The 43rd Annual Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race, sponsored by Schooner Creek Boatworks, started on Thursday, May 9 after a postponement that was waiting for the 5.5 knots ebb tide and current to begin to flow out of the Columbia River and over the Columbia River Bar just offshore. The 193-mile race started at 9:25am at Buoy 2 off the Columbia River entrance off Astoria, Oregon and finished at the entrance to Victoria, British Columbia harbor in Canada. After the start, everyone took off on starboard, heading offshore, apparently following the information gained at the skippers meeting. Wind was a light northeaster, blowing offshore at the start. As the race progressed, it appeared the predicted northwest shift would hit the fleet overnight, then the teams would have to contend with light winds in the Straits of Juan de Fuca and avoid adverse currents. The fleet enjoyed decent winds for most of the race. After rounding Cape Flattery at the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, teams sailed down to at least Clallam Bay on the USA side before heading across the Juan de Fuca Straits to the Canadian side to the north to play that shoreline into the finish at Victoria. The Portland J/105 fleet had a one-design start, producing a three-way battle between Dough Pihlaja