201905.19
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Solar Cup 200-meter sprint races cap weekend of boat racing at Lake Skinner

by in News

A weekend of Southern California youth boat racing at the Metropolitan Water District’s annual Solar Cup competition concluded Sunday, May 19, with 200-meter sprint races.

  • 40 Southern California high schools get their boats ready to compete in the sprint races during the Metropolitan Water District’s 17th annual Solar Cup at Lake Skinner in Winchester Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by FRANK BELLINO, Contributing Photographer.

  • Members of the Oaks Christian School team get ready to compete with 40 Southern California high schools in their self-built, 16-foot, single-seat boats in the sprint races during the Metropolitan Water District’s 17th annual Solar Cup at Lake Skinner in Winchester Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by FRANK BELLINO, Contributing Photographer.

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  • Magnolia High School’s Salvador Jaimes, 15, works on the team’s self-built, 16-foot, single-seat boat for the sprint races during the Metropolitan Water District’s 17th annual Solar Cup at Lake Skinner in Winchester Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by FRANK BELLINO, Contributing Photographer.

  • Chaparral’s Michelle Gunawan competes with the Temecula Valley USD Team in their self-built, 16-foot, single-seat boat in the sprint races during the Metropolitan Water District’s 17th annual Solar Cup at Lake Skinner in Winchester Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by FRANK BELLINO, Contributing Photographer.

  • Oxford Academy’s Samantha Wee competes in the sprint races during the Metropolitan Water District’s 17th annual Solar Cup at Lake Skinner in Winchester Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by FRANK BELLINO, Contributing Photographer.

  • Members of the Hemet USD Team get ready to compete with 40 Southern California high schools in their self-built, 16-foot, single-seat boats in the sprint races during the Metropolitan Water District’s 17th annual Solar Cup at Lake Skinner in Winchester Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by FRANK BELLINO, Contributing Photographer.

  • McBride High School’s John Ashpaugh competes in the sprint races during the Metropolitan Water District’s 17th annual Solar Cup at Lake Skinner in Winchester Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by FRANK BELLINO, Contributing Photographer.

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The Oxford Academy, based in Cypress, won first place in the veterans’ division after the three-day competition while Oaks Christian of Westlake Village took the top prize in the rookie division.

Teams from about 40 high schools in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties competed in the popular event at Lake Skinner in Winchester in southwest Riverside County.

The teams raced 16-foot, single-seat boats that they built themselves in both sprint and endurance races. The Solar Cup capped seven months of preparation. An awards ceremony was held Sunday afternoon.

Several hundred participating students also spent the weekend camping at the lake.

The Solar Cup began in 2002 with eight teams and about 100 students. Metropolitan officials said it has grown into the nation’s largest solar-powered boat racing competition.