Alive wins Newport to Ensenada Race

The International aspect of the 72nd annual Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race took on a whole new meaning when Alive, Australian-based the Reichel Pugh 66, took home the NOSA Trophy for overall best elapsed time, the Amigo an Trophy awarded to a first-time skipper and the Lahaina Yacht Club Trophy for best elapsed time all PHRF.

The 72nd Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race got underway April 26 for the 125nm course from Newport Beach, CA across the border to Ensenada, Mexico. Alive also won the classic 2018 Rolex Sydney to Hobart race this past December

David Nelson’s ID35 Kite 35 made another strong showing, collecting the USA Secretary of Navy Trophy ULDB-C for the third time in six years. “The race was tricky as heck, but we just looked to sail the shortest possible course, going just outside the Coronados for a bit, then jibed into shore and staying left,” said Nelson.

For many, this lighter-winds race, finding VMG (Velocity Made Good) – the heading that moves the boat fastest toward the destination – was the difference between winning or ending up experiencing VNDG (Velocity No Dang Good) instead.

Stepping up for the Newport Beach and US-based competitors was David Team’s Vesper, one the TP 52s that Alive managed to stay ahead of, which absolutely nailed VMG.

The Vesper team earned the Tommy Bahama Trophy for the Best Overall Corrected Time, the President of USA Trophy for Best Corrected – all PHRF, the President of Mexico Trophy for Best Corrected – Maxi Class, and the Jack Bailee Trophy for Best Corrected Newport Beach club.

Team credited his navigator Chad Hough for making the right calls. “At one time it looked bad, but we stayed outside and stuck with the strategy.”

Adding a touch of international flair, was Terri Manock’s all-female entry on Pole Dancer. Her crewmembers were originally Irish, Canadian, and a New Zealander although only one Idaho resident flew in to help the women not only win the Caroline Starr Trophy for Best Corrected All-Female Crew, but the Carlos Avila Escoto Best Corrected J/120. “We stayed out of the fray and got a good start,” said Manock. “It was a long race, but had a wonderful group of ladies to sail with.”

Robert Knox of Seahorse, a Beneteau 49, and his rugby crew won the Secretary of Foreign Relations – Mexico Trophy for Best Elapsed Time – Cruz. The former Australian teammates caught the sailing bug when they moved to Southern California. After not doing well in their first boat, Merlin, they moved up and found success. The men picked up the same trophy last year.

Dan Rosen, sailing the B32 Problem Child, once again lived up to its name, being a problem for anyone who dares enter in the double-handed category, winning the Volvo Best Corrected – Double Handed Trophy for the eighth race in a row. Rosen sailed this year with Peter Heck, a respected local offshore sailor.

Also returning to the podium was Joe Markee of Ohana. The 55 Swede moved up classes this year to PHRF-B and takes home the Cliff Chapman Best Corrected – PHRF B Trophy. “We had to figure out how far out to be to find the sweet spot for the boat to catch the breeze early,” said Markee. The older yet lean family cruiser does better in downwind conditions, but they clearly made the most of the available winds.

Cheerio II did not catch good winds until the final stretch. “It was absolutely terrifying,” said skipper Dick McNish about crossing the finish at a little over 10 knots in an 88-year-old-boat designed to handle only 6! “The spinnaker was up; it was wild; we rushed to get it down,” after crossing the finish late afternoon (on April 27).

91-year old McNish and his eight-man crew once again earned the Ensenada Chamber of Commerce Trophy Best Corrected PHFR E.

The iconic contest also included two additional courses to meet every sailor’s skill level, distance goals, desires, and capabilities: Newport to San Diego (N2SD), and Newport to Dana Point (N2DP).

Details: http://nosa.org

Trophy List 2019:

NOSA Trophy – Best Overall Elapsed
Alive, Duncan Hine
AMIGO, Best Corrected, First Time Skipper
Alive, Duncan Hine
LAHAINA Yacht Club, Best Corrected All PHRF
Alive, Duncan Hine

TOMMY BAHAMA, Overall Corrected
Vesper, David Team
President of USA, Best Corrected, All PHRF
Vesper, David Team
JACK BAILEE – Best Corrected Newport Beach Club
Vesper, David Team

PRESIDENT OF MEXICO, Best Corrected Maxi
Vesper, David Team
Destroyer Jim Bailey
BadPac Tom Holthus

Union Bank Best Corrected – Cruz Non Spin,
Paramethia Phil Herzfeld
Galene Ken Recla

Coral Hotel and Spa, Best Corrected – Cruz
Runaway, Thomas Lehtonen

Blue Gavel, Best Corrected, Cruz Gen
Runaway Thomas Lehtonen
August Dream David Lutton
Rylacade Stuart Leigh

Almon Lockaby Best Corrected Cruz-Spin
Inquisitor Larry Sharpless
Hassle Larry Malmberg

Alice Purcell, Best Elapsed ORCA
Wahoo, Bill Gibbs
Stern-Choy Best Corrected Catamaran
Some Tuesday, Steve Dunlap

President of NOSA, Best Corrected ORCA
No Regrets Brain Stanton
Some Tuesday Steve Dunlap

Caroline Starr Best Corrected All Female
Pole Dancer, Terri Manok
Carlos Avila Escoto, Best Corrected J 120
Pole Dancer, Terri Manok

Sec. of Foreign Relations Mexico – Best Elapsed Cruz
Seahorse, Robert Knox

Beneteau-Cruz, Best Corrected – Beneteau Cruz
Pacific Highway, Allan Emas

Spittoon, Highest Corrected
Eventide, Bradley Davis

Beneteau – Racing Best Corrected – Beneteau PHRF
Ruby D’eau, Richard Benedon

Ensenada Chamber of Commerce – Best Corrected PHRF E
Cheerio II, Richard McNish

Gill Knudson, Best Corrected – PHRF D
Cimarron David Basham
Moxie Dugan O’Keene
Trophina 2 Anna Charer

Frank Butler, Best Corrected – Catalina
Trophina 2, Anna Charer
Volvo Best Corrected – Double Handed
Problem Child, Dan Rosen, Pete Heck

Converse Wurdemann, Best Corrected PHRF-C
Daytripper II Andy Horning
Scenic Dan Bunce

Cliff Chapman, Best Corrected PHRF B
Ohana, Joe Markee
Expression Session, Mark Keller
Buttercup, Roderick Messinger

Bill Schock, Best Corrected – Schock
Buttercup, Roderick Messinger

Newport Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Best PHRF-A
Amante Timothy A
Chubasco Will Durant, John Carpenter, Doug Baker

New York Yacht Club, Best Elapsed Single Hull Divided Rig
Chubasco, Durant, Carpenter, Baker

Secretary of State, USA, Best Corrected – ULDB-D
Rocinante, Jaun Lois

Secretary of Navy, USA – Best Corrected _ULDB-C
Kite 35 David Nelson
Minatour Andrew Constantine
Picosa Doug and Jack Jorgensen

City of Newport Beach, Best Corrected, ULDB-B
Fast Exit John Raymont
Blue Flash Scott Grealish
White Cloud Paul Grossman

Jiffy Woods Memorial, Best Elapsed-ULDB-A
Carbon Footprint, James Devling

Governor of California, Best Corrected ULDB-A
Carbon Footprint James Devling
Bretwalda 3 Bob Petick

South Bay Yacht Racing Club – Yacht Club with the most boats entered
Dana Point Yacht Club (12)

Spirit of Ensenada, Yacht Club with the most winners,
Newport Harbor Yacht Club (5)

Jeff Deaver, Yacht Club w/the most primary firsts & secondaries Perpetual Winners
Newport Harbor Yacht Club (4)

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