Lipton Cup 2014 – Final report (WC & National) – Matthew Thomas Watch out for the Sorcerer’s apprentices! It’s always great to see youth sportsmen & women challenge the established master, and this year’s Lipton was a good example of how our youth are developing and how the face of sailing is changing. Lipton Cup, one of the oldest sporting events in South Africa, is the ultimate event to win in sailing and has been sailed for by teams from Walvis Bay to Maputo over the last 105 years. Each yacht club may enter a single team for the event, which is sailed in identical L26 keelboats. Having won the event last year in Durban, the team from False Bay Yacht Club (FBYC) returned the challenge to the Cape and this year’s event was held in the waters adjacent to Simonstown Naval Base. With 15 teams competing, it was fantastic to see that the majority of sailors were under 25 and many were still teenagers. Even more noteworthy, was that many of the boats were youth development teams, who had come to Simonstown to take on the Grand Master of this event, Greg Davis who, with today’s win, has now won it 12 times! Greg and his experienced team sailing the yacht Co-Ordination, were exemplary on the water and won 3 of the 4 races! The youth team representing Zeekoeivlei Yacht Club (ZVYC) is a good example of how this sport has changed over the last 10 years. These sailors are all associated with the RCYC Sailing Acadamy and are led by skipper Daniel Agulhas, who was recently awarded Sailor of the Month by SA Sailing Magazine. This team started their journey just over a year ago and working together they prepared their yacht, managed their campaign and raised sponsorship monies to fund their campaign. It’s been hard work, but they’ve persevered and their well-earned 2nd place is testament to their combined commitment to this challenge. Hailing from Durban, another youth team, representing Royal Natal Yacht Club (RNYC) was also hot on the heels of Greg Davis and Daniel Agulhas was Brennan Robinson sailing Orion B2G2 with a young team from Durban sailed into a well-deserved 3rd place. Once a sport associated with the wealthy and aristocratic, it has now become a truly South African sport, with representation from all groups of today’s South African society! RESULTS 1st Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) - Yacht Co-ordination Greg Davis/David Rae – co-skipper 2nd Zeekoeivlei Yacht Club (ZVYC) – B&G Daniel Agulhas – skipper 3rd Royal Natal Yacht Club (RNYC) – Orion B2G2 Brennan Robinson – skipper
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:30:27 +0000
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