In the Press

4-28-2019

Alive Wins Newport to Ensenada Race Following Sydney-Hobart Victory

April 28, 2019

Ensenada, Mexico (April 28, 2019) – Congratulations to all competitors in the 72nd annual Newport to Ensenada (125nm). On the heels of its 2018 Sydney-Hobart victory, the Australian-based Reichel/Pugh 66’ Canting Keel Mini Maxi ALIVE (formerly Black Jack & Stark Raving Mad) earned the NOSA Trophy for overall best elapsed time, the Amigo Trophy awarded to a first-time skipper and the Lahaina Yacht Club Trophy for best elapsed time all PHRF. Congratulations to owner Phillip Turner, skipper Duncan Hine and the entire Alive Yachting team.

Alive’s Winning History

  • 2018 – Rolex Sydney-Hobart – 1st Overall, 1st IRC Div 0, 1st ORCi Overall, 1st ORCi Division 1.
  • 2017 – Line Honors in the Veolia Bruny Island Race 2017 and missed setting a new course record by 12 minutes, but the performance earned the team both IRC and PHS corrected time victories.
  • 2016 – Overall IRC winner and ORCi winner in the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Club Marine 348nm Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race.
  • 2016 – Overall winner of the Royal Langkawi International Regatta.
  • 2016 – Line Honours in the 2016 Rolex China Sea Race, setting a new record for the race of 47h 31m 08s, 11 minutes and 59 seconds inside Beau Geste’s record, set back in the millennium edition.
  • 2015 – Back-to-back champion of the Sail Paradise Regatta for 2015 and 2014 inaugural regatta.
  • 2014 – Smashed the record for the 1885 nautical mile Melbourne to Port Vila ocean race. Winning Line Honours and IRC as well as cementing a new race record of 5 days, 23 hours, 52 minutes and 45 seconds.
  • 2014 – Second overall IRC Division 1 at Hamilton Island Race Week.
  • 2014 – First IRC overall in Sail Paradise Regatta.
  • 2014 – First place ORCi and IRC overall in the 2014 Brisbane to Gladstone 308 n.m. race.

Also on the course this year were Reichel/Pugh designs Taxi Dancer, Bolt, Grand Illusion (keel and rudder appendages), and Staghound.

The RP68 Taxi Dancer, originally built for Mitch Rouse of LA, which took 1st place in the 1990 N2E Race and won its Class in the 2010 race — reinforcing Reichel/Pugh’s goal of longevity for its yachts. Taxi Dancer was a custom ULDB 70 (West Coast Sled) built and launched in San Diego in 1988, winning the Big Boat Series ULDB 70 Class in 1990 after ULDB 70 Class wins in the ’89 Transpac and Newport-Cabo Race. She then went on to win the ULDB 70 Sled Class in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Big Boat Series. Four decades after launch, Taxi Dancer won the 2012 Cal Cup Regatta and was on the finish line this past weekend.

Santa Cruz 70 Grand Illusion was the overall winner of the 2015 Transpac — designed by Bill Lee and featuring Reichel/Pugh-designed keel and rudder appendages. Grand Illusion is tied for the record for most overall Transpac wins, joining the 88′ Lurline which won the first two races in 1906 and 1908, and again in 1912. However, Grand Illusion holds the status alone for winning overall three times under the same Owner/Skipper, Ed & James McDowell.

Newport to Ensenada Race History
First run in 1948, the N2E has a storied history of mixing professional racers, celebrities and recreational sailors to become a time-honored steeped in tradition event for Newport Beach, the city of Ensenada and sailing enthusiasts who come from across the country to compete. More than 40 trophy categories in monohull, multihull and cruising classes give this a race a wide appeal. In recent years, great winds have tested and challenged the skills of crews, many who only sail overnight on this race.

source Laurie Morrison

For history, tracking, results and news visit nosa.org

Start photos by Tom Walker

Finish photos

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