Lipton Cup. It’s All Different this Year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Richard Crockett

The Lipton Challenge Cup is no ordinary sailing regatta. It’s an event steeped in tradition, with some unique compulsory sailing courses mixed in with more modern courses, and is in fact the only national inter-Club sailing competition in the country.

What it has stood for over the years in the previous 65 events sailed, is that the cup should be competed for by the very best yachtsmen in the country, and this year nearly all will be on display out on the water – exactly what Sir Thomas Lipton envisaged when he donated the Lipton Challenge Cup to south african sailors way back in 1909 – 110 years ago.

This year sees the 6th change of class in the events history, with the Cape 31 being the boat of choice.

This is an ultra-modern, fast slippery boat that would not look out of place in any international sailing regatta a sit’s simply the latest, and dare I say it, the greatest 31-footer at the moment! It’s lightweight and is built to exacting standards too.

It’s difficult to look back in the events history to before the 30-Square Metre era as few people around today would remember or have been there!

So looking back to 1973 which was the very last year that the 30-Squares sailed in Lipton, one sees beautiful graceful boats with long waterlines, and dare I say it, gentlemen sailors!

So let’s simply enjoy the boats of that era, as once the Lipton Cup starts on Monday 5 August, the pics will be very, very different indeed.