SAILING NEWS _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/) _/)

TRANSPAC 2001 41st Transpacific Yacht Race/L.A.-Honolulu
Transpacific Yacht Club, Sandy Martin, Commodore

July 8, 2001
For Immediate Release

*** See photos and daily positions at www.transpacificyc.org ***

NO ONE ASLEEP ON THE DEEP ON FINAL NIGHT

HONOLULU - There was little change in their relative positions through the day Sunday as Pegasus, Pyewacket and Chance answered evening roll call and sailed into their final sleepless night of the 41st Transpacific Yacht Race to Hawaii.

With 277 miles to go, Philippe Kahn's Pegasus held a six-mile lead over Roy E. Disney's Pyewacket, which was nine miles in front of Bob McNulty's Chance. The latter boats were 10 and nine miles south of Pegasus, respectively, as they approached the critical jibe point for the Molokai Channel when their mighty main sails will swing to the opposite sides and their circus tent-size spinnakers will shift the opposite direction in front of the boats, committing themselves to the courses they'll sail to Monday's finish off Diamond Head.

Kahn reported on his Web site (www.pegasus.com), "Now the winds are lighter and the team is pushing hard to make sure that none of that lead gets squandered. A lot can happen in the [final] miles to Honolulu!

"For the last five hours it's been light and hot. Real light. And that is nerve-wracking because we're all thinking, 'If the Pyewacket guys have 5 knots more wind than we do, we could see our lead evaporate.' There is not much that we can do but to rest the team, sail fast and wait for the next position report. Lots of snoozing on-board; we just don't need as many sailors on deck, and it's going to be a long night to the finish. None of us is likely to get any sleep."

Meanwhile, Peter and Patricia Anderson's Stardust, a Wylie 46 from Laguna Beach, Calif., became the second Aloha Division boat to finish, following the 75-foot Shanakee II by 36 hours at 3:01 p.m. Hawaii time. The Alohas had a five- and six-day head start on the other divisions.

Division 1 standings in order of handicap ratings at 6:30 p.m. PDT July 8:

DIVISION 1 (started July 1)
1. Pegasus (Reichel/Pugh 75), Philippe Kahn, Santa Cruz, Calif., 328 miles in past 24 hours/277 miles to go.
2. Pyewacket (Reichel/Pugh 73), Roy E. Disney, Los Angeles, Calif., 327/283.
3. Chance (Reichel/Pugh 74), Bob McNulty, Corona del Mar, Calif., 322/292.
4. Merlin's Reata (Lee 68), Al Micallef, Ft. Worth, Tex., 295/413.

TRACKING CHART
Which boats are sailing straight down the rhumb line? Which ones are making
bold moves north or south? Follow your favorite Transpac boats across the
Pacific with the tracking chart on the official Web site at
www.transpacificyc.org.

ATTENTION WEBMASTERS
Please feel free to post these releases to your Web sites and establish a
link to the Transpac Web site at www.transpacificyc.org.

TRANSPAC PUBLICITY
Rich Roberts
cell phone (310) 213-2526
Information center (808) 946-9061
richroberts@compuserve.com

WEB PAGE
www.transpacificyc.org
Walt Niemczura, Web Master