This was a fast race with quite a bit of wind. Belle and Hen o’ the C finished in approx 17.5 hours, with Belle a few minutes ahead. Amazing and very exciting to have such a close race over such a distance. After a light start, the wind filled in to a fairly steady 15-20 knots, and with the wind on the hip, we hoisted the asym, and never doused until we crossed the finish line 127 miles later. The boat was fast, and speeds in excess of 10 knots vere common. After some sustained gust over 22 we ended up reefing the main, which improved the balance while still keeping the speed up. With the high wind, the choice between inside or outside the Coronado Islands were not as critical this year as typically seen, and indeed Hen from the inside was a minute ahead of Belle from the outside as we entered Bay of Todos Santos. Alas, with the Hen gybing early in the “Too Soon Lagoon”, Belle was able to sneak by and secure 1st in Class, and 1st Overall Cruising Boat, with Hen securing 2nd in Class. Congratulations to Belle with Jacques, Michelle, Matt and Sarah; and Hen with Toralf, Sarah, Mandy and Audrey!
