Pacific 1000 Catamaran Race : Smyth and Hill, Still in the Lead, Reach Long Beach

Randy Smyth of Huntington Beach and Jim Hill of San Francisco lead the Pacific 1000 catamaran race after Friday, the third day of competition.

Smyth and Hill finished the Avalon-to-Long Beach leg Friday in a time of 2 hours, 57 minutes and 7 seconds.

They also led after Thursday’s race around Catalina Island.

Roy Seaman of Malibu and Greg Richardson of Myrtle Beach finished second in Friday’s race in a time of 3:12.17.

George DelBianco and Mike Checketts were third, only four seconds behind the second-place boat. Larry Harteck and Eric Brinton (3:15.37) were fourth.

The women’s team of Stephanie Elliott of Newport Beach, Theresa Funaro of Cerritos and Diana Riggs of Long Beach moved up to eighth in the nine-boat professional division, sailing Friday’s course in 3:18.17.

The race zigzags 1,000 miles between Santa Barbara and San Diego in 11 days. Saturday’s leg goes from Belmont Shores in Long Beach to Doheny State Beach in Dana Point.