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Local News | Newport to Ensenada race gets underway with…

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Local News | Newport to Ensenada race gets underway with light winds

When the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race launched in 1948, it was called the “Just for Fun” race.

“It still is just for fun,” said Newport Ocean Sailing Association Commodore Mary Bacon as the 75th sailing of the famed race got underway Friday. “I don’t know of another race that is as fun as this, especially being an international race. There’s something for everybody.”

Sailboats leave the start line of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race just offshore from the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sailing fans watch from the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach as the sailboats gather offshore for the start of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The crew of XLR8 waves to sailing fans gathered on the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach just prior to the start of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sailboats gather just offshore from the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach for the start of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sailboats near the start line of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race just offshore from the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A woman takes photos from the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach as the sailboats gather offshore for the start of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sailboats head offshore from the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach after leaving the start line of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sailboats wait for the start of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race just offshore from the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Malilia waits for the start of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Friday, April 28, 2023 near the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The crew of El Guapo waves to sailing fans gathered on the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach just prior to the start of the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Friday, April 28, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

This year’s 125-mile race has about 140 boats racing ranging from small 30-foot recreational cruisers to 80-foot multi-million-dollar yachts and they are sailing either of two courses – one that goes to San Diego and around the Coronado Islands, and the other to Ensenada, Mexico. A mini race to Dana Point was eliminated this year.

Spectators lined the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach at 11 a.m. Friday to watch the start of the race, marveling at the boats getting set to sail south toward their destination. With light winds to start the race in and in the forecast through Saturday,  it’s not expected to be a record-breaking year.

Many of the boats hail from Southern California harbors, but nine different states are represented and there are even crews from Canada and Mexico that joined this year’s race.

Boaters spent the past week getting their vessels ready and loading up food and drinks for the overnight journey, said Bacon.

“Let the circus begin,” she said.

It’s the camaraderie that makes it special, the excitement and the passion for being out on the water during such an iconic race, Bacon said.

The Newport Ocean Sailing Association was founded in August 1947, “a post-World War II dream of recognizing local sailors” and opening up boating to Mexico, with Ensenada selected as the destination of NOSA’s first long-distance ocean race.

The event started before many of the nearby harbors existed, just as yacht clubs were starting to form and as the sport of sailing was growing along the coast.

The race is a draw for serious competitors who aim to break records and casual cruisers joining for the party element, lured by the margaritas and beers that flow at the finish line.

While the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race has a festive vibe, it’s also a serious contest to win bragging right among boaters.

“It’s always a new adventure, based on the friends and family you’re with – and certainly based on the weather,” Bacon said.

This year’s mild conditions paled in comparison to last year’s record-breaking, whipping winds that were clocked at upward 30 knots. “They were flying,” Bacon said.

NOSA Staff Commodore Bills Gibbs and crew last year took home the best time with Wahoo, his Schionning 1400 catamaran.

In 2021, it was Jerry Fiat’s Farrier 32 SRX Taniwha that was the big winner.

Taniwha sat out last year’s race, but Long Beach sailor Peter Sangmeister, 21, had a game plan for the trimaran this year –  to dart out quickly from the start line and go way offshore to find wind.

“We’re looking to finish first in line,” he said. “It’s one of the fastest boats in Southern California and we’re hoping we’ve put together a team of some pretty good people.”

The trimaran is 32 feet, not big, “but it’s very fast.”

Sangmeister comes from a long line of sailors and is a third generation Newport-to-Ensenada racer. His grandfather Peter Tong, 82, has done the event a handful of times and his father, John, 60, will be on a different boat, Rock N Roll, competing in a separate category.

Sangmeister did the race in 2016 with his father, but they didn’t quite make it to the finish line. The boat broke just as they reached the boarder and they had to turn around, he said.

One of the exciting parts of the race is the number of boats. The shorter race course makes it more accessible than the longer Newport Harbor to Cabo San Lucas race or the Transpacific Yacht Race, which goes from Los Angeles to Hawaii.

“This is a more mellow race, which I think is a big attraction,” Sangmeister said Friday. “But it is an international race, one of the shortest you can do in the world. I’m praying for a bit more wind and I think everyone will have a bit more fun.”

To track the boats in real time, go to nosa.org

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Newport to Ensenada 75 Years and 74 Races

NEWPORT BEACH一 Newport Ocean Sailing Association has opened registration for the 74th annual Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race on Dec. 1. The organization celebrates 75 years in 2022 and the 74th race for the historical and well-loved event that is open to newcomers and old hats alike. The organization was founded in 1947 to promote ocean racing off Newport Beach and the first Newport to Ensenada race, originally called The Governor’s Cup according to the UCI library, set sail on April 22, 1948, coming to an end 125-nautical miles later in the small fishing village of Ensenada. The first race went to Mrs. Denny Barr skippering Mickey , a 46-foot sloop. The race was renamed the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race. Its popularity grew to include 20 boats and then a record-breaking 675 boats in 1983, earning the race the record for the world’s largest international yacht race. The race took a break in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then set sail again in 2021 with 170 boats taking to the water. The regatta will take place on April 22, 2022.

• ← Anna Weis Will Join United States SailGP Team Just in Time for Australia Sail Grand Prix
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2024 Registration is Open!

December 1, 2022

2023 Race , Press Release

Registration Opens for the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race

Photo: Lisa Bronitt

The Newport Ocean Sailing Association (NOSA) announces registration is open for the 75 th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race to be held April 28 - 30, 2023.

For 2023, NOSA is refocusing on its distance racing heritage and will have only two courses:  the traditional 125-mile Newport, California to Ensenada, Mexico overnight race and the 90-mile California coastal race to San Diego.

Also new for this year will be a new online entry system driven by Regatta Network, making registration and race management easier than before. Racing classes will include, ORR, PHRF, ULDB, Cruising (Spinnaker and non-Spinnaker), and Multihulls.

“After last year’s exhilarating race - which saw almost all of the course records fall including first-to-finish time of just over 7 hours by Manouch Moshayedi’s monohull RIO 100 - next year’s fleet of expected 200 racing boats will again push the speed boundaries for this spring sprint for the border and beyond,” states NOSA’s Commodore Mary Bacon.

For those looking to brush up on new requirements, night sailing techniques, provisioning, weather, and crew tips for a fun, safe, and trophy-winning race, seminars will be offered in January and February both in person and virtually. The race will also feature Yellow Brick race tracking for friends and family to follow the racing.

Up for grabs for a third year is the Storm Trysail Club Team Racing Trophy. This prestigious blue-water sailing organization is offering a trophy for any three-boat team who signs up and has the lowest combined finish score.  Joining the competition is easy – just find two fellow skippers with which you have something in common (alma mater, dock mates, professions, number of ex-wives, similar boat names, etc.), pick an inspired team name, and register online. The only caveat is that boats must be racing N2E, but not in the same class. One of the three teams must race in another division.

Lastly, the N2E Store is open online, and new and previous race gear can be ordered and shipped across the country.

Time to get ready and race?

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2024 Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race: Registration Now Open, Choose Your Course

The 2024 Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, scheduled for April 26-28, is open for registration, offering two race courses from Newport Beach, California, to either Ensenada or San Diego. The race, one of the oldest annual sailing competitions, covers a distance of approximately 125 nautical miles and is open to a wide range of sailboats, attracting participants from around the globe.

• Last year, Rich Festas’ 46-foot Rogers Groundhog Day won the top three trophies in the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, finishing more than 2 hours and 34 minutes faster than class competitors.
• The Ensenada race covers a distance of approximately 125 nautical miles, while the course to San Diego covers 90 miles.
• The largest fleet was in the mid ‘80s with over 600 yachts, while this year the organizers are expecting around 200 competitors between the two race courses.
• Registration for the 2024 Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race is currently open, with two race courses available from Newport Beach to Ensenada or San Diego.
• The race, with a rich history dating back to 1948, has become a celebrated event in the west coast sailing community and is expected to attract around 200 competitors this year.

The 2024 Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race presents an exciting opportunity for sailing enthusiasts to participate in a historic, challenging, and internationally renowned event, showcasing skill, dedication, and camaraderie in offshore racing.

The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI

Scuttlebutt Sailing News • Assoc Editor

Newport to Ensenada Race: entry open

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Published on December 12th, 2023 | by Assoc Editor

Newport to Ensenada Race: entry open

Published on December 12th, 2023 by Assoc Editor -->

(December 12, 2023) – The 2024 Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, to be held April 26-28, is open for registration. The organizer of the annual classic, Newport Ocean Sailing Association (NOSA), will offer two race courses to either Ensenada or San Diego.

The Newport to Ensenada Race is one of the oldest annual sailing competitions that takes place between Newport Beach, California, in the United States, and Ensenada, Baja California, in Mexico. It has been one of the largest international yacht races in the world and still attracts participants from all around the globe.

Last year, Rich Festas’ 46-foot Rogers Groundhog Day won the top three trophies in the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race. One of seven in the competitive Ultra-Light A-Class, Groundhog Day, crossed the finish line at 17hr 36mn 13s, more than 2 hours and 34 minutes faster than class competitors ITS OK and Staghound that finished just one minute and eight seconds apart.

The Ensenada race covers a distance of approximately 125 nautical miles and is open to a wide range of sailboats, from small cruisers to larger racing yachts. The course to San Diego covers 90 miles. There are trophies for multi-hulls, double-handed, cruising class, all female crews as well as PHRF and ORR classes. This spring classic offers participants a challenging and exciting overnight offshore sailing experience.

Despite sailing 101 nm farther than the fastest Maxi yachts, Taniwha, the 32-foot New Zealand-built Ferrier, clocked a time of 17h 46m 49s and finished 10 minutes and 36 seconds behind Groundhog Day.

The time was good enough for owner Jerry Fiat and his 21-year-old helmsman Peter Sangmeister to take home four trophies: The ORCA A Trophy for best in the ORCA A-Class, the President of NOSA Trophy for Best Corrected – ORCA, the Alice Pursell Trophy for the Best Elapsed Time – ORCA, and the Stein-Cross Trophy – for the first trimaran.

The race has a rich history dating back to 1948 and has become a celebrated event in the west coast sailing community. The largest fleet was in the mid ’80 with over 600 yachts. This year the organizers are expecting around 200 competitors between the two race courses. It combines the thrill of competition with the beautiful coastal scenery of Southern California and Mexico.

Whether a seasoned sailor or spectator, the Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race is an event worth experiencing. It showcases the skill and dedication of sailors while providing an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie and adventure of offshore racing.

Event Details – Entry List – Facebook

Source: NOSA

Tags: Newport Ocean Sailing Association , Newport to Ensenada Race

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You could say sailing runs in the Sangmeister family.

Peter Sangmeister’s been sailing since he was 2, he thinks. His mother, Sarah, has participated in at least three Transpacific races from Los Angeles to Hawaii. His father, John, has completed at least six or more of those same races, and Peter’s done two. They’re all gearing up for his third on the family’s Andrews Dencho 68 sailboat, the Rock N Roll.

“Both of my parents and grandparents have been incredibly supportive in getting into the sport of sailing, and I’ve learned a lot from the people that they’ve put around me, so I’ve now branched out to racing against them, specifically for this race,” said Sangmeister, who lives in Long Beach. He was a co-helmsman on the Taniwha, a 32-foot Farrier 32 SRX owned by Jerry Fiat.

The Taniwha won overhaul honors in 2021, according to Newport Ocean Sailing Assn. spokeswoman Laurie Morrison.

This year’s Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, which got underway Friday, is marking its 75th anniversary. Launched in 1948, the event has missed just one year, 2020, due to the pandemic.

On Thursday, Sangmeister was still checking the Taniwha to make sure it was ship-shape for the race Friday. By his account, the crew of four had been talking for some time about participating in the Newport to Ensenada race, but a few key players were unavailable to participate this year. This was of some concern because a boat of the Taniwha’s size needs “smart people and people who knew what they were doing because you can mess stuff up pretty quickly,” Sangmeister said.

They finally made the call to join the race on April 12, just under two weeks before the race began, and officially entered on April 13. They readied the Taniwha, then did two test runs on the water last weekend.

Sangmeister said though both he and his father are entered in this race, the two aren’t necessarily competing against each other. They are in two different brackets, based on their respective boat sizes. Still, he hoped the Taniwha will beat out the Rock N Roll overall, though that might depend on the weather.

“[The Taniwha] arguably, in certain conditions, is the fastest boat in the fleet by a good bit and so we’re hoping to capitalize on its speed and get to Ensenada ahead of our competitors,” Sangmeister said. “Unfortunately, the race course is looking quite light on breeze, so it’ll be a bit of a long slog to Mexico, but we’re going to try our best and hopefully we do quite well. We’ll also see if we finish.”

He joked, “If it turns into a 24-hour float off, we might be pulling the pin on that.”

Sangmeister noted his dad’s Rock N Roll relies on a lighter and more moderate breeze while the Taniwha requires a heavier breeze to move through the water at a good clip.

Sangmeister said he hopes the Rock and Roll crew beats everyone except his own, of course.

“It’s different racing against him, but I also haven’t really thought about racing him. I guess because we’re in such different styles of boats, it doesn’t necessarily register because we are in such massively different classes,” Sangmeister said. “We’ll end up on the same starting line, but we’re not necessarily racing each other, we’re racing against the other boats. We don’t even start together.”

He raced with his father in the Newport to Ensenada race in 2016, but their vessel had a major breakage near the Mexican border that forced them to turn back to Newport Beach. The 21-year-old sailor hasn’t attempted the race since, but is hoping this year is the year.

“We’ll play it by ear. The weather forecast is looking slightly better, which is good. A couple days, it looked like no one was getting to Mexico in a timely matter. We’re hoping for the best,” Sangmeister said.

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Lilly Nguyen covers Newport Beach for the Daily Pilot. Before joining the Pilot, she worked for the Orange County Register as a freelance reporter and general assignment intern. She earned her bachelor’s in journalism at Cal State Long Beach. (714) 966-4623.

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