Class 6 Sets Sail on 1000nm Course
The 2022 Puerto Vallarta Race hosted by San Diego Yacht Club is the 36th running of the biennial yacht race from San Diego to the Mexican mainland. The previous edition in March 2020 took place in the last waning days prior to the wide-scale Covid 19 shutdown in the US, which literally broke while the competitors were racing to Puerto Vallarta. Two years later, a strong fleet of 30 boats set sail on the 1000nm course, some as their first distance race of the last two years.
Teams drawing mostly from the US west coast, but as far as Australia, are looking forward to the competition of this race, but also the picturesque, springtime destination of Puerto Vallarta. Those from the colder climates in Northern California and Washington see this race as the perfect winter getaway with temperatures in the 80s awaiting in Puerto Vallarta.
Ivan Batanov, Zero Gravity, Soto 40, Class 3:
“Puerto Vallarta is a fantastic destination – the weather in March is heavenly, the city is defined by the natural charm of Banderas Bay and beaches embraced by the Sierra Madre mountains – it offers a great mix of world-class resorts and authentic local culture. San Diego Yacht Club’s top-notch race organization makes PV very special – from coordination and communication to the greeting at the docks. The awards party is not to be missed – the venue, the food, and the company are superb. It is great to see old friends and make some new ones there!
The race itself can be challenging due to somewhat unpredictable weather conditions – some years it can be very light, others can get a bit sporty. The rounding of Cabo is critical and can make or break the race. Depending on the local conditions and the time of day, many boats have lost hours and days in the light airs “hole of Cabo.” For us, the 1000 mile course requires careful planning to keep the boat light and fast.
The PV22 forecast for the boats starting on Friday looks in line with the historic weather – mostly downwind sailing in medium breeze. The current weather models are showing a bit faster race than historic averages, which will be a great opportunity for the Zero Gravity – Soto 40 to sail its potential. Our goals are to have fun, sail fast, and be first in our class. The competition is tough, all the boats in Class 3 have experienced skippers and are very well-sailed, and have some of the best sailors around.”
Class 1 will feature a rematch for most boats of the 2021 Transpac Race last summer, where Tom Holthus’ Botin 56 BadPak posted the best corrected time in the class.
