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Winds of 18-22 knots sent three boats in Aloha A class flying to the race's first 200 nautical mile days, led by the 2003 winner, Ross PEARLMAN's Sun Odyssey 52, Between the Sheets, from Calabasas, California, USA, at 213. However after two days of light wind, they still have not reached the warmth of the trade winds that will turn their constant pounding on the wind into a pleasant sleigh ride to Paradise.

Mark SCHRADER's Cal 40, Dancing Bear, reported, 'Like every other boat on the course, we're sprinting for the ridge of high pressure where the wind will finally clock aft, we'll hoist a spinnaker and the fun will finally begin. But that long-anticipated moment is still a good day away, at least. Comfortable it is not. The once tidy saloon of Dancing Bear looks like a train wreck.'

At least former Indy 500 campaigner Dick SIMON was no longer feeling frustrated, reporting, 'We are in 25 knots of wind and 15 foot seas, power reaching. Gotta go!'

Faster boats will follow in the Division III and IV starts today and the Division I and II starts Sunday, and the chase across the 2,225 nautical mile expanse of the eastern Pacific will be on.