Clarke and O Canada prepare for Pacific Racing

by Lynn Fitzpatrick on 12 Dec 2010 Richard Clarke and Philippe Kahn were the first to finish overall and doublehanded in the 2007 Transpac and the 2008 Pacific Cup in an Open 50. The 2001/01 Volvo Ocean Race helmsman/trimmer is spicing up his 2011 big boat and Olympic sailing programs with offshore racing in the Pacific this spring and summer. This season’s flavor is an Open 60.

Wind Athletes Canada launched the Open 60, O Canada, formerly Derek Hatfield’s Spirit of Canada, in the beginning of 2010. A team of Canadian Olympic sailing team members rounded out their sail boarding and dinghy racing experience by training with New Zealanders Can Slater, Edward Smyth and Allan West. With Clarke at the helm, the team took line honours in the2010 Auckland to Fiji Race in May. In August O Canada started its trek toward Southern California.

Like a new build being moved from the shed to the water for the first time, O Canada had to wait five days for its pre-dawn police escort from the port of Long Beach to The Boatyard in Marina del Rey.

As skipper and team manager, Clarke led the effort to get the boat race-ready in Marina del Rey. It only took four hours on a travel lift to install the rudders and the keels. It took another two days for the team to dress the rig, step the mast and rig the boat. They followed all of the work with a three-hour sea trial/sail testing.

'Right now, she is on the hard with the sails and gear stripped down so that she can be measured,' said Richard Clarke. 'The first race on her schedule is the Islands Race in March. The boat will be very active throughout the season with the Cabo Race, Border Run, Newport to Ensenada Race, Coastal Cup and Transpac. We’re sure that we’ll be in good company.'

'Tyler (Bjorn) and I have a lot on,' said Clarke. 'We’re enjoying cross-training in so many different boats – Vela Velocé, the TP52, the Open 60 and the Star. It’s paying off. Tyler was just named Quebec Sailor of the Year and all of this sailing is making us more fit and it’s helping our communications skills.'

As Clarke completed his work in Southern California, Bjorn was en route to Florida to finish re-rigging the recently fared PStar with all of the line supplied by Yale Cordage. 'We’re excited about replacing our sheets with Yale Cordage’s new Ph.D. and we are looking forward to sailing the Star in Miami this winter,' said Bjorn.

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