Tracking the great race

June Casagrande

Not even the winners themselves get to behold all 48 Newport to

Ensenada trophies in their historic splendor.

The Newport Harbor Nautical Museum is putting together an exhibit

that captures, for the first time, the legendary Newport to Ensenada

yacht race’s past.

“This is just such a big event with so much history for Newport

Beach that we’re really excited to be doing this exhibit,” said Glenn

Zagoren, director of the museum.

The race started back in 1947 when a small group called the

Newport Ocean Sailing Assn. decided to put together a little

international yacht race to lift the nation’s spirits in the wake of

World War II. Organizers expected about 20-odd entries and were

floored when 117 yacht crews signed up. The turnout set in motion a

half-century of success for a race that’s now an important piece of

local history.

“This is a subject very near and dear to this community’s heart,”

said Marcus de Chevrieux, curator of the museum.

The exhibit will kick off the race, which takes place April 23

through 25. It will include hundreds of photographs, many of them

from the museum’s own archives. Memorabilia will include the original

telegraph announcing that President Truman would attend.

“The Newport to Ensenada race has always been 50% the party and

50% the actual race,” Zagoren said. “We have both of those aspects

portrayed in memorabilia and photographs, and we want to portray both

sides.”