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By Karina Sandhu, SDYC
The final leg of the 2026 California Offshore Race Week proved to be a test of patience, persistence, and tactical decision-making as 25 boats set out from Santa Barbara for the SoCal 300. The SoCal 300 currently spans approximately 234 nautical miles, carrying competitors from the waters off Santa Barbara, through the Channel Islands, and south to San Diego.
The race began Thursday, May 28, near Point Castillo and Santa Barbara Yacht Club, with competitors crossing the start line under light conditions. Boats were tasked with navigating across the commercial shipping lanes for LA and between Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands before continuing south, leaving the ODAS 46047 weather buoy to port and ultimately finishing off San Diego. SDYC’s Waterfront Director Jeff Johnson reflects on the origins of the SoCal 300 course stating “The SoCal course was a bit of a resurrection of the older ‘Bishop Rock Race’ SDYC ran during the early 2000’s. It was added to the lineup of events for boats racing down the coast in the Spinnaker Cup and Coastal Cup. Adding the third event to connect sailors to San Diego as the final leg was a great way to provide an event for sailors to showcase the iconic California Coast.”
The series begins with the 88 nautical mile Spinnaker Cup from San Francisco to Monterey, continues with the 205 nautical mile Coastal Cup from Monterey to Santa Barbara, and concludes with the SoCal 300’s 234 nautical mile race to San Diego.
Jeff Johnson continued stating “The SoCal was pitched as a solid all around event starting in a moderate S/SW wind for a beat/fetch out to the Channel Islands. Get there by dinner, and set the kites for a night time 102 nm downwind run in West-ish bluewater trade winds. Then turn right at the ODAS buoy between the wee hours of day 2 up until lunch for a final 107+ nm fetch/run to the finish. And new this year is a totally virtual finish line 1 nm wide on the rhumbline, but 10 nm offshore from the original finish at the San Diego Channel entrance buoy SD. So far, all the competitors have sincerely appreciated that refinement.”
Progress at the start of the SoCal 300 was slow from the outset. While the fleet typically reaches and clears the Channel Islands before sunset on the first day, the light and inconsistent breeze left boats struggling to maintain speed. The fastest competitors did not reach the island chain until 21:30 (about 5 hours slower than an average year), and by mid-morning on Friday, much of the fleet remained tightly compressed on the racecourse, moving little more than four knots.
The race turned Friday evening as a fresh breeze finally arrived, allowing competitors to regain lost ground while sailing south beneath a nearly full moon. For many crews, the change in conditions brought a welcome boost in both boatspeed and morale.
Kim Stanford, crew aboard Santa Cruz 52 Blond Fury, described the final leg of the boat’s California Offshore Race Week journey: “Last night, Blond Fury was less ‘fury’ and more ‘floating.’ The lack of wind through the islands was a reminder that we’re back in our home waters. There was some mid-watch banter about engaging the iron genoa and diverting to Avalon for Buffalo Milks. Fortunately, better judgment prevailed. We woke to a beautiful sunrise and enjoyed the race down the coast.”
As the breeze continued to oscillate through the final upwind stretch into San Diego on Saturday morning, positions shifted repeatedly across the leaderboard, leaving competitors and race trackers alike guessing who would ultimately claim first overall in the SoCal 300. Additionally, twelve boats completing the full California Offshore Race Week series carried their cumulative scores into the final leg. At the start of the SoCal 300, Zeus, the Infiniti 52 skippered by Michael Firman, held the overall lead for the California Offshore Race Week series. However, by the final race day, it was Azure skippered by Rodney Pimentel who moved into first on the last upwind leg and secured the overall California Offshore Race Week title and the SoCal 300 title, for the second year in a row.
When asked what he and his team did to secure back to back wins in varying conditions, Pimentel said “Last year was all about endurance. Because there was very little wind, it took an extra day to get here. We stuck it out and were rewarded for that. This year it was really about tactics - about keeping the boat going fast, especially with the variable winds that we had around the weather buoy. Every race is different, but it’s always fun. You just do what you can to keep the boat moving, and you hope for the best.”
The Cal 40 has had an abundance of success in this race, with Azure now winning two years in a row. They also finished 2nd overall in 2022, while another Cal 40 Nalu V won the race in 2021. The Cal 40 has done it in a variety of ways:
Commodore Alli Bell and Regatta Chair S/C Kyle Clark awarding the winning trophies to Rodney Pimentel and the crew of Azure.
The 2026 SoCal 300 and California Offshore Race Week fleet showcased a diverse cross-section of West Coast offshore racing. At one end of the spectrum was Buttercup, the Schock 35 skippered by Jack Kingston and the final remaining ORR-EZ entry, while six ORR-A competitors ranging from 52 to 68 feet represented the largest and fastest boats in the fleet. The remaining divisions included six boats in ORR-D, four in ORR-C, and three in ORR-B, with designs ranging from classic Cal 40s and Hobie 33s to modern J/99s, J/125s, and Club Swan 50s.
California Offshore Race Week would not be possible without the collective efforts of multiple clubs and sponsors including Encinal Yacht Club, St. Francis Yacht Club, Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club, Santa Barbara Yacht Club, San Diego Yacht Club, Quantum Sails, Sail Flow, and Helly Hansen.
