Mike Pentecost

SAILING AND YACHT RACING

Mike has lived his whole life in San Pedro, California; attending White Point ES, Dana MS, and San Pedro HS. He has been sailing since age 4. Mike’s racing career started in the late 70’s and has included extensive amateur and professional sailing events around the world. It first started with local offshore sailing at LA Yacht Club in a very popular series called the Whitney, which would go around the Channel Islands. His first big opportunity was to do a Transpac Race in 1985 with an all-star crew. That one race would change the rest of his life. He would go on to do 17 Transpac Races from Los Angeles to Honolulu, and one race from Victoria, Canada to Maui.

Mike has been fortunate to have the opportunity to sail for great boat owners, running outstanding racing programs all over the world. Crew members and other competitors have become life-long friends. In his 50-year career, he has participated in some of the world’s most-famous yacht races, including the America’s Cup Challenge. Mike has also sailed on the World Match Racing Circuit in Europe, and won the 1987 Grundig World Cup event in France.

Some of his ocean racing highlights include winning the Transpac Barn Door trophy, winning line honors in the Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro race, sailing the Sydney Hobart race, and numerous victories on both American coasts, Mexico, and in the BVI series in the Virgin Islands.

Mike has also sailed smaller boats throughout the United States and Canada. Highlights include multiple Congressional Cup regattas, sailing the Laser Master World Championships in Brazil, winning the Martin 242 Nationals 4 times, and many victories in the Viper 640 Class.

Mike is a proud member of the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club. He retired 2024 from a 45-year career with the ILWU, as a Crane Operator. He has been blessed to grow up in San Pedro and still loves the area. It has some of the best sailing in the world, with Catalina Island as a world class destination.