Manzanillo Race Beginning Today

Fifteen ocean racing sailboats led by 11 ULDB 70s will start the ninth biennial 1,100-mile race to Manzanillo, Mexico, at noon today.

Five smaller boats started Thursday and were expected to be overtaken in the latter part of the race, which in normal conditions should finish next Thursday or Friday.

The race record is 5 days 23 hours 59 minutes 43 seconds set by Jake Woods’ Sorcery in 1986.

The race starts the nine-race season for the ULDB 70s, also known as “sleds” for their speed in downwind races.

The favorites are Antonio Elias’ Ole, which became the first Mexican-owned boat to win a Mexican race in the windy Long Beach-to-Cabo San Lucas run last November; Roy Disney’s Pyewacket, the 1991 season champion; and Mike Campbell’s new Victoria, which is skippered by Steve Steiner and was a close second to Ole at Cabo San Lucas.

Entries

ULDB 70--Cheetah, Doug Baker/Dick Pennington, Long Beach Yacht Club; Evolution, Brack Duker, California YC; Grand Illusion, Ed McDowell, King Harbor YC; Kathmandu, Fred Kirschner, Coronado YC; Maverick, Les Crouch, San Diego YC; Ole, Antonio Elias, Acapulco YC; Pyewacket, Roy Disney, Los Angeles YC; Swiftsure, George Folgner, SDYC; Starship I, Mike Holleren, LBYC; Taxi Dancer, David Danielson (chartered), Seattle YC; Victoria, Steve Steiner, LBYC.

FABULOUS 50s--Bay Wolf, Kirk Wilson, Cabrillo Beach YC; Deception, Dave Meginnity, unatt.; Oaxaca, Gene Twiner, Shillshole Bay YC; Yukon Jack, Soren Hoy, Encinal YC.

IMS/PHRF/IOR-C (started Thursday)--Eclipse, William Bannasch, SDYC; Ecstasy, John C. Donahue, Bahia Corinthian YC; Jano, Robert M. Kahn, CYC; Illusion, Dave Fell, San Luis Obispo YC; Tranquility, Jack Shannon, unatt.