Port of LA Harbor Cup

Drizzly grey skies did not dampen the excitement on Day One of the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup Intercollegiate Invitational regatta hosted by Los Angeles Yacht Club. After a two-hour practice session Friday morning, the 10 teams set out on their first race in modest breeze from ESE. Periods of light showers were punctuated with bursts of rain and gusts as the sailors endured two windward-leeward races. Reigning champions Cal Maritime topped the day with a 1-4 record, but not without tough competition. The top seven boats wrapped up the day with each place separated by just one point. The Port of LA Harbor Cup was launched in 2008 as to offer top notch big boat offshore racing to co-ed teams. Since its inception roughly what 1200 students from 29 of the leading universities and academies across the US and beyond have enjoyed the camaraderie, competition and hospitality of the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup at LAYC. Racing continues Saturday and Sunday for the prestigious Harbor Cup trophy.

Day Two of Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup saw the leaderboard shuffle after a delayed start: with light air and poor visibility forcing a lengthy postponement. The eager teams satisfied their competitive drive with on-deck dance-offs and cheers as they waited, but the breeze typically a stiff westerly was fickle. It seems the storms that barreled through California during the week had ‘spent’ all of the air. Ultimately, the race course was moved inside the breakwater, in the hopes of running a race in flatter water and a subtly building four-knot breeze: and the RC was able to set a course and pulled off two swift races. Race #3 of the series, a twice-around course, was won by Univ. of Hawaii, while Maine Maritime won Race #4: a single-lap sprint in the late afternoon. After several hours of protest hearings, Maine Maritime advanced to the top of the leaderboard with 13 points, followed by Univ. of Hawaii, 15, and Cal Poly, 16. Friday’s leader, Cal Maritime, slid to sixth place due to a DSQ in Race #3. Afterwards, the crews enjoyed dinner at LAYC with a presentation by guest speaker Sally Lindsay Honey, two-time US Yachtswoman of the Year, North American and World Championship title holder. Prevailing winds are expected to return tomorrow for the final day of racing Sunday March 12.

The 15th Annual Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup Regatta tested competitors with a myriad of conditions over the three-day intercollegiate invitational event. Through gusts and zephyrs, rain, fog and finally sun … in the end the Univ. of Hawaii Rainbows shone through. Consistent performance led the ‘Bows to the victory, unseating defending champions Cal Maritime, and fending off Univ. of Rhode Island Rams, who finished second, and the Maine Maritime Academy Mariners, third. Ten co-ed teams from across North America competed, hosted by Los Angeles Yacht Club, and treated to an evening presentation by past US Yachtswoman of the Year Sally Lindsay Honey.

The following chart shows the relative rank of the teams as of the race indicated. Note that the races are ordered by number, then division, which may not represent the order in which the races were actually sailed.

The first place team as of a given race will always be at the top of the chart. The spacing from one team to the next shows relative gains/losses made from one race to the next. You may hover over the data points to display the total score as of that race.