The Newport to Ensenada Race wants you to come race. Here’s why.
N2E is a great race to many people. Which leads to the question of why? Why is it great? It is the parties? The course? The destination? The trophies? The excessive eating and drinking at both ends? The cougars?
NOSA commissioned an independent group of leading scientists to answer this question. After an exhaustive study, an authoritative answer to these questions, that have plagued mankind, has been discovered. As it turns out, none of the above is a major factor in N2E’s greatness. It is a great race because of the people who race in it.
Each year hundreds of people prep their boats, assemble their teams and make their way to Newport Beach for this race. Some are well known, some not so well known. Some are in fast boats and some in not-so-fast boats. Some are locals and some travel great distances. Some have big budgets and some are sailing on a shoestring budget. All are different and all racing for their own reasons. The variety is incredible. Yet after the race they all share that they have done a N2E race together. They were out on the same water in the same conditions. They shared the adventure.
Let’s meet a few of these N2E racers, like Michael Nelson from Lake Mead, Las Vegas, Nevada, not next door and not an ocean port. Mike restored and races a water ballasted MacGregor 26, Chicken-of-the-Sea, in the PHRF G class. While Gran Prix boats are turning and burning at the finish, Mike is half way down the course toughing it out with a day of sailing to go. 2011 was a high point as they finished the race for the first time. Say what you will about slow boats, but the people who race them are seriously tough and deserving of respect. Not everyone is a rock star sailing a rocketship. It’s no surprise that Mike likes the hot tub and accommodations of the Hotel Coral. He has done three N2E races and plans to be back for 2013. Go Mike!
Meet Cindy Arosteguy out of Channel Islands Harbor, sailing for Anacapa YC, CIYC, and Channel Islands Women Sailing Association (got enough clubs, Cindy?). Cindy has done one N2E on her Ranger 33, Argo. Channel Islands is not Nevada, but it isn’t especially close either. She’s only been sailing 2 years. Her excitement this year was dodging a freighter at 1:00 AM, successfully accomplished by a vigilant watch and proper radio communication. Cindy would like to do N2E again. My kind of woman.
Meet Burkhard Justus. With a name like Burkhard you might guess he is not from around here, and you’d be right. Burkhard hails from Hamburg, Germany, and his home club, LSVH (heck of a return transit). He races Arrow, a Beneteau 10R. He has done eight N2E races, each with a different crew, five as skipper. He has finished 7th in his class twice and is proud of it, as he should be. He also says nice things about the improvements to the race in 2012.
Then we have Bob Roitblat of Chicago, who chartered and skippered Aimant de Fille, a Beneteau 36.7. 2012 was his first N2E. But back on the lakes, he does twenty-five races a year. His fun was pulling a crew together from Chicago, Miami, SoCal and Hawaii, then getting them all to Newport Beach.
Nigel Barron wanted to do his first N2E. He skippers a nice boat, an Andrew’s 53, Artemis. (Coincidentally Alan Andrews was in the 2012 N2E as well). Nigel’s only problem was the boat was in Seattle. No worries, he talked the owner into sailing his boat a few thousand miles south, just a walk in the park. He liked the race a lot, “like the Swiftsure, only with warm water.”
These diverse people overcame significant obstacles to get their varied boats into the 2012 N2E race. They shared the adventure with hundreds of other people doing the race. They had a great time and in doing so, helped make the 2012 N2E race GREAT!
I’m going out on a limb here and guess that a lot of you could get up and get your boat into the 2013 N2E race with a whole lot less effort than these folk. I’ll even mention the $50 discount for registering in the month of December. Come out and participate in a great race in 2013.
