Hawaii, California, the Mid-west, and the East Coast.
