Brisk southeast winds and sunny skies greeted 28 sailors from Orcas, Friday Harbor and Oak Harbor high schools who competed on West Sound at the Orcas Cup Regatta on April 4.

The 13-boat fleet completed 10 races during the course of the day. The Orcas team of Wylie Kau and William Coe got off to a very strong start and early lead, winning the first two races handily, but as wind conditions lightened they had trouble changing gears.

The Orcas team of Taj Howe and Matia Schwartz adapted to the different winds very well and through seven races had taken a commanding lead. But the eighth race of the day they mistimed the start and jumped the gun, forcing them to restart behind the rest of the teams. Their mistake opened the door for the Friday Harbor team of Per Black and Conrad Borman to possibly capture the cup. They placed first and second in the last two races, but were unable to shake Howe and Schwartz, who took a second and a fourth in the final races to  capture the cup. Kau and Coe finished the last two races strong, placing them third, followed by Maggie Toombs and Robert McCaull in fourth and Quinn Freedman and Lilly Miller in fifth.

The Orcas team travels next to Anacortes for the Island Cup April 11 and 12.