RB Sailing: Kenwood Cup 1988

The Maxis on the charge in reaching conditions off Hawaii - Sorcery leads Il Moro di Venezia, Ondine VII and Matador

This post features a selection of great photographs by Sharon Green (Ultimate Sailing) that capture some of the action during the 1988 Kenwood Cup held in Hawaii. A total of 45 yachts entered the regatta, which was the sixth biennial sailing of the Hawaii International Ocean Racing Series. Competitors came from Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The series was a combination of the Maxi World Championship, the Champagne Mumm World Cup and the Kenwood Cup, all rolled into a single event. Given its status, the regatta featured the biggest fleet of Maxis ever assembled in the Pacific, and included Congere, Emeraude, Il Moro di Venezia, Kialoa, Matador, Ondine VII, Ragamuffin, Sovereign, Windward Passage II and Winterhawk (ex-Ceramco New Zealand). It was also the first series in which a team from the United Kingdom would compete in the Cup, consisting of the yachts Indulgence VI, Juno and Yeoman XXVII.

Action aboard Maxi yacht Ondine VII

The Olympic triangle races again proved to be the most exciting part of the series as the steady tradewinds in the 20-knot range assured excellent racing conditions. Unfortunately Kialoa was dismasted during practice and was unable to compete agains the stellar fleet assembled in Hawaii. The two new fractionally-rigged Maxis, Il Moro di Venezia and Windward Passage II were clearly faster than their older masthead rigged rivals. It was, however, the smaller yachts that lead the fleet on handicap as Irv Loube's One Tonner Bravura (US) sailed to three first places in the Olympic triangle races to win the Hawaii Silver Jubilee Trophy. The Australian One Tonner Sagacious V was hot on his heels with two second paces, but fell off the pace in the third triangle race.

Bravura leads her One Ton rivals around a wing mark during one of the Olympic triangle races

No records were set in the Molokai Race due to the prevalence of light winds resulting from a tropical disturbance south of Hawaii. The race started in moderate trade winds of 10-12 knots which would drop to five knots by the morning. Windward Passage II was leading the fleet by 15 minutes at the turning mark and although she then sailed into a hole just before the finish line, she managed to protect their line honours position by just two minutes from Sorcery. The smaller yachts were left becalmed off Molokai's North Shore and the overall winner on corrected time was Jubilation, from Santa Barbara, while Bravura faltered with an 11th place to fall behind Sagacious V by five points in the top individual yacht standings.

A close start amongst the One Tonners, with (amongst others obscured) Once a Jolly Swagman leading Sagacious V, Seikaiha, Kaitaro IV, Ultimate Challenge, General Hospital, Bravura and Black Jack

The Around the State Race was also sailed in lighter than normal winds which again meant that no records would be set. Windward Passage II continued to show her impressive form as she lead the fleet around the course finishing over six hours ahead of the Australian Maxi Sovereign. Sagacious V relinquished her hold on the overall honours after retiring with rigging problems. Bravura put in an excellent performance by finishing second behind Chicago yacht Insatiable, and secured overall individual honours and the King Kamehameha Trophy.

Insatiable (fifth overall and first overall in Class D)

In the team competition for the Kenwood Cup, the Australia Red Team of Great News, Sagacious V and The Esanda Way, and the USA Red Team of Bravura, Champosa V and Insatiable established their early dominance for the coveted trophy. However it was the Australia Red Team that were finally able to narrowly win the Cup by just five points.