USF takes early lead at Harbor Cup

San Pedro, CA (March 10, 2017) – The Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup regatta commenced today with breezes of 8 knots building to 12 over the course of a hazy afternoon.

Results were mixed on the first of three days of racing as 10 college teams from across the nation and Europe embarked on the 10th annual running of this invitational event.

The Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup was founded in 2008 to encourage young men and women to enjoy the benefits of competitive offshore big boat sailing. And enjoy they did, with tight starts and consolidated mark roundings that demonstrated the skill and enthusiasm of these young sailors.

Five-time winner Cal Maritime took the first race by a large margin, with University of South Florida (USF) and the US Naval Academy battling for second and third. But an OCS at the start of the second race set Cal Maritime back. That race was won by USF, with defending champion College of Charleston on their heels, and University of Southern California (USC) third.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) Bears made a comeback to win race three, with Maine Maritime second, and Cal Maritime third.

At the end of the day, it was USF at the top of the leaderboard with a scant 7 points, followed by Cal Maritime, 10; and Charleston and USCG tied for third with 12 points each: promising for exciting days ahead on the water.

Event details – Scoreboard – Facebook

Background: Held March 10 to 12, the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup is hosted by the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Yacht Club, and the California State University Maritime Academy. Sailed in the Long Beach Sailing Foundation’s fleet of identical Catalina 37 sailboats, it provides a level platform that tests the skills and strategies of the seven crew members.

Source: Betsy Crowfoot