Sailing Magazine
pic by Dwayne Senior
With a light southerly wind maxing between 8 & 10 knots on flat water in what most pundits would call a perfect day for yacht racing, things were very tough for all competitors. The most consistent results were put in by the defending champions from the Hermanus Yacht Club who grabbed the 72nd Lipton Challenge Cup contest (sponsored by the City of Cape Town) by the cups ornate handles, sending a message to all teams that they are the ones to beat.
The first race on the windward/leeward course was a pretty solid one with all the top teams getting away cleanly and following the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) around the course as they simply could not match the boat speed of David Rae and his crew who sailed a faultless race. Not even the Hermanus Yacht Club (HYC), the defending Club, could find a way to break the stranglehold Rae had, so dominant was his performance. Yet a second place for Hermanus was a great result. The University of Cape Town (UCTYC) sailed in third spot for most of the race until losing their way on the penultimate leg to finish 6th. They let the Durban clubs, Point Yacht Club (PYC) and Royal Natal Yacht Club (RNYC) into 3rd and 4th spots, with the RCYC Academy team taking 5th.
Race 2 on the triangular course was the toughie as the wind had dropped a little and swung, with many of the top teams battling to get off the start line cleanly and forced to choose a course not to their liking. This was a highly tactical race which tested the fleet all the way, yet still saw the cream rising to the top by the finish line. Walvis Bay Yacht Club (WBYC) took the honours from the RNYC with Lake Deneys Yacht Club (LDYC) in third. Fourth was Hermanus, 5th Knysna Yacht Club (KYC) and 6th the RCYC who just could not manage the same dominance they had in race one after a very poor start.
pic by Dwayne Senior
By the start of race 3 on the same triangular course as race 2 the wind had steadied and built a little. After a somewhat uncharacteristic start mid-fleet the Hermanus team took control of things with clever tactical sailing and won to finish the day as overall leaders, with False Bay Yacht Club 2nd and Knysna 3rd.
After three races Hermanus Yacht Club leads with 7 points from RCYC with 13 points and RNYC with 15.
After a long day on the water in warm conditions there will be a lot of overnight reflection as to how and why places were given away, quite easily at times too, something which will concern all those with serious designs on holding the Lipton Cup aloft in victory.
Today is likely to be an even tougher day as the long range forecast is for light winds which may not even be sailable!
RESULTS HERE: lipton 2026 – day 1 – Overall after 3 Races
