Multi-racial team for 52nd Transpac

The 2023 Transpacific Yacht Race has attracted 58 teams for the 2225nm course from Los Angeles to Honolulu, with the 52nd edition holding staggered starts on June 27, June 29, and July 1. Here’s one of the entrants looking to make waves:

For centuries yacht racing has been an elite activity. Sailing was known as the ‘king of sports and the sport of kings.’ Exclusive.

But now, the Offshore Racing Outreach (ORO) is bringing inclusivity to the yacht racing scene, with a team of sailors from diverse backgrounds set to compete in the biennial Transpac Race.

The team of nine will race an Andrews 56 aptly named Good Trouble, in honor U.S. House of Representatives John Robert Lewis, an American statesman and civil rights activist. And like Lewis, the crew is making waves.

Skippering the team is Marie Rogers, a USCG licensed 50-ton captain, certified sailing instructor, recipient of the prestigious Peggy Slater Award and winner of the BoatUS/National Women’s Sailing Association Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award.

As Commodore of Los Angeles Yacht Club in 2019, Rogers was the first black woman to take the helm of a major yacht club in America. She presently is Vice President at US Sailing.

“Sailing is such a wonderful transformative sport – it helps people get in touch with their own abilities, both physically and mentally, and enjoy the ocean environment,” said Rogers. “But unfortunately, coastal watersports seem to have been been reserved for certain types of people.

“For the longest time I’ve said I would love to not be the only black female sailor on a race boat, nor the only black sailing instructor. It’s time for all segments of society to have access to the sailing sport. That is changing now, and through ORO people of color and diverse backgrounds will have opportunities, role models and leaders.”

Rogers revealed that fellow LAYC member Bill McClure was pivotal to the formation of ORO when he observed during a major regatta, “There are no people of color in this race Marie! Let’s fix this!”

It was the genesis of ORO. The 501(c)(3) non-profit was founded, acknowledging, “The experience of offshore sailing creates a potential life-changing opportunity. This program is designed to introduce a more diverse group of individuals to the world of yacht racing.”

“I worked for years in summer programs for gifted minorities, teaching and directing programs that have sent several thousand underprivileged yet qualified students to universities and colleges.” explained McClure, a USC Professor Emeritus.

“It’s obvious minorities are lacking in the sport of sailing. So, although we are only addressing a small number of individuals at this time, I’m hoping this will be the spark that will fire change on a national stage.”

ORO acquired the sailboat which was christened Good Trouble: a veteran of several successful long-distance race campaigns to Hawaii and Mexico. Built in 1991 at Dencho Marine (Long Beach, CA), her return from San Francisco Bay to Southern California heralds a new opportunity for sailors.

Rogers describes the Transpac team as a rainbow coalition. “We have talented sailors of African American, Native American, Asian and Southeast Asian, and Caucasian descent.” In addition to Rogers, team members are: Greg Carter, Yosh Han, Paul Martson, Sandy Poole, Ariana Rassouli, James Stewart, Rhonda Wagner, and Colin Willson.

ORO partnered with J/World Sailing School, which has a long and successful history in turn key offshore sailing events including Transpac. J/World facilitated the ORO campaign with guidance and logistics, and two J/World coaches will sail aboard Good Trouble as navigator and watch captain.

Offshore Racing Outreach: https://www.sailoro.org

Event details – Entry list – Tracker – Facebook

Staggered Starts
June 27 – Division 7, 8
June 29 – Division 4, 5, 6
July 1 – Division 1, 2, 3, 9

Source: Betsy Senescu