Vallarta Race 2016: Downwind to Paradise

The Vallarta Race 2016, the epochal run from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta, will start February 19 for the 32nd time. Hosted by San Diego Yacht Club since 1953, the 1000nm course takes the offshore fleet on a warm, offwind slide to the finish off Punta Mita, Mexico.

Manouch Moshayedi of St. Francis Yacht Club plans to compete for line honors in the mono hull division with his Supermaxi Rio100. Peligroso, a Kernan 70 owned by SDYC’s Lorenzo Berho has entered the fray again for 2016 going for his second win overall – his first was in 2010. From the Acapulco Yacht Club, 2014 Division 1 Class winner Ricardo Brockman has committed his RP 52 Vincitore again to the PVRACE and MEXORC, while Acapulco’s Eduardo Porter Ludwig, fresh from the TransPac and Big Boat Series, has entered his TP52 Patches.

In the always competitive West Coast 70 fleet you can look for 2014 class winner Roy P. Disney to bring his team on his Andrews 70 Pyewacket back for another run at the top prize. However, it will not be an easy task with a list of competitors which include James McDowell’s SC70 Grand Illusion and likely SC70’s entrants Brack Druker’s – Holua and Chris Slagerman’s Maverick.

Starting a day ahead of the bigger boats will be a fleet of fifty footers and several smaller boats, including two-time overall winner Dennis Pennell’s RP50 Blue Blazes for his attempt at a third overall win. This race he will face challenges from a host of Santa Cruz 52’s and 50’s that have already signed up such as John Shulze on his recently acquired SC50 Horizon, Bill Helvestine’s SC50 Deception, Dave MacEwen’s SC52 Lucky Duck and Wayne Zittel’s SC50 J World’s Hula Girl.

Viggo Torbensen with his Fast 50 killer – the J/125 Timeshaver – also signed up for another run at the title. This is shaping up as one of the most competitive fleets in many years.

The 2016 Race to Puerto Vallarta is looking to be one of great interest among the West Coast multihull fleet that has been active the past few years. Early commitments have come from race veteran H.L. Enloe’s ORMA 60 Mighty Merloe again who will be going after the elapsed time record set by Tom Siebel’s Mod 70 Orion in 2014. In addition, there is the possibility of a couple of the highly acclaimed Gunboat Catamarans considering participation with the big trimaran.

Race details at www.pvrace.com.