December Racing Preview

It’s all pros aboard for the final act of the Extreme Sailing Series, but with many of our readers still in Baja California Sur after finishing the Baja Ha-Ha, some may wish to get into the act as spectators. The season finale of the series, sailed in foiling GC32 catamarans, will start tomorrow in Los Cabos and run through the weekend. The regular six teams will be joined by two wild card teams, one from the US and one from Mexico. Spectators can watch from the free public Race Village on Médano Beach. See www.extremesailingseries.com/events/view/los-cabos-mexico for details.

Those of us toughing out the chill of 50° temperatures in Northern California have plenty of midwinter racing to look forward to. Two series that start in December invite small boats to race at Richmond Yacht Club on the first weekend of the month and Lake Merritt Sailing Club on the second weekend of the month. (For info on LMSC’s Robinson Midwinters in Oakland, contact Peggy at 510-836-1805.) Most of the fleets in RYC’s Small Boat Midwinters will compete on the first Sunday of each month through March; Saturdays are set aside for the youngsters in Optis and the El Toro Green fleet. If you want a one-design start and trophies for your class in Sunday’s series, you must have five or more boats registered prior to 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 2. All other boats will sail in open class(es).

Meanwhile, down south, San Diego YC’s Hot Rum Series will wrap up this Saturday. The popular three-race series has 139 boats entered, with Alec Oberschmidt’s R/P 50 Staghound leading the overall standings.

Armchair sailors needing a break from holiday hubbub may want to follow the 628-mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. It will start at 1 p.m. AEST on Boxing Day (December 26) in Australia — that’s 6 p.m. Christmas Day here in the PST zone. See www.rolexsydneyhobart.com.