Sailing Magazine
pic by Matt du Toit
by Richard Crockett
Tomorrow the 72nd Lipton Cup contest commences on Table Bay, and only a fool would bet on the likely result come next Saturday. The contest is tight and highly competitive with the winner coming from the team that does not blink under pressure and which can consistently count good positions.
With no discard permitted, there is absolutely no room for error, with every single result counting, whether good, bad or indifferent.
This year’s fleet is one less than last year, with nine skippers returning for another crack at lifting the Lipton Cup in victory, and a total of 16 previous skippers and crew with an impressive 49 victories amongst them, back in the fray.
One obviously has to look at the defending Lipton Cup champion, being Calvin Gibbs of the Hermanus Yacht Club, as the one to beat especially as he aced, in convincing style, the five-race North Sails J22 champs a week ago. This man is cool under pressure and last year showed that he could consistently be fifth or better in every one of the ten races, with the exception of an eighth in race four. His was the only team to have single digit results in all races – an exceptional result.
Hermanus Yacht Club have won on three previous occasions in 1969 with Colin Bowley; 1996 with Martin Schultz & Geoff Meek; and of course last year (2025) with Calvin Gibbs.
There are two “dark horses”, both with the ability to win, and both already prolific winners in their individual right. However the name which sticks out, no, maybe which shines brighter than any other, is that of Greg Davis (Knysna Yacht Club) who has won the contest 15 times, is always a wily contestant, and who makes winning a habit. But, with all his Lipton victories in L26s, can he add another title to his already impressive CV with one in J22s? Only time will tell though!
The other “dark horse”, for the only reason being he missed the North Sails J22 champs last weekend as he had international sailing commitments, is David Rae representing the Royal Cape Yacht Club. Will he be short of match practice, or will he simply be able to climb aboard his trusty steed and continue to dominate as he has in the past? With 11 Lipton Cup wins to his name, Rae does have an impressive record in J22 championships, and will have the confidence that his team who scored second spot overall last weekend without him, are full of confidence and have a well-prepared boat. Rae and his team came within a hairs-breadth of winning last year, so they must certainly be one of the more fancied runners who can add another victory to the 18 already won by the Royal Cape Yacht Club.
On performance alone during the North Sails champs last weekend the UCTYC team headed by Dale Rae was full of running and looked fast, finishing on the podium, so they too cannot be counted out.
One also cannot disregard the five winners of the races in the North Sails champs last week, as to win a race in a highly competitive fleet like this, one has to be on top of the game and have good boat speed and solid tactics available in bucket loads, and not simply rely on luck. Those winners, in order of the races, were False Bay YC; Saldanha Bay YC; Hermanus YC; RCYC Academy and Walvis Bay YC.
One must also not lose sight of the fact that in last year’s contest, Bjorn Geiger of Walvis Bay YC broke his rudder in the first race, yet went on to win two races in the ten race contest – so he too will be a threat.
The ten races in last year’s contest were won by Hermanus YC (2); Royal Cape YC (3); Royal Natal YC (1); Saldanha Bay YC (1); Walvis Bay YC (2) and the Point YC (1). All these teams are back again, and all no doubt thirsty to win the coveted cup.
The Lipton Cup deed of gift states that recognised clubs south of a line from Beira in the east to Walvis Bay in the west, can compete. While the contest has always been dominated by South African clubs, Clube Naval of Lourenco Marques (now Maputo) won in 1960 and 1961. This year two clubs from Namibia are competing, Walvis Bay YC with old hand and Lipton stalwart Bjorn Geiger at the helm, and new to the contest being Luderitz YC with Nikolai Allers at the helm.
So what is clear is that there will be a lot of talent on the water this year, and that there is unlikely to be a runaway winner. I personally hope that, like last year, the contest goes down to the wire and is only determined in the final race.
2026 Lipton Cup Entrants
| Defending Club | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hermanus Yacht Club (HYC) | Kelvin Gibbs | Nitro Juice |
| Challenger of Record | ||
| Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) | David Rae | Amtec Racing |
| Challengers | ||
| Boskop Yacht Club (BYC) | Tammy van Niekerk | H20 Tech |
| False Bay Yacht Club (FBYC) | Henry Daniel | Ullman Sails Camissa |
| George Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) | Matthew De Villiers | Andiamo GLYC |
| Izvungvungu MSC Youth Foundation (Isivunguvungu) | Thando Mntambo | Donna mia…forever |
| Kynsna Yacht Club (KYC) | Georgeou Divaris & Greg Davis | Factorial |
| Lake Deneys Yacht Club (LDYC) | Henning Kock & Aaron Biagio | Wildcard |
| Luderitz Yacht Club (LYC) | Nikolai Allers | Attacke |
| Point Yacht Club (PYC) | Richard Weddell | G Day J |
| Royal Cape Academy (RCYC Academy) | Sibusiso Sizatu | Jaywalker |
| Royal Natal Yacht Club (RNYC) | Mike Farrington & Andrea Giovannini | Ullman Racing |
| Saldanha Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) | Theo Yon | Nitro Monkey |
| Theewater Sports Club (TSC) | Jimmy Jacka | Ca Canny |
| University Cape Town YC (UCTYC) | Dale Rae | Nitro Maverick |
| Walvis Bay Yacht Club (WBYC) | Bjorn Gieger | 22-Ate |
| Witbank Yacht & Aquatic Club (WYAC) | Travis Clack | Laugh A Minute |
