The lone American to race in 1981, who finished in Kobe, was Linda Newland in her Yamaha 33 "Spirit of Suntory". Her time was 52 days.
The record stood until Mill Valley, California multihull sailor Peter Hogg broke it in 1992 in his 40' Antrim trimaran "AOTEA", lowering the time to 34 days, 6 hours 26 minutes. Both Tabarly and Hogg took the Southerly "Trade Winds" route.
It is of interest that NAI'A's major local competition has been AOTEA, and that NAI'A's capsize in her first race was while chasing AOTEA in the Windjammer's Race, San Francisco to Santa Cruz. AOTEA had just returned from her record run to Japan.
Ghost of a Racer
AOTEA capsized in the 1995 Doublehanded Farallones Race while leading NAI'A on the return leg from the island. NAI'A with Michael Reppy and Bob Dixon on board, stood by until the U.S. Coast Guard helicopter picked up Peter Hogg and AOTEA designer Jim Antrim. After several futile searches AOTEA was lost. One year later she drifted into the Murilo atoll near Truk in Micronesia, nearly 5,000 miles away. She was still upside down and in fairly good shape except for one ama broken off. Peter decided not to try a salvage operation that distant from home.
AOTEA was well a designed and sailed boat, and NAI'A was never able
to beat her in head to head racing, although she did better AOTEA's course
record in the 1995 Silver Eagle Bay Race. In a sense, NAI'A will still
be chasing AOTEA across the Pacific to Japan. This friendly rivalry lives
on!!