Thank you for participating in the 2012 Swiftsure International Yacht Race. I hope you will mark on your calendar May 25 to 27, 2013 for the 70th running of the Swiftsure race.

The official results of the race were posted on the Swiftsure website on
Sunday evening (http://www.swiftsure.org/results/). An error was recently identified in how our system calculated corrected rounding times for the three distance courses. It used the full rather than half of the length of the courses. This has been corrected and revised results are posted on the Swiftsure website. My apologies for this error.

If you or your crew took videos during the race please ensure they are put up on YouTube with a link to Swiftsure 2012. The video which has the most viewings by August 31, 2012 will win a free beer for each crew member the skipper brings to the 70th running of the 2013 Swiftsure International yacht Race. Already there are a lot of entries: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Swiftsure+2012&aq=f

During the 2012 race last weekend the Canadian Coast Guard Cutter Tanu picked out of the water a horseshoe collar and pole marked with “Mike8-224. 9/11 Survival tech group SWITLIK.” The skipper who lost this gear is asked to contact our Swiftsure Office so we can arrange its return (swiftsure.info@rvyc.bc.ca).

May the winds and currents be in your favor until next Swiftsure.

Vern Burkhardt
Chair
Swiftsure International Yacht Race

The Race Officer has released the final results for the 2012 event. Thank-you to all the sailors and volunteers who made this another successful Swiftsure. We look forward to seeing you next year for the 70th Swiftsure International Yacht Race!

• Final Results
• Replay the race in the Race Tracker

The final results for the Inshore races for May 26th have been release by the Race Committee. You can find them, and the preliminary results for the Swiftsure, Cape Flattery, and Juan de Fuca races under Results.

The finishers are coming in quickly now as the wind filled in and yachts picked up a lot of speed over night. The latest news of when boats cross the finish line is in the ticker on the Swiftsure homepage (just above ^). For the most up-to-date finish information, check out the ‘Preliminary Results’.

If your timing is just right, you might be able to catch the boats crossing the line on Big Wave Dave. You can see the boats returning to Victoria’s Inner Harbour on the RBCM Webcam.

We have had a few reports of trouble getting the Race Tracker to load yachts properly. It turns out that all of these people are using Internet Explorer 9 that has been recently updated. Our support team has been looking into it and have found that if your IE 9 is set to the maximum security level, the tracker will not function properly. To get access to the Race Tracker, try setting your security settings to a lower level, or download Google Chrome or Firefox.

All of the yachts racing in the Swiftsure International Yacht Race have made it past Race Rocks, a symbolic, but not official mark of the course. The iconic black and white stripped light house is the divide between the Juan de Fuca strait and the costal waters off Victoria and it’s where the true strategy and tactics of Swiftsure being. The yachts are now facing open ocean swells, stronger currents, and luckily, more wind. On the return trip back to Victoria, Race Rocks is the “almost there” point for tired sailors – especially at night, when the lights of Victoria come into view.

The weather conditions have improved with a steady wind filling in from the West and more predicted to follow. Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for the Strait of Juan de Fuca predicting 25.35 knots from the West this evening, so expect the yachts to be going a lot faster after they go around the marks and head downwind back to Victoria.

Keep following the race live on the Swiftsure Race Tracker. For more information on Race Rocks, visit racerocks.com.

All 5 starts of the 69th Swiftsure International Yacht race are away. With a short postponement while the Race Committee assessed the wind conditions, the races started approximately 20 mins late. All boats started, except for Gardyloo who had to retire due to some equipment failures.

Welcome to Race Day for the 69th Swiftsure International Yacht Race. The water front off Victoria is looking busy as the yachts begin to collect in the starting area. There isn’t much wind to start the day, but it’s sunny and clear, so we’ll be hoping for the breeze to pick up.

• Big Wave Dave Dallas Rd Web Cam
• Race Rocks Web Cam

You can also watch the start live on the Swiftsure Race Tracker.

The Sailing Instructions have been issued for the 69^th Swiftsure International Yacht Race. Two separate SIs have been issued:

• The Three Long Courses (Swiftsure Lightship Classic, Cape Flattery, and Juan de Fuca)
  • Front/Back Cover
  • 22 May 2012 - Amendment #1 to Sailing Instructions for the Three Long Courses with respect to the display of sail numbers

• The Swiftsure Inshore Classic
• Front/Back Cover
• 24 May 2012 Amendment #1 to Sailing Instructions for the Inshore Classic with respect to the courses and Appendix B
• 25 May 2012 Amendment #2 to Sailing Instructions for the Inshore Classic with respect to Point 15.5 under Safety Regulations

Chair
Swiftsure International Yacht Race

With the start of the 2012 Swiftsure set for 10am this Saturday, skippers and crew are in high gear making final changes and checking safety gear and rigs. Boats’ bottoms are being scrubbed, food prepared and sail choices nailed down.

What and where
On Thursday and Friday this week you can soak up the excitement in the inner harbour as 185 boats carrying thousands of sailors and support crew descend on Victoria. The public beer garden will be open at Ship Point from 2 to 11pm both days and Funner Inflatables will be set up for kids.  HMCS Oriole will be open for guided tours, as will the 70 ft. racing yacht Westerly. Come and check them out, everyone is welcome.

As the boats blast off at 10am on Saturday, you can watch them jockeying for position over the start line from Clover Point.  100.3 The Q and The Zone @ 91-3, will be broadcasting live from the Race Committee Boat, HMCS Edmonton.  For those at Clover Point, a freshly made pancake breakfast will be available courtesy of Central Saanich Lions Club.

Who to watch

Winning boats from most major races in the Pacific Northwest will be lining up in the hopes of adding a prestigious Swiftsure trophy to their collection.  Boats to watch include My-Tai and Braveheart who took trophies from the Round Salt Spring race this weekend.  Braveheart, a TP52, holds the record of 15 hours and eight minutes for the fastest monohull in the Swiftsure Lightship Classic Race set in 2007.  The top three boats from the Oregon Offshore Race (Astoria to Victora) Kotuku, Time Bandit and Riva should also be in the running.  Other top contenders include Westerly, who recently won the Lipton Cup and Mad Max, who triumphed in the Southern Straits last month.

This year, the Swiftsure Inshore Classic will finish in Cadboro Bay, with celebrations at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.  There is a large multihull division in the fleet which always put on a great show.  However, one of the fiercest rivalries will be the Commodores versus the ‘First Ladies’ on identical J80′s.  Commodores from Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver Yacht Clubs will race aboard Swish, and their wives aboard Joyride.

You can follow your favourite boats live in real time on the Swiftsure Race Tracker.

Visit www.swiftsure.org, Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news.

Starting on May 22^nd and continuing through to May 26^th WRI (Weather Routing Inc.) will be providing competitors with weather forecasts for the Swiftsure race area. This complimentary service thanks to WRI may be accessed from the Swiftsure website (Race Information, Weather Forecast) at:   http://2012.swiftsure.org/race/weather-forecast.

The services provided by WRI can be found at:  http://www.wriwx.com.

Create your own custom Swiftsure International Yacht Race SeaWeather Account

Remember to bring the Numeral Pennant you will need to fly at the start of the race (see the Sailing Instructions). If you don’t have the numeral pennant for your start or forget it at home you can order one from UK Sailmakers NW, the official sailmaker to the Swiftsure International Yacht Race. It will be delivered to you when you are in Victoria’s inner harbour. To order your numeral pennant call (250) 656-8843 or 1-800-563-7245 or email Chris Dudenas at chris@uksails.ca

As part of the exciting annual Swiftsure event, Prince of Whales are pleased to announce a special promotional offer. For $50, passengers may board the Ocean Magic and watch the beginning of the Swiftsure race from the comfort of their state-of-the-art vessel, which has light snacks, beverages, and onboard washroom. The trip leaves the Inner Harbour for a vantage point of the Swiftsure starting line at 8.30am and returns at 11.30am.

Today the Swiftsure Steering Committee issued Amendment #6 to the Notice of Race for the Swiftsure Inshore Classic.

The Skippers’ meeting for the Swiftsure Inshore Classic will be held at the Swiftsure Centre on Ship Point beginning at 1600. Presentation of 2011 trophies as well as 2012 prizes and trophies will be at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club on the evening of Saturday, May 26, 2012.

Chair
Swiftsure International Yacht Race

Today the Swiftsure Steering Committee has issued Amendment #5 to the Notice of Race for all Swiftsure Races (The Three Long Courses and the Swiftsure Inshore Classic).

This amendment pertains to moorage in Victoria and does not change the fact that there will be no charge for race entrants on May 24^th, 25th and for racers, upon return to the harbour, for one night at the Causeway Floats in front of the Empress Hotel and at Ship Point (26^th or 27^th).

The amendment means that moorage on May 22^nd and 23^rd will be at the regular rate charged by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. To make arrangements for moorage up to and including Wednesday May 23rd or after Sunday May 27th contact the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority at http://gvha.v3.ca/reservations.php.

Chair
Swiftsure International Yacht Race

Special Swiftsure take-aboard rate for pre-orders of 18.9L and 11.3L bottles of Victoria’s finest purified bottled water!

Purchase either size bottle and receive 2 additional fills free from our Admirals Road Ultimate Water Store!

Plus: $1.00 per purchase will go to support the progressive greening of the regatta!

Order by phone: (250)514-6210 or (250)381-2088

18.9L (5gal) $15.00 +tax         11.3L (3gal) $14.00 +tax.

Price includes bottle. No per-customer limit. MasterCard or Visa accepted.

Free delivery if order placed before Tuesday May 22, 2012.

Special Hotel Rates

We now have three hotels which are offering Swiftsure competitors and their family and friends special rates.  Please show your support for these sponsors.

1. Strathcona Hotel (919 Douglas Street) is offering its “Tour Group” rate for Swiftsure participants, family and friends for $95.00 or $105.00 + applicable taxes based on availability.  Reservation by phone or email only, these rates will not show on the hotel’s website www.strathconahotel.com/TheHotel.aspx

   Toll free 1-800-663-7476  or  reservations@strathconahotel.com and quote “Swiftsure 2012″ to receive these special rates.

2.  Harbour Towers (345 Quebec Street) is offering special prices plus free parking; access to Club 345 Fitness Centre including indoor pool, hot tub and sauna; complimentary high speed Internet access and use of Business Center; and access to Victoria Sports Lounge.  For residential views Standard Guest Room for $109.00, King Bachelor Suite $125.00, One Bedroom Suite $145.00, and Two Bedroom Suite $185.00.  For ocean views Superior Guest Room for $125.00 and One Bedroom suite for 165.00.  These rates are for single or double occupancy, and do not include applicable taxes. Additional person is $19.00. These group rates are available 3 days before and 3 days after Swiftsure.

   Call 1-800-663-5896 and identify yourself by quoting group name “Swiftsure.”

3. Sandman Inn (2852 Douglas Street) is offering standard rooms (King, Queen, or 2 Doubles) at $89.00, and suite with Kitchenette (King or 2 Doubles plus hide-a-bed) for $109.00 + applicable taxes.

   Call 1-800-726-3626 and identify yourself by quoting Group# 221843.

This year, Victoria’s history with those who sail alone will be revisited through the Swiftsure Inshore Classic.  Following in the footsteps of John Guzzwell, who sailed his 20ft Trekka around the world, and in more recent years twice  competed in the single-handed Trans-Pac from San Francisco to Hawaii.

But what is the attraction of going it alone, having no one to take the helm as you go to relieve yourself, make hot drinks just when your brain is beginning to freeze over, or to talk or joke with when it looks like there will never be a whisper of wind ever again, or to assist when your boat is pinned on her side?  For some the attraction is efficiency; the perfection of timing, sequencing, and the creation of new methods that work with precision and speed.  For others it’s the fact that they are utterly responsible for themselves; if they don’t get it right, there is no one to question or to salvage the wrong – and no one to blame.   Many enjoy the solitude and all revel in the fact that they are not responsible for anyone else.

For the first time, the 3 distance courses; Juan de Fuca, Cape Flattery, Swiftsure Bank will all have double handed divisions.

Lennart Edstrom, skipper of Sjora, a 36ft Sweden Yacht has signed up for the Cape Flattery Race Double handed division.  While Sjora enjoyed a hectic schedule of races with a fabulous crew last year, Lennart’s focus for this season is on keeping it simple.  On his way out to what has become a regular afternoon of single handing, Lennart shares the attraction of short handing; “it’s an incredible feeling to harness the power of a boat by yourself; being empowered by nature”.  Lennart notes that that he enjoys sailing with a crew, but that there is a “freedom of being able to go by yourself at a moment’s notice”. Lennart is excited to be joined by Paul Betts, who will be equally at home at the helm for the Cape Flattery Race.

More information on the short handed divisions in Swiftsure can be found here http://2012.swiftsure.org/race/notice-of-race/ .  The 2012 Swiftsure Race runs May 26-28 and the deadline for entering is fast approaching.

The Swiftsure Steering Committee has issued Amendment #4 to the Notice of Race for the Swiftsure Inshore Classic.

The area for the race course has been enlarged to ensure that faster boats, such as multihulls, will have a full day of racing on May 26^th.  As stated in the NOR for the Swiftsure Inshore Classic the course will be determined after consideration of the weather prediction and tidal currents, and signaled from the race committee boats at the start line. The finish is unchanged and will be in Cadboro Bay near the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.

Today the Swiftsure Steering Committee issued Amendments #2 and #3 to the Notice of Race.

Amendment #2 amends Racing rule 52.

• Boats entered as a Double-Handed crew in any of the three long courses are allowed to use autopilot mechanisms.
• Boats entered as a Single-Handed crew in the Swiftsure Inshore Classic are allowed to use autopilot mechanisms.

 Amendment #3 amends NOR #16 pertaining to Insurance.

If you are interested in crewing on a sailboat in Swiftsure register in our crew bank.  Ensure you include information about all of your sailing experience so skippers who are looking at this Crew Bank will be able to determine whether you will meet their needs for crew.

Introduction

Since 1930, one of Swiftsure’s many challenges has to been to communicate up to date race information from the yachts on the water to the on shore public.  In the early years, many frantic duels between boats and strategic shifts in the fleet went unreported until the race was officially over.  Protests aside, actual events of the race were typically verified (or embellished) by race participants and crew.

In 1931, during the second Swiftsure yacht race the first known communication reports were successfully transmitted – from the Swiftsure lightship to the Gonzales Wireless Station.

For many years, dedicated Committee members dreamed of the day when on shore race enthusiasts and the general public would be able to enjoy up to date radio reports of the Swiftsure race

Swiftsure 1952 saw the first use of radio reports to apprise the public of yacht positions and race progress.  It was the result of discussions between Andy Wright and Humphrey Golby. They collaborated with Dr. Ben Nickells, a local ham operator who suggested sending a radio signal from one of the lead yachts (L’Apache) and he would then monitor the band from his home set.

At the time, the L’Apache had the best possible communication equipment of the day.  Because wave lengths weren’t available to yachts, Golby and Wright had to use the common band, popularly known as the “fisherman’s band”, which was extremely crowded.  The noise and racket of fishermen and tugboats made it impossible to get a word in edgewise, let alone report race results.

In 1955, Swiftsure race coverage expanded when Harold Elworthy’s Island Tug and Barge Company generously provided tugboats during the race for the press.  Humphrey Golby delivered regularly scheduled VHF radio reports to a local HAM radio operator who then directly relayed them to CKDA, a local radio station for live broadcast.

In that same year, the former Eaton’s department store display window (at the corner of Douglas and View Street) was set up as “Swiftsure Headquarters” where a large map of the racecourse was installed and the progress of the race was monitored by moving miniature boats along the race course.

1973 marked the year that Swiftsure entered the “age of computers”.  Despite this new technology, results were slow to appear as information was delivered by hand to the University of Victoria and then laboriously key punched.

In 1993, Swiftsure ventured onto the “internet”, with race results electronically tabulated to the point of accurately predicting the winners even before all yachts have crossed the finish line.

Starting in 2004 the Swiftsure Information Centre was established at Ship Point. The Swiftsure Information Centre was comprised of a group of volunteers who made use of VHF listen-only radio, cell phone calls to skippers on the water, and computers for immediate input to report the race progress to the public, via www.swiftsure.org and Shaw Cable TV.  This team of volunteers also interviewed skippers and crew members to write stories about their Swiftsure race experience.

To ensure safety for all participants and provide accurate information for spectators the 2010 Swiftsure Race Committee’s joined forces with Globalstar and West Marine to provide state-of-the-art SPOT 2 units that were carried aboard all long-course yachts to provide race tracking information. From these units, data was collected from the yachts, including position, speed, and course, and downloaded every 10 minutes to the Swiftsure web site: tracker.swiftsure.org/

Through advances in technology, combined with the dedication of the Swiftsure Race Committee, Swiftsure Race Tracking has come a long way in terms of communicating race results in a timely manner, engaging the public more effectively, responding to emergencies more efficiently and ensuring the safety of all race participants.

For Swiftsure 2012, there is a significantly improved version of the 2011 Race Tracker software in terms of functionality, immediate access and operational use. The improved Race Tracker system can now be used for other sports and non-racing events.

The Author would like to acknowledge literary and research contributions from Donna Randall and the authors of “Swiftsure: The First Fifty Years” – Humphrey Golby & Shirley Hewitt.

Many of this year’s Swiftsure racers flexed their physical and mental muscle last weekend in the first of the Triple Crown Races (a best of 3 series consisting of Patos Island, Round Salt Spring and Swiftsure). The Patos Island Race organized by Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club started with clear blue skies, 16 knot winds and brilliant sunshine, which resulted in many early rounding times.  Patches of light wind presented challenges for both long and short course boats as night fell on the return leg.

The Ross 30, Emma, skippered by Olympic sailor Eric Jespersen took first place in the long race, while Roger Aubin’s C&C 24, Annie scooped first in the short race.

Followed by the Round Saltspring Race on May 18^th, culminating with the Swiftsure International, the Triple Crown is awarded to the best placed boat from all three races.

Roger Aubin has won the Triple Crown once before and talks with respect and his usual big heart as he looks forward to this year’s Swiftsure. Roger speaks of Swiftsure volunteers who treat you like a rock star, skippers of boats big and small who are inclusive rather than exclusive, and the challenge of the Juan de Fuca Strait.  “Swiftsure is a game of chance and a ton of skill” he says “All we can do is put ourselves in the best situation to do well and hope for the best. What a race!”

Want to win Swiftsure?  Better Brush Up on the Currents!!

Here are some great aids for planning your winning strategy in this year’s Swiftsure International Yacht Race

Dr. Richard Dewey, of the University of Victoria has prepared a series of tidal current charts which cover every 90 minutes from 0900 May 26th to 1800 May 27^th.

Also included in this link are the Canadian Hydrographic Service’s tidal currents for Race Passage, Juan de Fuca East, Juan de Fuca West/Entrance, Victoria, and Port Renfrew.

Any questions about the current charts can be addressed to Dr Richard Dewey, when he presents a brief summary on tidal currents at the Skipper’s meeting at 13:30 Friday afternoon, May 25, 2012 Club 9ONE9 in the Strathcona Hotel.

Introduction

During the weekend of May 26th hundreds of boats and their sailors will disappear over the horizon as they compete in the 2012 Swiftsure International Yacht Race. In the past, those wishing to watch the boats as they traversed the open ocean and it’s hazards could only do so with their imagination. In recent years this is no longer the case as fans of the Swfitsure have successfully accessed the Race Tracker to watch the races online and the progress of each boat in real time. With 2012, there is a much-improved version of the Race Tracker software and Swiftsure International Yacht Race has become practically a spectator sport.

Expanding Access

The ability of Race Tracker to present live Swiftsure races has allowed the popularity of the race to expand from what might have been an audience restricted to the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the United States. The Race Tracker is very popular; users from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Mexico and even as far as Turkey and China logged on to watch the races. Where once one could only follow the races by listening to a local Victoria radio station for updates, now people from across the world can live out Swiftsure’s races live through Race Tracker.

Nothing But a Team Thing

As an ongoing development project, the Race Tracker could not have been built without the continued focus and dedication of a small team led by Alec Matthews.  Alongside Alec, Ken Kowalsky, Dennis McMillan, Chris Charlson, Kevin Sales and Robert Johnson worked together at opposite ends of the country to bring this important project to successful launches in the past two years.

Combining their expertise in programming, web design, database management and project management Alec and his team bridged the gap in time and space by utilizing Skype, email and the occasional phone call to keep each other on task and on time.  This often meant late night hours for Alec from his home in St. Johns, Newfoundland as he communicated with his team back on the west coast.

 Over the Past Two Years

Their hard work has meant that over the past few years the Race Tracker has undergone a complete re-write of the system, re-designing and building a core system which moves data stored on transponders located on every boat to a database, and then on to Swiftsure’s website for immediate access by the public.

Rebuilding the latest version of the Race Tracker required an approach which asked important questions.  What does it need it do? What functionality is required? What systems requirements are necessary and what should it look like for the public to access and use with confidence?  To each of these questions answers were vetted with racers and operations staff and with the support of the Swiftsure management team.  Once these questions were answered, the development work proceeded.

Functionality that Gives Users Immediate Access

With its beginnings as a simple grid-data system, the new and interactive Swiftsure Race Tracker system is remarkably evolved. In its present form, the Race Tracker is comprised of multiple technologies working together to allow users from all over the world to track the Swfitsure races and participating boats from the comfort of their own homes.

The system begins with a SPOT GPS transponder located on each boat, which communicates its position every 10 minutes to the Globalstar satellite network used by Swiftsure. From here the information is sent to a database server and then onto Swiftsure’s Race Tracker software.  The Race Tracker software then displays the location of the boats in a Google maps-based layout that allows the public to track Swiftsure live. Now, not only can Swfitsure fans watch any and every race but also the Race Tracker allows them to track individual and multiple boats as well as to select favorites that they can track at any time during the race.

 Operational Use

The Race Tracker provides three major benefits: safety, public access, and race management.  Transponders on every boat linked to the Race Tracker software provide an important safety net for sailors out on the water.  In cooperation with the Coast Guard and other authorities, Swiftsure is able to relay information via the Race Tracker when safety issues arise.  Even when a boat retires from a race for non-emergency reasons and is removed from public view on the Swiftsure website, the Race Tracker is still able to track the course of the boat and relay that information to the race authorities.

As a resource to the public the Race Tracker provides, via the Internet, ongoing access to the various Swiftsure races.  Followers worldwide can see the location of every boat, follow their tactical maneuvers as well as receive updated status of the various races.  Online viewers can cheer on their favorite crews as comfortably as from their armchairs in their favourite room at home.

The Race Tracker is also a race management tool.  It provides the Swiftsure Race Officer with information when the boats are approaching various rounding marks and as they near the finish line (an imaginary line across the race course) ensures that the finishing crew can establish preliminary results which are then posted immediately to the Swiftsure website.

Future Development

Other regattas employed the Race Tracker in 2011 including Southern Straits, Patos Island, Van Isle 360, and Northern Century. It will be used again in 2012 for races in the Pacific Northwest. So far Patos Island, Southern Straits, Northern Century, and Round the County races have signed on.  And more are interested in using this system.  Given the cost of operating this system it is only financially feasible if used for a large number of races.

Beyond these races there are other yacht clubs in the Canadian and American west coast which have expressed interest. It is also possible for unique non-racing events to use the system.  A family on a trip to the Queen Charlotte Islands could allow other family and friends to track and monitor their trip.  Outdoors sports such as snowmobile races and geo-caching are already utilizing a similar process. But the Race Tracker system goes one step further than a basic GPS system by allowing an audience to follow the event live. Ultimately, the Race Tracker has the potential for many uses beyond sailing, whether for commercial or for recreational sport.  In the meantime, the focus is on providing audiences across the globe with access to Swiftsure 2012 via the Race Tracker System.

Conclusion

When all the boats are lined up at their starting positions on Saturday, May 26^th the Race Tracker will also be in position.  For online viewers worldwide the website www.swiftsure.org will provide ongoing and immediate feedback on the status of each boat as well as all of the various races.  Once the race has started, log on, go to the Race Tracker, and follow your favorite crew!

Look for the Race Tracker icon on the home page!

Night Runner, which finished 1^st in the Swiftsure Lightship Classic last year, is back to defend her title. This beautiful Perry 42 is the feature boat on the Swiftsure 2012 poster, below.

Swiftsure 2012 will be Skipper Doug Fryer’s 43rd Swiftsure!

You can now re-live Swiftsure 2011.

The Race Tracker enables you to re-play the routes taken by the competitors in the 2011 Swiftsure International Yacht Race. You select the Yachts you want to see race, select the View button, start the race, and enjoy.

Some racers have already used this together with knowledge of what were the currents and winds during the race to try to figure out why the winners won and they did not. The winners are also able to watch and be proud.

Today the Swiftsure Steering Committee has issued Amendment #1 to the Notice of Race.

This amendment modifies point #13.1 by adding that “If a division of less than five boats is established [by special decision of the Race Committee], a prize will be awarded for first place in that division.”

The Chair of the Swiftsure Race, Vern Burkhardt, said this amendment has been made to encourage skippers who are considering entering a single- or double-handed crew. If only one yacht registers to do the Swiftsure Lightship Classic course as a double-handed crew, for example, we would want to let them race this course and be recognized for racing in their division as well as being rated in the overall standings among the yachts going to Swiftsure Bank. The same reasoning applies to all the other Swiftsure courses.

“We have been told by a number of racers that they would like to see double-handed racing for the three distance courses and single-handed for the Swiftsure Inshore Classic. We think this Amendment will encourage interested skippers to register and be able to make plans to be at the start line on May 26th.”

In 1962, the Swiftsure Committee created the Juan de Fuca race for yachts that were too small to comfortably complete the 137 mile Swiftsure Lightship Classic. With only 4 entries at its inception, the Juan de Fuca race grew quickly during the 1970’s and had 36 boats in 2011.

Even at just over half the distance of the big race (79.5 nautical miles), the Juan de Fuca race requires similar boat preparation and crew training. It also allows sailors to compete within sight of the big boats on the long outward beat through Race Passage, then round the mark in Clallam Bay and finish within a reasonable time (often as the bigger boats roar home from Swiftsure Bank).

The race immediately developed its own brand of strategy and tactics and has always been closely contested. For example, deciding when to head across Juan de Fuca strait becomes more critical when there’s less time to make up for an error in judgment. In addition, while the original “family cruiser/motley crew” flavour of the Juan de Fuca race still remains, technological and design advances have brought sport boats and multihulls into the fray with changes in tactics and impressive results. The Juan de Fuca race has evolved into a premiere overnight distance race that features many one-design and boat-to-boat battles. This makes for exciting starts, close finishes at the line and heartbreaking results on correction.

The Juan de Fuca race offers a variety of sailors the chance to enjoy all the festivities and social aspects of race weekend and participate in a sanctioned Swiftsure race with a manageable commitment in time and money. In addition to strengthening ties between clubs and across borders, many competitors look forward to the Juan de Fuca race as an opportunity to renew old friendships and rivalries. This year the Juan de Fuca race will offer singlehanded and double handed categories to recognize those particular challenges.

For more information on the history of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race; including photos, past results, trophies and records visit:
www.swiftsure.org

Looking for the latest scoop on the 2012 Swiftsure International Yacht Race? Your Swiftsure Committee is holding an informal information meeting in the West Marine rigging shop in Seattle on Saturday February 4th from 1600 to 1800 hrs. It is located upstairs above the West Marine store at 1275 Westlake Avenue North, Seattle.

We invite you to come by for a chat and to learn all the latest happenings for Swiftsure 2012.  We have lots of new information to share, including the new inshore classic race and solo and double handed divisions.

We also want to hear from you about what we can do better or differently to improve the Swiftsure experience for you
Whether you have raced in Swiftsure before or are looking to enter for the first time we would look forward to seeing you there.

The Swiftsure Steering Committee will be represented by Vern Burkhardt (Chair), Bobbi Campbell, Bruce Campbell, Heather Brazier, and Nigel Martin.

Vern Burkhardt

Chair