The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Presents Annual Flight of Newport July 14

By Newport Indy Staff – July 07, 2024

Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/newport-beach-chamber-of-commerce-presents-annual-flight-of-newport-july-14/


The Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce with assistance from the Balboa Yacht Club will present the 88th annual Flight of Newport on Sunday, July 14, 2024, in Newport Harbor.

Originally called the Flight of the Snowbirds (named for the wooden boats participating in the race), the event was renamed Flight of the Lasers in 1975 after organizers decided to replace the aging, wooden crafts with more modern, fiberglass boats, known as Lasers.

More than 70 boats competed in the 2023 Flight of Newport Beach / Photo by Jim Collins

The Lasers were seen in small boat races at the time including in the Olympics. In 2020 the race was again renamed, the Flight of Newport, to be more inclusive, opening entries to ILCA (formerly known as Lasers), Harbor 20 and Tera RS boats.

The Flight of Newport will begin at 1 p.m. near the Balboa Pavilion and it will take about 90 minutes to complete the course, which circumvents the entire bay.  The first-place winner in the ILCA fleet will receive the Albert Soiland Trophy, named after the first Commodore of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club along with a new sail provided by Vela LA.

Other placing racers first to cross the finish line in these categories will also receive prizes: ILCA fleet, the First Girl, Youngest Boy, Youngest Girl, Oldest Person and First Married Couple.

Flight of Newport Beach / Photo by Jim Collins

The Albert Soiland Trophy is engraved with the names of past winners; the trophy has frequently been awarded to sailors who have gone on to participate in bigger races, including the America’s Cup.

“The Flight of Newport is a great community tradition and carries many happy memories from those that have participated in the past regattas.  Ages range from young aspiring skippers to legends of the bay like Seymour Beek and Dave Tingler.  Everyone wins during this special event on the water,” said Lawrence Jones, Chair of the 2024 Flight of Newport

There is no charge to enter the race.  Each registered participant will receive a Flight of Newport T-shirt and, also, must provide their own boat.

For more information including sailing instructions and to register for the race, visit https://flightofnewportbeach.com.


By Newport Indy Staff – July 07, 2024

Source: Newport Beach Independent https://www.newportbeachindy.com/newport-beach-chamber-of-commerce-presents-annual-flight-of-newport-july-14/

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

After years of advocacy and enforcement actions, we are excited to see the Corps’ dredging project proceed with an improved design that better considers the health of Southern California’s coastal ecosystem,” said Garry Brown, founder and president of Orange County Coastkeeper. “The new plan for the dredged material is a big win for our waters and helps lower costs. Rather than burying contaminated sediment underneath Newport’s turning basin in a poorly designed disposal facility, the material will be repurposed and contained in an expansion project at the Port of Long Beach.

On August 1, the Newport Aquatic Center welcomed Beyond Blindness, a nonprofit in Santa Ana providing support for visually impaired children and their families, to their facility as part of Beyond Blindness’ inclusive summer camp, taking the campers on outriggers in the Back Bay.

If you’re out and about on Newport Harbor on Sunday afternoon, July 16, you may see dozens of sailboats racing around the harbor. Give them plenty of room and cheer them on—it’s the 87th Annual Flight of Newport Beach, presented by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce with assistance from the Balboa Yacht Club.