Newport Harbor in regatta final today

The host Newport Harbor Yacht Club advanced to the finals of the Pacific Life Yacht Club Challenge, defeating Detroit’s Bayview Yacht Club in a match race Friday in the waters off Newport Beach.

Newport Harbor will meet St. Francis Yacht Club of San Francisco in today’s finals. Balboa Yacht Club will take on Bayview in the third-place race.

Nine yacht clubs from around the country are participating in the four-day event. Teams competed in double round-robin match races the first two days, with the top four advancing to Friday’s action.

All teams are competing in identical Catalina 37 sloops.

Newport Harbor’s yacht, piloted by Jon Pinckney, scored 11 points in match races on Wednesday and Thursday to qualify first. Balboa’s yacht, piloted by Craig Fletcher, qualified third with seven points.

For more information, call (949) 673-7730.