When one of the sport?s most extreme events for beach cat sailors gets underway on May 9th, over 20 intrepid teams will hit the starting line off Ft. Lauderdale, FL., bound for Virginia Beach, VA., by way of 11 different stopovers. The line-up of entries portends some heated competition and strong rivalries. Defending champion and seven-time entrant Randy Smyth is teaming up with all-round competitor Cam Lewis for this 1000-mile odyssey. At 45 and 43 respectively, Smyth and Lewis are two of the oldest competitors in the event. They?ll have their hands full with competition from perennial favorite Aussies Brett Dryland and Rod Waterhouse, and the Olympic Tornado racing team of Johnnie Lovell and Charlie Ogletree. This year, the event returns to a one-design format and will be sailed in Inter 20s for the first time. Another first in this 17th running of the event will be the advent of a woman skipper. Susan Kornzenieski of Liverpool, NY., is teaming up with Davis Murray of St. Thomas, USVI.