Slow going for Newport Ensenada Race

Newport Beach, CA (April 26, 2019) – The 72nd Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race got underway today under picture perfect California skies and better than expected winds than the light air forecast suggested.

The iconic contest 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).

By 6:00pm PT, all but one boat on the N2DP course had crossed the finish line. Blue Blazes was blazing the trail for San Diego course participants and was just 30 NM from the finish line. But three multihulls, Mental Floss II, Los Tres Amigos, and Uneven Keel were hot on the heels of frontrunners Anthem and Nui uliuli.

Pete Melvin was piloting Jerry Fiat’s AC45 to the front of the pack by the time they reached Dana Point and by 6:00pm PT was only 58 NM from the Ensenada finish line; but adjacent to San Diego Harbor.

While the majority of the fleet stuck close to the rhumb line en masse, as expected in lighter winds, the AC45 veered offshore in hopes of finding a few heavier gusts to keep the boat in optimal form. Instead, the tracker showed the water rocket slowing to only 8 knots, and by 6:30pm PT the team had abandoned the race.

In Dana Point, trophies were awarded to the following:

Best Corrected PHRF Spin
TEKEELA, Jock F McGraw, DWYC
BEULAHS BISCUITS, Dennis M Swift, AYC
HEARTBEAT 4, CHARLES BREWER, NHYC

Best Corrected Double Handed
PILLOW TALK, Rod Woods, DWYC

Details: http://nosa.org

The 72nd annual Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race started April 26 for the 125nm course from Newport Beach, CA across the border to Ensenada, Mexico. The outright course record of 05:17:26 was 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.

Source: Laurie Morrison