Photo Credit: Bronny Daniels

While here at NOSA we are mourning the loss of our 2020 edition of the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, we are also encouraged and inspired to keep our interest and passion in ocean sailing so that when the situation permits we may once return to the sea and enjoy this great sport.

With this in mind we want to extend praise to all 31 entries who endured a challenging San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Race just recently completed, with several also in our entry list in the 73rd N2E.

Among these and deserving special congratulations is Steve Maheen and his team on his Botin 80 Cabron. Cabron barely defeated Roy Disney’s Volvo 70 Pyewacket 70 to win Line Honors after having ground down their rival’s 40-mile lead into a match racing shoot-out at the virtual finish line.

Maheen also holds the current monohull N2E race record on his previous yacht, the Reichel/Pugh 63 Aszhou, having completed the 125-mile course in 9:35:34 on the boat’s first N2E.

This translates to an impressive average speed of 13.5 knots!

PV Race class winners in correct time were Pyewacket 70 in ORR-1, David Clark’s SC 70 Grand Illusion in ORR-2, Bob Pethick’s Rogers 46 Bretwalda 3 (also an N2E entry) in ORR-3, John Schulze’s SC 50 Horizon in a very competitive Fifties class in ORR-4, and Paul Grossman’s Farr 39 White Cloud (another N2E entry) in ORR-5.

Achievements like this are what excite and motivate us in ocean sailing, so we hope this keeps you looking forward to not only next year’s 73rd edition of the N2E, but also any opportunity you have to get out and sail during these trying times.