Southland Sailing : Puerta Vallarta Race Leaders Expected Today

Freshening winds along the Baja California coast and in the Gulf of California Thursday gave promise that the lead boats in the 1,125-mile race from Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta would finish by late today.

Light winds during the first five days have made it the slowest race in the 16-year history of the biennial event.

Leading the 17-boat fleet was Fred Preiss’ 84-foot sloop Christine of the Pacific Mariners Yacht Club, 345 miles from the finish. Four miles astern of Christine was Jake Wood’s 82-foot Sorcery, PMYC, and the 70-foot Citius, sailed by a Del Rey Yacht Club syndicate, each with 349 miles to go.

The 68-foot Prima, skippered by Jim Feurerstein, DRYC, had 353 miles to go; Dick Pennington’s 66-foot Cheetah was 379 miles out, and Kathmandu, sailed by Paul Simonson, Stillwater YC, had 383 miles to go.

Winds were so light during the early part of the race that the big boats averaged less than five knots downwind with daily runs of less than 150-miles.

There were 18 starters.