R acers in this year’s SEVENTY48 race fought against wind gusts that turned stretches of Puget Sound into a “frothy blender of whitecaps and low morale.”
The starting gun for …
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Racers in this year’s SEVENTY48 race fought against wind gusts that turned stretches of Puget Sound into a “frothy blender of whitecaps and low morale.”
The starting gun for the solely human-powered race rang out at 7 p.m. on June 6 in Tacoma. Racers had 48 hours to paddle, row or pedal their way 70-miles to the finish line in front of the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, according to a press release from the maritime center.
Ten hours later, Rich Long, Rob Pelkey and Dave Jensen, who made up Team Tritons, crossed the finish line in their Carbonology Triple Surfski, unseating two-time champions Beasts from the East.
At 10 hours and nine minutes, Team Tritons tied the inaugural race record and came within 34 minutes of the all-time fastest finish.
“SEVENTY48 racers don’t just chase a finish line—they chase their limits,” said Jesse Wiegel, Race Boss at the martime center. “It’s a race that proves how far the human body (and spirit) can go when it’s just muscle, water, and willpower.”
This year’s race saw wind gusts of up to 16-18 knots, prompting 40 of the 104 registered teams to pull up on beaches and wait out the winds. 77 teams made their way to Port Townsend within the 48-hour window.
Race season is officially underway in Washington.
WA360, a 360 human-and-wind-powered race around Puget Sound, starting and ending in Port Townsend, will kick off at the Maritime Center on June 28.
