Nauti Chicas win Caroline Starr trophy!!

With a corrected time of 28:5:00 the Nauti Chicas won the Caroline Starr trophy for the best performance of an all-female crew in the 125-mile Newport to Ensenada yacht race! For more details, read the news reports in the San Diego Union Tribune and NOSA website.

Next stop: Ensenada!

The Nauti Chicas will compete in the 61st annual Newport to Ensenada Race, this Friday April 25. The 125nm race is one of the largest and longest-running international yacht races, with over 400 boats entered.

Our team aboard the J/35 Predator includes owner/co-skipper Terri and navigator/co-skipper Sue, Barb, Jennifer, Su and Betsy. Pray for wind and check for race news HERE.

May 20 - Lin & Larry Pardey speak ...

Uber-cruisers Lin & Larry Pardey are the guest speakers at the LB&LAWSA - aka SAILING CHICKS - meeting Tues. May 20 at Seal Beach YC. For tickets to see their talk on "The Compelling Power of Adventure" click HERE or contact our own Judy Rae.

DON'T WORRY, BE NAUTI

All-gal team says ‘Nothing to worry about!’
in 800nm race to Cabo

OCEANSIDE, CA – The J/35 Predator, hailing from Oceanside and Dana Point Yacht Clubs, was erroneously reported as DNF in the Balboa Yacht Club Corona Del Mar to Cabo San Lucas Yacht Race.

BYC Cabo Race PRO Doug Campbell explained that Predator was inadvertently lumped in with three retired boats, instead of designated as "still racing" at press time. "Certainly Predator finished the race and I apologize to all the many Predator supporters and fans," said Campbell. "They are a helluva group!"

At one point during the race, Predator’s skipper/navigator Sue Senescu, a four-time Transpac veteran, wrote from the race course, “The weather and sea conditions were more than anticipated but our crew handled them perfectly. The most detrimental thing to our performance has been the complete shredding of our heaviest kite.” The team, known as the Nauti Chicas, had been clocking 10+ knots of boat speed in 25-30 knot winds and big seas until they blew up their heavy spinnaker in the early hours of March 30. Subsequently they tallied an average Speed Over Course of 6.11 knots for the race (reflecting the lack of a suitable spinnaker) while their D-class rivals logged 7 to 8.2 knots.

Responding to reports that the J/35 was ‘struggling’ and comments that other racers were ‘worried about them’ the crew laughed it off. “Although we are the last of the boats to sail into the finish line, our spirits our high!” said Senescu. “We’re disappointed with our results, but very proud of our team and our boat, the second smallest and second highest rater I believe in the fleet.” The Cabo Race was the inaugural long-distance offshore race for four of the six crew: yacht owner Terri Manok, Helena Cannady, Denise Eldredge and Judy Rae Karlsen.

Meanwhile three other race boats – Muneca, Aeolos, and Bad Pak – were forced to retire due to gear failures in the heavy seas and windy conditions.

Predator’s six-woman team finished Wednesday evening April 2, with an elapsed time of 127:07:16 -- well within the published cut-off time of noon April 4. “We had two full days of barbecues, swimming, snorkeling and working on our fantastic tans before celebrating with our friends at the trophy presentation Friday,” said crewmember and Transpac veteran Betsy Crowfoot.

Next on the agenda for the Nauti Chicas is the Newport to Ensenada Race, and all-women one-design regattas in Puerto Vallarta and Long Beach.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Cabo Pics

A smattering of Cabo Race photos are available here on Shutterfly. Enjoy!

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Thank you everyone...

Thanks John for keeping everyone posted while we are recovering poolside. Haha. We had a wonderful crowd to welcome us at the finish, all giving us huge cheers and serving great food and beverage dockside. Then we moved our operation to a set of casitas on the beach north of Cabo that belong the the Montage Corporation. Terri's Husand Tom is one of the a manager of a new resort they are building here and these houses are used for the management team. Aweseome semi private beach/cove, pool, maid service, just absolutely awesome and so relaxing after so much stress/excitement.Tonight we are going to a race party, then having dinner back here with close family and friends, and then tomorrow night is the Trophy Dinner. Sat we go home.
Thank you everyone for your enthusiasm and support. We are definitely doing this race next year. The feeling of taking the challenge and just the accomplishment is "something special" that we all will never forget.We plan to put together a slide show or something so share with everyone later.
Sue and the Chicas