2025 Transpacific Yacht Race officially sets sail on July 1

The countdown is on for the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race, which officially sets sail on Tuesday, July 1. The date marks the launch of the first wave of competitors on their 2,225-nautical mile journey from Los Angeles to Honolulu.

The race continues with the second group departing on Thursday, July 3, followed by the final division on Saturday, July 5.

On July 1, Divisions 7, 8, 9, and the first starters of the Multihull fleet will set sail. On July 3, Divisions 4, 5, and 6 take off. On July 5, Divisions 1, 2, 3, and the second starters of the Multihull fleet will join the race.

Celebratory events, open to the public, will be held on Oʻahu, including the Waikīkī Yacht Club award ceremony Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the Hawaiʻi Yacht Club Transpac host party on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, The Hawaiʻi Yacht Club award ceremony on Thursday, July 17, 2025, the Waikīkī Yacht Club party on Friday, July 18, 2025, and the finale, the Award Ceremony and Party at Kāneʻohe Yacht Club on Saturday, July 19, 2025.

This year, there are currently 53 racers registered, which includes three Hawaiʻi-related entries: Michael Marion’s INSOUMISE, a white Dufour 50 with an eight-person crew from the Hawaiʻi Yacht Club; Kimo Winterbottom’s HALAWA, a blue Andrews 56 with an 11-person crew from the Waikīkī Yacht Club; and TS Cal Maritime – Oaxaca, a Santa Cruz 50 with a nine-person crew, skippered by Maxwell Roth, from the California Maritime Academy Foundation.

TS Cal Maritime – Oaxaca, part of Division 5, will set sail on Thursday, July 3, representing the only collegiate team in this year’s Transpac. With a young but highly seasoned crew, Oaxaca will face off against some of the world’s top professional teams. Leading the charge is native Hawaiian and Cal Maritime alum Maxwell Roth, joined by fellow alum Django Knafo-Tomlinson, both of whom bring deep offshore experience from their college racing careers. Together with Cyrus Khaleeli (navigator) and Jacob Fisker-Andersen, they were part of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Trophy-winning teams, a rare feat in collegiate sailing. For Roth and Knafo-Tomlinson, this race is more than competition—it’s a journey home across the Pacific.

Insoumise, a Hawaiʻi-based Dufour 525, will set sail on Tuesday, July 1, as part of Division 8. One of only two local entries in this year’s race, the eight-person crew will be led by veteran skipper Frederic Berg. A lifelong sailor, Berg grew up around boats—his father built a keelboat on the shores of Lake Kivu before the family relocated to Hawaiʻi. Since then, Berg has raced with some of the region’s best, from winning the 1973 Around the State Race to a second-place finish in the 2018 Pacific Cup aboard Bacon Berger. He later claimed first in the 2019 Cal 40 division aboard Calisto and helped mentor Cal Maritime’s Transpac team in 2023. Now, Berg returns to the race as a skipper, sailing for home.

Also representing Hawaiʻi is Hālawa, a Dufour 50 competing in Division 5 and setting sail on Thursday, July 3. Skippered by Kimo Winterbottom, the boat carries an 11-person crew. Born and raised in Kāneʻohe, Kimo began sailing El Toro dinghies at age 8 and has raced extensively since he was 12. His career includes the Maxi Worlds on Kialoa 5, the US Olympic Trials in Solings, and several J/24 World Championships. Most recently, he finished third in class and 11th overall in the 2024 Pacific Cup aboard Hālawa (formerly Cipango). This race also honors the memory of Kimo’s late father, Gary “Skip” Winterbottom, a beloved figure in the sailing world, whose legacy continues with Hālawa’s journey home across the Pacific.

The Transpacific Yacht Club thanked the sponsors who have signed on to support this year’s race. Transpac 2025’s sponsors include Suntex Marinas, Freedom Financial, Whittier Trust, Reyn Spooner, Pasha Hawaiʻi, SD Boatworks, Marlow, Spinlock, Harken, California State University Maritime Academy, Marine Weather University, Cabrillo Boat Shop, SmithGroup, Garmin, Boatswain’s Locker, Yanmar, Ocean Navigator, Prince Waikīkī, Fess Parker Winery, and Third Window Brewing Co. 

News and updates for the Transpacific Yacht Race can be found at www.transpacyc.com. The race utilizes the Pasha YB Tracker to monitor boats in real time, allowing families and fans to follow the competition live. The Pasha YB Tracker for the 2025 Transpac Race is available at http