SoCal Mini racing

Hi all,

I've been told by the 'Pacific Singlehanded Sailing Association' (http://www.pssala.com/) that Minis will be allowed on all their 2010 races. In fact, the current proposal from the PSSA is to "allow minis under separate PSSA Classe Mini rules, which PSSA will negotiate with the US mini community". Does that sounds like racing Classe Mini style to me? :-)

The PSSA runs 10 (singlehanded and doublehanded) races through the year, being their longest and toughest one the 'Guadalupe Island Race' (sometime in March 2010). An almost 600nm race with the starting line off Marina del Rey, round Guadalupe Island (out of the coast of Baja California) to port and finish in Avalon (Catalina Island). Or, as the Commodore of PSSA describes it:

"""
The Guadalupe Race is a true test of seamanship because it is not a simple downhill slide. It involves all strengths of wind from all directions, and has the committing aspect that the turning mark is at the bottom of a very deep hole making it a climb back upwind to the finish, with few possibilities for places to bail out to make repairs. This race rewards judgement, and might punish bravado. I think it is a fabulous race, a better course than any other I know.
"""

I'll be going north from San Diego to Marina del Rey for as many PSSA races as I can. That includes Guadalupe Island Race. It'll be fantastic if we could include this traditional every-other-year race (qualifier to SHTP!) into the US Mini Class racing schedule and show a great turn out!

In fact, it'll be even better if we could all get some days out of work and put some training together in Marina del Rey the week before Guadalupe Island Race. Even Olympic sailors train together, why not Ministas?

Ok, let me know what you think,

Santi
USA-714