Citius First to Finish in Puerto Vallarta Race

The Santa Cruz-70 Citius, under charter to a syndicate from the Del Rey Yacht Club, was the first yacht to finish in the Marina del Rey-to-Puerto Vallarta race.

Citrus finished at 9:40:08 p.m Friday for a slow elapsed time of 6 days 8 hours 40 minutes and 8 seconds. Jim Feuerstein’s Nelson-Marek 68 Prima of the Del Rey Yacht Club finished just 20 seconds behind.

Another close finish occurred about two minutes later when Fred Preiss’ 84-foot Christine crossed the line 20 seconds ahead of Jake Wood’s 82-foot Sorcery. Both yachts are from the Pacific Mariners Yacht Club.

Also finishing before midnight Friday were Paul Simonson’s Santa Cruz-70, Kathmandu, of the Stillwater Yacht Club at 11:01:59, and Dick Pennington’s Peterson-66, Cheetah, of the Long Beach Yacht Club at 11:27:44. The Santa Cruz-70 Blondie, sailed by Pat Farrah of the Long Beach Yacht Club, finished Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, three yachts had abandoned the race, and five others were fighting light winds across the Gulf of California, 150 to 300 miles from the finish. Shenanigan reported that she was retiring Saturday and motoring to Puerta Vallarta. Whistlewind retired two days earlier and went to Cabo San Lucas, and Cheval was being towed to Cabo San Lucas after losing a rudder.