FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
by Rich Roberts

Honolulu Hawai`i (July 17, 1999) - Pyewacket's Zan Drejes won the Don Vaughn Memorial award as the outstanding crew member and owner/skipper Roy E. Disney turned the clock ahead at the awards banquet for the 40th Transpacific Yacht Race Friday night.

TPYC Commodore L.J. Edgcomb assisted Disney in adjusting the settings on the new Elapsed Time Record Trophy created by sculptor Andrea Favilli. Pyewacket lowered the old Pyewacket's record to 7 days 11 hours 41 minutes 27 seconds.

Earlier, Edgcomb opened the evening by announcing a second radio contact with Vapor, the two-man, 25-foot boat from Long Beach that was out of touch for 16 days until approaching the islands. Early Friday evening Vapor reported a position 95 nautical miles from the finish line and was expected to finish early Saturday afternoon.

Drejes' award was voted by his crewmates. Other selected honorees:

-- The Steven Newmark Seamanship Trophy went to the crew of Wendy Siegal's Cal 40 Willow Wind, which reconstructed a broken boom in mid-ocean to retain third place in the Cruising division.

--The Clare Lang Memorial Trophy for volunteer service was awarded to Doug Vann, webmaster of the race web page.

--The Farthest North Trophy was presented to Zephyrus IV, noting that boat's course far off the track of most of the fleet that cost it the early lead.

Navigator Mark Rudiger accepted the distinction in good grace. "The crew thought I should come up and accept this award," he said. "I guess they thought I had something to do with it."

Other awards were automatic, according to finishing positions. The audience, including crews of Pyewacket and other high-profile entries, gave its greatest ovation to Les Vasconcellos and Bruce Burgess, the Waikiki Yacht Club crew of Two Guys On the Edge that made the most of a head start and led all boats for two-thirds of the race.

Navigator awards were presented to Stan Honey of Pyewacket, Patrick O'Brien of Lahaina YC's Grand Illusion, the overall corrected time winner; Gerry Swinton of St Francis YC's Gone With the Wind, Div. 3 winner; Al Garnier of Los Angeles YC's Great Scot, Div. 4 winner; skipper Kim Stebbens of Hurricane from Seattle's Sloop Tavern YC, winner of the Cruising division, and Vasconcellos, for Two Guys On the Edge win in the Doublehanded division.

The final award-Tail-End Charlie-was to be presented to Bill Boyd and Scott Atwood of Vapor upon their arrival as the last of 31 finishers.

Photos, e-mail from boats, daily progress and position reports, charts, crew lists and other information are available on the race web page.

The 40th Transpac was sponsored by Iridium North America, the world's first global telephone and paging company. Several boats were carrying the phones and used them successfully in regular communications during the race. Through a constellation of 66 low-earth-orbit satellites circling the globe, customers can make or take calls and receive pages in the most remote regions on Earth. Additional information regarding the Iridium system is available at the web site or by calling 1-888-Iridium.

Arrival Party Photos are at http://holoholo.org/transpac/99arrivals/