When not designing a variety if residential, hospitality and commercial buildings of all shapes and sizes, Pacific Beach architect Mark Mitchell can be found on his sailboat, free of his personal and professional “connection” to the land. “When you get out on the water everything else goes away,” Mitchell said. “It is great for your mind and soul. There is something special about being propelled over water by the wind.” Some 20 years ago Mitchell was a member of a sailing club and was active more on a social and recreational level. Then with one experience his focus all changed. “I’ve surfed since I was age 11 but I never really wanted to compete,” he said. “Sailing was like that until I was introduced to racing. A friend of mine was more into basketball and not sailboat racing. He asked me to take his place on a race crew and I loved it.” His discovery of enjoying the competitive side of racing continued to grow and resulted in Mitchell winning the 45th Annual San Diego to Ensenada International Race in early October. Sailors lined up outside San Diego Bay at the end of Zuniga Jetty Point and finished offshore in Ensenada, Mexico. Sailboat racing has different classes depending on the size of the vessel and how many people on each crew. For the race to Ensenada Mitchell was in a class called “double-handed,” in which it is two people per boat. “We had to control three sails with two guys, so there is not much time to sit around,” he said. “There were about six other boats in our class.” While “buoy racing” may be many people’s perception of sailboat racing in which boats sail toward buoys and then around them and on to the next buoy, the Ensenada event was very different. “It took us 9 hours and 20 minutes from start to finish,” Mitchell exclaimed. “Then from Ensenada you motor back. This race took a little longer because the winds at the beginning were so light. This was the first time I have done the race on my boat. Usually I have always crewed on other boats.” Mitchell usually enters about two races a month and is part of a series which holds competitions in Dana Point, Long Beach, Newport Beach, Marina del Rey and Santa Barbara in addition to San Diego. He is also quick to encourage people to explore the idea of sailing whether racing is involved or not. “Before I got into it (sailing), I kind of knew about it but always thought it was way beyond reality for an average guy like myself,” Mitchell said. “It is not difficult to get into and it is a fun social activity in which you meet many nice people.” He suggested contacting any of the local yacht clubs, as many boat owners are always looking for crew members, so you don’t have to be a boat owner to get involved. He points out that sailing can be easier on the wallet because boat captains rely on Mother Nature to power their vessels rather than fuel. For more information about sailing and sailboat racing, contact Mitchell at [email protected].