Maine Maritime returns to defend Harbor Cup title

by Rich Roberts on 7 Feb 2009 Maine Maritime Academy will return March 13-15 to defend its stunning victory in last year's inaugural Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup, the West Coast's only intercollegiate big boat regatta.

The Port of Los Angeles is the regatta title sponsor. The event is organized by California Maritime Academy and hosted by the Los Angeles Yacht Club.

Eight teams from across the country will fleet-race Catalina 37s chartered from the Long Beach Yacht Club Sailing Foundation on a course set about a half-mile offshore between the Angels Gate lighthouse entrance to Los Angeles Harbor and the corner of the Palos Verdes peninsula. The races may be viewed from the outer Cabrillo Beach or Point Fermin Park atop the bluff.

It's the only one of four intercollegiate big boat regattas held on an open ocean. The three-foot tall Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup Perpetual Trophy will be awarded to the first-place team.

Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. and executive director, said, 'The Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup Regatta is quickly becoming one of the highlight events of the Port. Witnessing the camaraderie and hard work of so many college students at one of our oldest maritime traditions---competitive sailing---is truly heartwarming. I look forward to the 2009 competition and meeting the men and women who will lead us into the next generation.'

When Maine Maritime won last year, academy President Len Tyler was so pleased that he invited Knatz to speak at the school's commencement this summer. She has accepted.

Last year the Mariners, from Castine, Me., won three of the seven races and finished one point ahead of USC---which also scored three wins---and the U.S. Naval Academy. Other teams returning: Cal Maritime, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy from London, Conn.; Chapman University of Orange, Calif., and Cal State University Channel Islands. One slot remains to be filled.

Maine's 2008 win surprised even the Mariners.

Coach Tom Brown said this week, 'I guess they didn't have time to think about it. It was a last-minute deal for us—about two weeks [and] my first year coaching. We didn’t have the money but I said, 'We've gotta get 'em out there.' I called up a few friends that I'd been coaching in the past and they ante'd up.'

The Catalina 37s, best known for the Congressional Cup world-class match racing event in Long Beach later in March this year, were new to the Mariners.

'The 37s are a little more high-tech,' Brown said. 'Typically, we sail with the older Navy 44s. They’re real heavy and take big breeze, but they don't handle as well.'

Maine will have two key crew changes: Matt Bourque replacing Matt Stevens, who graduated, as skipper, and T.J. Scott taking over from Mark Gauthier as tactician. Scott may be the team's most serious competitive sailor; he won the collegiate match racing championship last year.

'They're not quite as strong as last year's team but they're getting better all the time,' Brown said.

Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup 2009

Cal Maritime Invitational Intercollegiate Regatta
Hosted by Los Angeles Yacht Club
Los Angeles, Calif.
March 13-15, 2009
The West Coast's only intercollegiate big boat regatta.

2008 results click here