Lack of Wind a Blow to Race to Ensenada

The promise of wind for the 50th Newport-to-Ensenada International Yacht Race was slow to materialize Friday when most of the 554 entries struggled simply to cross the starting line.

After strong winds the four preceding days, sailors found only a light southerly breeze at mid-morning, and by the time the first starting gun was fired at noon even that had faded to a two-knot zephyr that left a sea of limp sails. Only Steve Fossett on his trimaran Lakota seemed to be moving well.

Fred Preiss’ new 100-foot Christine from Pacific Mariners Yacht Club towered over all of the other boats but did no better, wallowing in the water for several minutes until gaining headway.

Conditions improved at the border late in the day when the leaders sailed into whitecaps generated by a following breeze of about 20 knots. But their early lack of progress may have ruined any chance for a record.