Light wind forecast for Newport to Ensenada Race

The 72nd annual Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race starts April 26, taking the 200+ boat fleet 125nm from Newport Beach, CA across the border to Ensenada, Mexico.

First run in 1948, the iconic contest now includes a choice of three courses to meet every sailor’s skill level, distance goals, desires, and capabilities: Newport to Ensenada (N2E), Newport to San Diego (N2SD), and Newport to Dana Point (N2DP).

Alive, a Reichel Pugh 66 that was original launched as Stark Raving Mad, has the fastest PHRF rating at -147. Sir Tuffy, a 38-Alberg, has a rating of +235 as the slowest boat in the field.

A light air forecast should protect the current outright course record of 05:17:26 set in 2016 by the MOD70 Orion, the same year the monohull record of 09:35:34 was set by the 63-foot Reichel Pugh design Aszhou.

However, the outlier could be the foiling AC45 LUX, a former training boat of America’s Cup defender Oracle Team USA.

On the Dana Point Course, watch for Pillow Talk, a Hunter 33.5 helmed by former NOSA Commodore Rod Woods, who is double-handing the race with his daughter-in-law. Also watch for Tildog – the lone Laser is the smallest boat in the race.

Although there is a wide range of boats on this 12-entry course, NOSA’s goal it to turn this sprint into a really fun race for high school and collegiate racers, those in dinghies and Olympic class boats, and for first time sailors.

More than 30 boats will sail the Newport to San Diego Course in four classes. Michael Marion’s Insoumise, a DuFour Grande large, is 52 feet of elegance on the water. Back on the course is the always competitive John Szalay who has raced Pussycat 51 times now.

At the start look for live footage with commentary on the official Facebook page starting about 10:30 am PT.

To watch the action online, YB Tracking is back. After the start, follow the links at nosa.org to watch the boats sail down the coast.

Trophies are awarded to racers in more than 40 classes of cruisers, multihulls, monohulls, ocean and near-shore sailboats of every type.

Details: http://nosa.org