After the Race: RC44s in San Diego

The high performance RC44 sloops raced across San Diego Bay last week. Russian team Katusha, led by former San Diegan Paul Cayard, won the splash-worthy event. I enjoyed meeting Rod Davis, a former Coronado Yacht Club junior sailor, Olympic gold medalist, and America's Cup competitor. If you missed the race, pack your sail bag and head to Lake Traunsee in Austria, the next stop on the RC44 international tour.

I liked watching the sailors manipulate the wind, influencing the sails to form a pregnant curve. However, the quiet moments after the race appealed to me most. The sloops slid into the harbor and rested beside each other. The light softened, the air cooled, and the sails wilted and collapsed. I watched the teams roll the crinkly white sheets on the pier, hose the deck, and tie serpentine knots around cleats.

I snapped this photo of an RC44 team member on a line, soothing his boat to rest after a day of white-capped adrenaline. To me, the beauty in racing is watching sailors respect the vessels that play with wind.

Sailor Tends to a Resting RC44  at Broadway Pier, San Diego
(Awesomely amateur photo credit: Carrie Keyes)

* Interested in RC 44s? Watch the promotional video here: