At 1 pm today, Division A boats crossed the start of the 2,070 nautical-mile Pac Cup race from San Francisco to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. A report in shortly after the start from race committee boat, Valis, also sailing in Division A, stated that blustery conditions belied the predicted light weather off the California coast.
No Strings Attached (Baltic 37 skippered by Nick Salvador) won the unofficial race to the Golden Gate Bridge, with Valis close behind in second (Pacific Seacraft 44 helmed by Paul Elliott) and Cassiopeia (Islander 36 skippered by Kit Wiegman) third.
No Strings Attached gave up her lead position early on, pausing to replace her headsail with a smaller high tech blade responding to the weather conditions, a move that is expected to pay off.
Conditions were reported as cold, overcast and breezy with winds in the high teens. Competition was tight in Div A as boats worked their way out under the Golden Gate towards the Farallon Islands, the first waypoint en route to Hawaii.
