USC Wins Port of Los Angeles Harbor Cup
The University of Southern California Trojans won the 17th running of the three-day, 10-race, coed Port of Los Angeles/Cal Maritime Harbor Cup Regatta after finishing in second place last year. As they were last year, they’ve been close, but this is their first victory in 15 years.
USC skipper Morgana Manti credits her team for the win. Their coach, Michael Segerblom, was celebrating more than the team’s first win since 2010, as earlier that day he became a grandfather for the first time, welcoming grandson Hans Paul Segerblom to the world.
Segerblom commended Cal Maritime, the Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles Yacht Club, who together provide an opportunity for college students to participate in one-design big-boat offshore competition. For 17 years, he has witnessed teams’ receiving warm welcomes, meals, and accommodations. In addition, organizers cover charter fees so there is no cost to racers.
USC’s Manti, a junior studying screenwriting, credited Segerblom’s coaching and shared that four of the Trojan team members competed in last year’s regatta, and that experience also contributed to their win. “The starts were the most stressful part of the weekend. With 10 boats on the line and the wind shifts, it was definitely a challenge,” Manti said.
The eight-time winners of the cup, the University of Hawaii Rainbows, finished second. Two-time winners the College of Charleston Cougars took third.
In the small-world department, the USC team normally competes in FJs. Skipper Morgana Manti first sailed in Optis in her home country of Italy. The 2013 winning Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup skipper, Simone Ferrarese, was her Opti coach. The 60th Congressional Cup, hosted by the Long Beach Yacht Club, is also coming up April 30 to May 4.
The Catalina 37s used for Harbor Cup are the same keelboats used in the Congressional Cup as well as the all-women’s Mayor’s Cup. In 2009, a very young Martine Grael competed in the Mayor’s Cup, and next weekend Grael will be skippering the Brazilian SailGP entry in SailGP Los Angeles, also held at the Port.
A special “Dockmaster Award” was presented by Junior Staff Commodore Ken Corry to the team taking the best care of the boats they sailed, with the Arizona Sun Devils earning the honor this year.
The 2026 regatta is tentatively planned for March 6–8, 2026.
You can see full results of the regatta here.