(Santa Barbara, CA)- This distance race spanning 81.0nm has been a
tradition for Santa Barbara and King Harbor sailors for 41 years and for
2013 will have 69 keelboats entered; eighteen are J/Teams spread across
one-design J/105s, PHRF and Sprit PHRF classes-- 26% of the entire
fleet! The race is a California downwind classic most years, the real
question will be how much wind will the fleet enjoy at either end of the
race-- the start off Santa Barbara and the finish off King Harbor can
be notoriously light. What's crazy about the race is that once the
fleet rounds Anacapa Island offshore (part of the Channel Islands), the
wind can often be funneling down the west side of the island chain from
20 to 30 kts! The thirty-six boat PHRF Class is comprised of mostly symmetric spinnaker boats, including the J/33 TIGGER sailed by Fred & Suzanne Cottrell and the Santa Barbarians on Larry Leveille's champion J/29 RUSH STREET. Joining them will be Shawn Ivie's J/30 FRICTION LOSS.
In
the nineteen boat Sprit PHRF Class is a fleet of the fast-reaching,
offshore J sailing machines. Leading the J/fleet should be Carolyn
Parks's gorgeous red J/145 RADIO FLYER. Breathing down their necks will
be the J/125 TIMESHAVER sailed by Viggo Torbenson and the J/133
FORGIVENESS skippered by Joe Simpkins. Not far behind may be the J/111
JATO sailed by the team of Bill Webster and Mike Moorhead. One of the
fast J/120s sailing is Gary Winton's SHENANIGANS and they will be
accompanied by three J/109s- SHADOWFAX (Chris Mewes), PERSISTENCE (Bryce
Benjamin) & LINSTAR (Len Bose). Also participating is Dan
McGanty's J/105 AQUABELLA, Tom Cullen's new J/97 CHISPA and Brian Kerr's
J/92 DOUBLE DOWN. The J/105 One-Design class start has three boats participating, including ARMIDA (Tom Bollay), TWELVE BAR BLUES (Chuck Spear) and David Gorney. For more Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race sailing information
