SAN PEDRO, Calif. – The Maine Maritime Academy sailing team ventured cross-country over the weekend to compete in its first regatta of the spring schedule at the three-day, 10-team Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup, which was hosted by Cal Maritime, Los Angeles Yacht Club and Port of Los Angeles.

There were great sailing conditions for all keelboat teams as Maine Maritime finished in sixth place with 55 points--just one shy of No. 5 University of Victoria and six back of No. 4 Navy. The University of Southern California won the title with 36 points.

Racing for MMA were seniors Ella Beauregard, Kyle Carse, juniors William Ries, Sarah Shank, sophomore Drake Reid, and freshmen Ryan Becker, Henry Strawbridge, Teo Crocetti, 

Maine Maritime battled valiantly throughout the event that made it challenging for the Mariners to further climb the leaderboard at the end. The highlights of the weekend, however, were being in second place in the fifth race before falling as low as ninth in the penultimate race, then mounting a furious rally in the finale to jump two schools and wind up nearly in the top-5 overall. Half of MMA's 10 races over the weekend finished in the top-5.

The Mariners will have a 15-day hiatus before their next event as the dinghy student-athletes will compete in the Bowdoin College Harpswell Sound Race on Saturday, March 22.