Fast Company sets pace in Race No. 5

LIHU‘E — Fast Company returned from her experience at the Lipton Cup Challenge on O‘ahu to lock up the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Rum Series, Race No. 5, Thursday.

Sharon Gibson, the NYC scorekeeper, said Fast Company got ahead at the start and maintained its lead throughout the race, which spanned a distance of 4.51 miles under northeast winds that ranged from 8 to 18 knots in the Nawiliwili Harbor.

“OZone narrowed the gap, but just couldn’t close it,” Gibson said. “The first three boats, Fast Company, OZone and Lelele, maintained a very tight race from start to finish.”

Gibson said the NYC Committee offered up a short-long-short course for lots of inside-the-bay viewing with the trades holding up for the duration of the race.

Fast Company pulled off its first-place finish with about a minute’s lead over OZone, crossing on an elapsed 56:26 and corrected out to 56:31 PHRF. OZone slipped across the line at 57:42 and corrected out to 57:47, followed by Lelele netting a 1:00:21 elapsed sail and correcting out to 1:00:10 PHRF.

Malihini, the 35-foot cat, crossed fourth overall on a 1:02:06 elapsed sail but corrected out to fifth place at 1:03:40 below Papa‘au, the Express 27, that crossed fifth overall on a 1:05:27 elapsed sail but corrected out to fourth place at 1:02:39 PHRF.

Coyote, a C&C 38, finished on a 1:09:07, and corrected to a 53:40 Club for first place in that division. She marked a 1:04:44 PHRF correction followed by Speedy, an Olson 30 that netted a 1:13:47 elapsed sail and correcting out to 1:13:54 PHRF.

The Rum Series features two more races and the public is invited to view the competition Thursday when the first flags fly at 5 p.m. at the jetty wall.

There is no charge to view the competition.