PacRim NEWS – The latest info!
HISTORY
In 1988 Bellingham’s Soviet Union sister city, Nakhodka, sent a 40-foot racing boat KAPITAN PANAEV (”Pin-eye-Ev”) to participate in local races and in the Swiftsure Classic. The visit resulted from a six-year negotiation by the sponsor, Bellingham Cold Storage, and a Whatcom County delegation. The boat and crew remained for six weeks.
Unfortunately, the Soviet boat suffered damage in a collision during pre-Swiftsure maneuvering and could not participate in that race. It was a very successful visit, however. The crew of seven under Captain Victor Bukhalsky made many good friends and thoroughly enjoyed their time in Bellingham. During an emotional farewell, the Soviet crew unanimously vowed to return and invited a BYC boat to visit Nakhodka.
In 1989, the reciprocal visit occurred when eight yachtsmen, 12 teenagers, and three counselors went to Nakhodka for three weeks of camping and racing. Then, in 1990, a group of youngsters from Nakhodka came here to the Four Winds Camp on Orcas Island, Members of the Bellingham Yacht Club and the Bellingham Sister Cities organization felt that in light of participants from Tateyama, Japan and Nakhodka, Russia being in Bellingham, that a yacht race was a wonderful idea. This first race named the International Pacific Rim Invitational Regatta (PRIR), put teams from Bellingham, Japan and Russia onto Bellingham Bay in donated boats for ‘Round the Buoy’ races, and long distance races from Bellingham to Victoria BC, and from Victoria to Seattle. Along the way, hosted events by the people and clubs (Bellingham Yacht Club) from Bellingham, Victoria (Royal Victoria Yacht Club) and Seattle (Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle) allowed everyone to celebrate the differences in our cultures. The Russian team was one of the first cultural exchanges under Gorbachev and marked unprecedented cooperation between the US and Russia. The Russian training ship the “Palada“ was docked in Seattle for the Goodwill Games and it’s crew included the daughter of the skipper of the Russian team. The PRIR teams then escorted “Palada” to Bellingham for a formal visit.
The success of this endeavor was so great, it was decided to repeat the event bi-annually, moving the venue from sister city to sister city andThe Pacific Rim Regatta (PacRim) was formed.
This mutual partnership between the Bellingham Yacht Club and the Bellingham Sister Cities organization, continues today. During the biannual event participants travel to the hosting country and are home stayed, there are typically 5 days of racing, and social events specific to each city are held, awards are presented and gifts are exchanged. Everyone participating enjoys the friendships created. The regatta charter allows 20 people (crew and ambassadors) from each country. Including the host organizers and volunteers, several hundred people participate in this event.
Bellingham Pacific Rim participants
2008 Tateyama Japan -
Team: Joe Bartlett, Karen Callery, Al Callery, Richard Veach, Terry Tavelli, Mike Poulos
Ambassadors: John and Patty Gargett, Marlene Bolster, Carol Veach, Jane Sylvester, Betsy Bierer, Bob and Carol Snowball, Dawn Durand, Marty and Gail Haines
PacRim 2006 – Tauranga, New Zealand 2006 Results
Team: Joe Bartlett (skipper), Marlene Bolster, Karen Callery, Alan Callery, Dawn Durand, Jack Gerity, Charlie Guildner, Larry Jones
Alternate: Terry Tavelli
Ambassadors: Don and Pat Danglemaier, Alicia Guildner, Ken and Char Malseed, Quinn and Roberta Selsor, Jim McCabe, Lisa Megard, Shari Jones, Tristan Chaffee.
2004 Nakhodka, Russia – Cetus Design 45′ Full Head Rig Sloop
Team: Joe Bartlett (skipper), Dawn Durand, Dean Headstrom, Quinn Selsor III, Steve Racich (CYC), “Mac” Madenwald (AYC), Wendy Gray (AYC), and Mel and Barbara Davidson
Ambassadors: Quinn Selsor, Sandra Zell, Stow, Remy and Nina Talbot
2002 Bellingham, WA - J36
Team: (missing list)
2000 – Port Stephens Australia – J24
Team: Karen Callery, Al Callery, Dave Steffan, Jack Gerity, Dawn Durand, Ray Poorman, Marlene Bolster, Rich & Carol Veach (several others… missing here..)
1998 Victoria, Canada
Team: Keith McLean, Raymond Nelson, Wendy Gray, Dawn Durand, Dave Steffan, and Larry Jones
1996 Taraunga, New Zealand
Team: Richard & Carol Veach, Al & Karen Callery, Joe Bartlett, Bob Warner (missing)
1994 Tateyama, Japan
Team: Jack Kirkbride, Ed Goodhope, Mike Demann, Steve Racich (missing)
1992 Port Stephens, Australia
Team: Dick Johnson, Bell? (missing)
1990 Bellingham, USA
Team: Tom White, Marty Haines (missing)