SAILING:Sailors best British with Fireflies

The Newport Harbor High sailing team went undefeated over two days of competition to win the British Schools Dinghy Racing Assn. International Team Racing Championship this week.

The Sailors beat 14 British schools for the title, winning their first four races Monday morning, then moving on to the Gold Flight, where the Newport Harbor team raced against powerhouses Magdalen College School, SevenOaks, Radley and Tonbridge.

After winning all four Gold Flight races, Newport Harbor advanced to the semifinals, where it continued its domination over Tonbridge. The Sailors defeated Magdalen College in the finals.

Newport Harbor had never raced in the event’s two-person dinghies called Fireflies, but quickly adapted to win the tournament. The team qualified for the race when it finished second in the U.S. high school team race championships in May.

Chris Barnard, Caitlin Beavers, Cole Hatton, Kayla McComb, Michael Menninger, and Chris Segerblom all represented Newport Harbor in the event.

— From staff reports