Ragtime Leads San Diego-Manzanillo Race

The 62-foot Ragtime, skippered by Pat Farrah of the Long Beach Yacht Club, was setting a fast pace in the San Diego to Manzanillo race Sunday with 261 miles logged after the first 19 hours. Strong northerly winds were making it a Class A race during the early stages as the top three elapsed-time leaders were holding down overall and class handicap advantages.

Six miles behind Ragtime was Jake Wood’s 82-foot sloop Sorcery, of the California Yacht Club, with Doug Baker’s 68-foot Saga, of the Long Beach Yacht Club, two miles astern of Sorcery. The Class A leaders were reporting positions of more than 75 miles ahead of the Class B boats.

Ragtime was the first boat to finish in the inaugural 1976 race with an elapsed time of 7 days and 19 hours. Elapsed time record for the 1,100-mile race is 6 days and 2 hours, set by the 67-foot Merlin in 1978.