Sailing Magazine
By Richard Crockett
The Lipton Challenge Cup started this morning with the AP Over A flags today signalling that races not started are postponed as the weather gods sat a massive gale on top of the course causing racing to be abandoned even before the competing teams left the dock.
The Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) are defending the Lipton Challenge Cup which they won last year when challenging off Durban.
Challenging them for bragging rights, and of course victory, are eight other Clubs, namely the Theewaters Sailing Club (TSC) as the Challengers of Record; Defence Yacht Club – WP (DYC)from Saldanha Bay; False Bay Yacht Club (FBYC); George Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC)from the Wilderness area; King Shaka Yacht Club (KSYC) from Richards Bay; Milnerton Aquatic Club (MAC); Saldanha Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) and the Seal Point Yacht Club (SPYC) from the Vaal Dam.
Since the Lipton Cup was first contested 113 years ago in 1911, there have been 69 contests, with this year being the 70th and Platinum contest.
It is interesting to note that the Royal Cape Yacht Club has won the Lipton Cup on 17 occasions, six more than it’s closest rival.
Just 15 Clubs have ever won this prestigious trophy.
King Shaka Yacht Club is challenging for the very first time.
The Lipton Challenge Cup contest has taken on various guises in its history, with six different classes of yacht being used. Since the 67th contest in 2022, it was taken back firmly to its roots of the first six regattas between 1911 and 1923 when the boats were anything but identical “one-design” yachts. Today’s fleet will consist of many different sized and shaped yachts which will all have to fall within a specified handicap band. So instead of the first yacht crossing the finish line being the winner, the boat performing best on handicap will be the winner, irrespective of where she finishes over the line.
The perennial question always asked on the eve of the event is simply “who will win”?
On paper each Club has an equal chance of winning. But, victory comes with some perks as the victors can choose where the next challenge will be contested. As a result, the RCYC will strive to win to keep their home waters advantage, but so too will the other challengers who will want to win the right to defend on their own waters.
It will be a tight contest whichever way one looks at it, with the weather gods ultimately playing a key role. There are some yachts which prefer a good blow, while others perform at their optimum in lighter winds. Time will tell, but after the first few races one will inevitably see the cream rising to the top.
The skippers and crew on each yacht vary in age, experience and gender. It is pleasing to note that Di Hutton-Squire of (TSC) is the only woman skipper, with Robyn Patrick of (KSYC) being the only woman co-skipper.
Most yachts will have a mixed crew of both genders and sailors from disadvantaged backgrounds.
For those wanting live information on the racing directly from the water, there will be regular updates in the form of “voice bites” via the event WhatsApp group.
All the voice bites will be transcribed and put onto the event Facebook page as soon as possible after being broadcast. Register on the WhatsApp Group HERE: https://chat.whatsapp.com/C2DKspxUyaYJ1hS8ToSsAk
Live Tracking directly from the water is being provided by TracTrac – Africa. TracTrac in collaboration with the ORC have been able to successfully develop the platform to not only accurately track the positions of the competitors out on the race course but also determine their actual position in corrected time. This will allow the viewers to see which of the competitors are performing well and how close they are to their competitors in both elapsed and corrected time.
To follow the Live action, use the link on the TracTrac website: https://www.tractrac.com/
If using a mobile device, download the TracTrac app.
