Ensenada’s Todos Santos Regatta Attracts Local and International Fleet

For anyone heading south for the coming winter, whether with the Baja Ha-Ha or by themselves, we just want to mention that cruising south of the border isn’t only about balmy evening sunsets and cocktails on the beach. Mexico has a good range of racing regattas, the most recent being the 18th annual Todos Santos Regatta around the Todos Santos Islands off Ensenada on October 8. The Sunday event featured a great mix of visiting US sailors and local racers battling for the bragging rights during this, the signature race of Club Nautico Baja (CNB).

The club filed the following report:

“It doesn’t get any better than this!” stated CNB Commodore Jorge Hurtado. “Our US friends had to deal with no wind and thick fog on their way during the Little Ensenada, but we fulfilled our promise of fine racing conditions on Sunday! Congratulation to all the winning crews and all particpants.” The after-race awards dinner at the Hotel Coral & Marina featured presentations, music and dancing, and a Mexican “taquiza” buffet that got rave reviews.

The conditions featured plenty of wind (in the 9-15-knot range) and fog along the 18-mile course, but with sufficient visibility to navigate. There was one dismasting: the 24-ft custom catamaran Mexicat, which had completed the Little Ensenada race (skipper Frondo van Os) the day before and taken two trophies, but the crew self-rescued with no harm done except to their pride.

Beautiful, one-of-a-kind “sirena” (mermaid) sculptures were awarded to winners in the best overall and best corrected-time categories, open to all boats. Handcrafted of cast aluminum and created by local Ensenada artist John Reistetter, these beautiful works of art were taken home by the top two winners and provided plenty of motivation for racers. CNB expects to offer similar awards in select future regattas as an incentive to racers.

This year, the major awards for the Todos Santos Regatta were:

Best overall time: Minotaur, the Santa Cruz 37 captained by Andrew Constantine of the San Diego YC, took first place in this, the top category. Hot on their heels was Spin Doctor, an Andrews 40 custom, under captain Paul Farrell of the Point Loma YC. Both boats have participated regularly in Ensenada, with great results. AEOLOS, a Beneteau First 44.7 (skipper Gregory Price, SDYC/CRA) placed third.

Best Corrected Time: The C&C 33 MkII An Dara Claddagh, under skipper Ken Henehan (also from the SDYC), took top honors in this category, with Minotaur in second and Miguelito, a C&C 40 (skipper Larry Vanderploeg, Silver Gate YC) in third.

This year, 12 of CNB’s fleet of 34 local yachts competed exclusively for two Mexican perpetual trophies. Those results were:

Clase Ligero (light class): First place went to Yatemg (pronounced “yacht-M”), a Catalina 27 and regular CNB club-race winner, skippered by Eduardo Morales. Yatemg was awarded the B&G perpetual trophy. Yatemg also was fifth overall in corrected time behind Spin Doctor, no small feat! Captain Morales has had essentially the same crew for 10 years, and has a living room full of hardware to show for it.

In second place was Morales’ regular rival in CNB club races, Attempto, a Morgan 27 under immediate-past CNB commodore Bodo Weber. Third was Colibri (“Humingbird”), a Hunter 26.5 skippered by CNB treasurer Mark Tuniewicz.

Clase crucero (cruising class): The beautiful blue-and-white-hulled Beneteau 50 Pajaro Madrugagor (“Early Bird”), representing Ensenada’s Cuatro Cuatros vineyard, won with captain Xavier Hernandez at the helm. Pajaro Madrugador was awarded the Ensenada Municipal President’s (Mayor’s) Perpetual Trophy.

In second place was first-time racer Kenya, a Freedom 30 with CNB member Luis Alvarado at the helm for owner David Allen. Gioconda, a Swan Grand Soleil 50 (also a first-time racer in the CNB fleet), was third, with CNB member Paco de Anda helming for owner Ramon Maturana.

The “Popero,” or consolation prize, was given to S/V Serenity, a Columbia 30 skippered by Carlos Perez.

You can see more photos from the awards party here. But be warned, the page reads in Spanish.