Each year in the fall the West Coast 70s and the Farr 40s visit Long Beach for the annual Campbell Cup, sponsored by North Sails. This Saturday and Sunday Long Beach Yacht Club will once again host this exciting and often unpredictable regatta for the fourth straight year.

Named after legendary sailor and big-boat supporter/owner, Mike Campbell, the regatta was organized by him in 2006 as the 70s Invitational. Campbell wanted to sponsor a regatta with the purpose of bringing together big boats for a fall event.

When he passed away in October of 2008 it was decided that in 2009 the Farr 40 class would be invited and the regatta would be renamed as an appropriate tribute for the regatta Campbell started.

This year carries on the tradition as the two fleets race in their own classes on an ocean course south of the Seal Beach Pier. In the past we’ve seen anywhere from light breeze and calm seas to heavy breeze and rolling seas… sometimes on the same day!

Farr 40s coming to the line this weekend will be Zoltan Katinszky’s White Knight; Ray Godwin’s Temptress; Steve Murphy’s JoAnn; Gordon Leon’s Foil; Dirk Freeland’s Skian Dhu; Rhonda Tolar’s Wild Thing; Jeff Shew and Bill Durant’s Viva La Vida and Jeff Janov’s Dark Star.

Janov comes back for his fourth straight year in the regatta with hopes of a repeat of his 2011 win. Last year in the final race of the final day between Dark Star and Skian Dhu. Janov fought hard around the course to keep in front of Freeland and held him off to clinch the regatta.

Participants in the West Coast 70 Class this year are John DeLaura’s Santa Cruz 70, Mirage; Per Peterson’s Andrews 68, Alchemy; Roy Disney and Tom Parker’s Esprit-Reichel/Pugh 68, Taxi Dancer; Brack Duker’s SC70, Holua and Edward McDowell’s SC70, Grand Illusion.

McDowell took first-place honors in this class last year with longtime crew member Patrick O’Brien at the helm.

At last year’s award ceremony, McDowell said, “Mike Campbell was a fierce competitor.  He was the one who saved our West Coast 70s and started this regatta. We all owe him a lot.”

Racing begins at 12 noon each day with three races Saturday and two on Sunday. Trophy presentations will be held at LBYC after Sunday’s racing action.

Written by: Rick Roberts

Last Updated ( Friday, 12 October 2012 )