Welcome back from the pandemic, R2AK, and we see you have a new wrinkle. Everyone’s favorite, if not to participate in, at least to follow, is back. In fact, it’s already started with boats finishing in Victoria for the Proving Ground leg from the start in Port Townsend this morning. Tracker is here. As you may remember, this first leg must be completed if teams are going all the way the Alaska.
The new wrinkle is that teams can now go up the west side of Vancouver Island, with the only gate on the course being at Bella Bella. This means that boats like Dark Star (Team Pure and Wild) have a great option to stretch their legs offshore.
In the meantime, Victoria is going to be hopping with adventurous folk until the start of the leg to Alaska on Monday. The first leg is already not without twists. From the r2AK Facebook page: Update from the course: Razzle Dazzle, B Team, and Runaway Redux capsized, all safe. Narwhal dismasted and is safely back in Port Townsend, spirits are up. Stay safe out there. Dark Star was first in and is tied up safely in Victoria. The race committee saw this coming.
Proving Ground Update from Race HQ
With a weather forecast between seasick and dangerous for the next two days, R2AK High Command is extending the proving ground by 24 hours.
- Race start is still 5 am, Monday 6/13.
- Racers will need to finish in Victoria no later than 5 pm on Wednesday, 6/15.
- No change to any Victoria schedule of events.
- Racers missing the Tuesday skipper’s meeting will get a make up on Wednesday.
- Second start in Victoria is high noon on Thursday.
Will it be faster on the outside? Let’s let time and Jonathan McKee answer that. McKee and team Pure and Wild will head offshore in Dark Star. She’s the fastest monohull to do the race since the race’s inception, and capable of some unreal speed.
The finish line is still far away from Bella Bella in Ketchikan and has been seen before, races can go right to the end.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.