Big Pimpin’
The Holidays are a wonderful time for family, celebrations, as well as eating and drinking to excess. In the back of my mind, I’m already thinking about racing in 2015. After some warm up races in the first quarter, there is NOSA’s Newport to Ensenada race to look forward to. The biggest race of the year on the US West Coast. An opportunity to thaw out in Mexico after our cold wet winter. 2015 will be the 68th running of the N2E race. That’s a lot of history for a sailboat race. Some of the trophies read like a who’s-who of sailboat racing.
One of the best things about a large sailboat race is lots of classes. This means narrow class rating bands for the best possible handicap racing. With a class for everybody. From slow boats up to the fastest gran prix racers. Even “cruiser classes” that can run their engines at night, ideal for the party animals who are most concerned about after-finish activities. In addition to class trophies, sailboat racers compete for a number of special trophies including fastest elapsed time, overall on handicap, and a number of specialty categories including double handed and all female. 41 perpetual trophies by my count, with corresponding take-home mug trophies.
The 2015 N2E race continues the improvements of recent years. Race HQ are at the Hotel Coral, an upscale location. Classes start in reverse order, allowing slower classes to see the faster classes go by, and to get to Ensenada a bit sooner. A Grand Prize will be raffled off to one of the class winners. Parties and events before the start, parties and events in Ensenada. Free beer waiting when you finish.
This is the first time N2E will offer a longer course as an official Transpac qualifier. Out around San Clemente Island, before finishing in Ensenada. A chance for us to see some of these long distance racers warming up.
Registration opened 1/1/15, with a $50 discount for registering in January. The NOR is up at: www.newporttoensenada.com under Race Documents.
NOSA has a schedule of safety seminars to consider attending. They are ready to assist anyone who needs info on the details of getting into Mexico, and back.
I hope you come out and help make 2015 the best N2E ever.
