PORT OF LOS ANGELES HARBOR CUP
TO FEATURE TOP INTERCOLLEGIATE SAILING TEAMS
Public Will Be Able to View Colorful Boat Race in the Waters Off San Pedro
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — March 6, 2008 — Putting a new twist on traditional spring-break sun, fun and "extracurricular activities," a few dozen students from colleges near and far will descend on San Pedro this month to compete in the inaugural Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup sailing regatta.
The invitation-only event will take place in the waters off San Pedro March 21-23, bringing big-boat intercollegiate sailing to the West Coast for the first time in many years. It will feature seven-person sailing crews aboard 37-foot-long Catalina boats that will race each other multiple times over a course stretching from the San Pedro Breakwater to Point Fermin and back.
The public will be able to view the regatta from Cabrillo Beach or from the higher-elevation Point Fermin Park in San Pedro. The racing boats will be approximately one-half mile offshore.
“The Port of Los Angeles strongly supports competitive sailing as a team- and character-building experience for young men and women,” said Jim Morgan, Construction and Maintenance Division Manager for the Port and an avid sailor who is helping to coordinate the event. “Corinthian values that promote the highest level of sportsmanship, fairness, courtesy and grace in victory or defeat are life-benefiting traits for our next generation of leaders. Environmental awareness, stewardship and developing a love of the ocean are other important byproducts of getting out on the water at a young age.”
The hosting California Maritime Academy has invited top-ranked teams from the University of Southern California and the U.S. Naval Academy to participate in the event, along with teams from Chapman College, California State University Channel Islands, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (King’s Point). The Los Angeles Yacht Club is organizing the regatta.
The Port of Los Angeles, sponsor of the competition, is chartering the Catalina 37s from the Long Beach Yacht Club Sailing Foundation especially for this event. Because the boats are identical in their construction and lines, the colorful races will be a true test of team strategy, tactics and execution.
The regatta opens with a day of practice on March 21, followed by two full days of racing on March 22 and 23 beginning at 11 a.m. each day.
The Port of Los Angeles, also known as “America’s Port,” has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy and the quality of life for the region and the nation it serves. A recipient of numerous environmental awards, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 Clean Air Excellence Award, the Port of Los Angeles is committed to innovating cleaner, greener ways of doing business. As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port generates 919,000 regional jobs and $39.1 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars. The Port of Los Angeles - A cleaner port. A brighter future.