Newport-to-Ensenada: Spectacle, Then 125 Miles South on the Wind

About 500 boats will sail at noon today in the 43rd race from Newport Beach to Ensenada, Mexico.

This year’s race drew 524 entries, down by about a dozen from last year, but usually not all start.

The start off the Newport jetty is one of yachting’s spectacles. Boats in the huge fleet maneuver for their respective starts, beginning at noon and continuing at 10-minute intervals until about 1:30.

This year’s fleet is divided among one class of Ultra-light 70-raters, two classes of smaller ultra-lights, two classes of International Offshore Rule (IOR) ratings, 11 classes of Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) and one class of Ocean Racing Catamarans (ORCA).

The yachts should begin arriving in Ensenada, 125 miles down the coast, early Saturday, depending on wind conditions.

Bidding for first to finish and an elapsed-time record will be Dennis Conner of San Diego, the America’s Cup skipper, in his 65-foot catamaran, Stars & Stripes. The record is 10 hours 31 minutes, set by the 65-foot catamaran Double Bullet in 1983. Conner missed the record by about six hours last year when he ran out of wind off Rosarito Beach, south of Tijuana.

Also fighting for first to finish will be about six of the big monohull 70-raters, which are known for their downwind speed in strong winds.