Newport Beach to Ensenada Yacht Race: Loe Real beats sundown

In 65 years there had been just one boat that finished the Newport-to-Ensenada Yacht Race before sundown.

Now, make that two.

Loe Real, a Jenn 60 trimaran, completed the 126 nautical miles from Newport Beach to Ensenada in 7 hours, 3 minutes, 51 seconds Friday, nearly breaking the record set by Stars & Stripes in 1998. Stars & Stripes finished in 6:46:30, 17 minutes, 21 seconds faster than Loe Real.

The Newport Ocean Sailing Assn. sent out a special report shortly after Loe Real arrived to Ensenada.

“The sun dropped below the horizon about 19 minutes later, making Loe Real only the second boat to finish any of the 66 races in daylight,” the report read.

Loe Real finished first overall in 8:45:03 four years ago in another race that was notably windy.

More of the 204 boats that started the race were expected to finish during the night, some seeking the monohull record of 10 hours 37 minutes 50 seconds set by Doug Baker’s Magnitude 80 in 2009.

— Steve Virgen