The 2022 San Diego to Vallarta International Yacht Race divided the 30 entrants among three start dates on March 10-12 for the 1050 nm course.
The staggered start strives to balance the weather’s influence across all boats, and condense the finish times for boats ranging from 33 to 100 feet, with inevitably some giveth and taketh along the way.
After a Hobie 33 won the biennial race in 2020, an upwind start was not the launch needed for a small boat repeat. The biggest boats got the best exit from San Diego, but then once in the lead, got lighter winds down the course. Giveth and taketh.
While conditions were still prime for Roy P. Disney and the crew of Pyewacket 70 (modified Volvo 70) to set a new monohull record for the course of 3:04:38:02, the overall title went to John Raymont’s Fast Exit II (Ker 51) in ORR-2.
The only casualty was Scott Grealish’s J/121 BlueFlash which on day two had a crew member fall into the cockpit during a gybe. With a badly bruised torso and suspected broken ribs, BlueFlash diverted to Turtle Bay and offloaded the injured crew member and retired from the race.
Final Results – Top Three
ORR-1
1. BadPak (Botin 56), Tom Holthus, USA
2. Good Energy (R/P 63), George Hershman/ Mark Comings, USA
3. Hollywood Down Under (JV 72), Ray Roberts, AUS
ORR-2
1. Fast Exit II (Ker 51), John Raymont, USA
2. Bribon (TP 52), Mark Surber, USA
3. Good Call (Swan 60), Tom Barker, USA
ORR-3
1. Nereid (J/125), Standish Fleming, USA
2. Zero Gravity (Soto 40), Ivan Batanov, USA
3. Lucky Duck (Rogers 46), Dave MacEwen, USA
ORR-4
1. Trouble (SC 50), Tom Camp, USA
2. Katara (J/145), Roger Gatewood, USA
3. Vela (SC 52), Steven Davis / Tim Dornberg, USA
ORR-5
1. Velos (Tanton 73), Kjeld Hestahave/ Chuck Skewes, USA
2. Akaw! (Olson 40), Michael T Ewens, USA
3. Ho’okolohe (Farr 57), Cecil & Alyson Rossi, USA
ORR-6
1. White Cloud (Cookson 12M), Paul Grossman, USA
2. Such Fast (1D35), David Garman, USA
3. Envolee (Figaro 2), Nathalie Criou, USA
adventure-complete-to-puerto-vallarta