Video: Portsmouth High School Club Loses Regatta, Sets Sail Toward New Goals

The Portsmouth High School Sailing Club lost its fifth regatta Thursday night, but the loss will not slow the team from setting sail toward new goals this year.

The sailing club, which was founded in 2001, competed against Rogers High School Thursday at the Newport Yacht Club. The team lost 3-2 in a best-of-five race.

To view more on this regatta, see the video at right.

The team, led by coach Peter Shope, a former high school sailing champion who once placed fourth in the 420 Worlds in Europe, aspires to become one of the best sailing clubs in Rhode Island. 

The club is led by director Rick Fleig, who welcomes new students. According to Fleig, only four schools on Aquidneck Island currently offer a sailing club: , Rogers High School, St. George's School and the .

Members of the Portsmouth team are high school students Olie Gill, Olivia Nary, Shelby Davis, Alex Young, Ben Umbach and Heather Nicholson. Tyler Fleig, an eighth-grader at , also participates on the team.

The Portsmouth High School Sailing Club meets three to four times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The club leases the boats, 420 sailboats, from Sail Newport. The team also recieves discounts and equipment from local vendors, including Zim Sailing, LaserPerformance and West Marine. Students are asked to pay a membership fee of $100.

Team One has also donated pinnies, a stretch material placed over the life-vests. This is the first year the team has raced with pinnies, which display their school name.

Portsmouth's next race will be held on Tuesday, April 12, around 3 p.m. at St. George's School.