Sailors garner success

The Newport Harbor High sailing team has qualified to participate and compete for the national championship at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Connecticut for the coveted Mallory Trophy May 7 and 8, after placing third overall in the Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Assn. racing season for 2009-2010.

Newport Harbor’s gold team, consisting of Chris Segerblom, Randall Hause, Nicole Grice, Francesca Cappellini, Connor Bathen, Cooper Scott, Grant Wensley and Daniel Segerblom, placed fourth in the Pacific Coast Double-Handed High School Championship at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco Bay April 18.

The Newport Team sailed against 21 other high schools and 80 sailors from California and Hawaii in challenging and tough conditions on the San Francisco City waterfront in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Separately, the Sailors’ first silver team, consisting of Chase Wells, Shelley Grice, Greer Wattson and Jackie Cappellini, placed third in the Pacific Coast Double-Handed High School Silver Championship at the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club in San Pedro April 18.

The silver team sailed in the Hurricane Gulch with the cruise ships and L.A. Harbor in the background. The silver team also competed against high school teams from California and Hawaii.

The second silver team, consisting of Carolyn Smith, Erin Kincaid, Greg Kent, Andrew Mayhugh, Bayley Davidson, Bianca Barnes, Jack Clement, and Adin Dobkin placed sixth in the highly competitive Silver Pacific Coast Championships.

Newport Harbor’s varsity team continues its quest for national supremacy Saturday and Sunday and will compete once again in the Pacific Coast Baker Elimination Team Racing at Mission Bay Yacht Club in San Diego to see if it can qualify to for the National Team Racing Championship in Seattle in May.

— Reader submission