(San Diego, CA)- San Diego Yacht Club will host the 104th annual Sir
Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup on October 26-28, 2018. Twelve teams from
the U.S. and Canada will battle for the coveted Cup in a rotation of
matched J/105s in a stadium sailing format on San Diego Bay. After each
race, competitors rotate boats, allowing for each team to have balanced
boat conditions throughout the regatta.The 12 teams competing this year are: Balboa Yacht Club, California Yacht Club, Chicago Yacht Club, Coronado Yacht Club, Long Beach Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, San Diego Yacht Club, San Francisco Yacht Club, Southwestern Yacht Club and St. Francis Yacht Club.
The San Diego Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup dates back to the early days of yachting on the Pacific Ocean, circa 1900. Sir Lipton Thomas, the famous yachtsman and tea baron, requested that a trophy be created in his name for West Coast yacht racing excellence.
The Lipton Cup trophy can be found at San Diego Yacht Club, won in 2017 by SDYC skipper Tyler Sinks, a now four year Lipton Cup veteran. Sinks explains what he has learned from his years participating in the regatta. “It's a marathon, not a sprint. It's really all about peaking at the right time and trying to improve each and every race.”
“The
win last year was special because of our loss in 2016. The team was
hungry for a shot at redemption and we got it. It's always easier to
play the underdog. This year, we're the defending champions, so there's
probably some expectations that come with that. Fortunately, we're
bringing back the all-star team from last year, plus we've added US
Sailing Team Member Nevin Snow, who is stepping in for Erik Shampain.
Nevin has won on many levels, including being named the two-time College
Sailor of the Year while at Georgetown. We're psyched to have Nevin on
board,” Tyler continued.Lipton Cup Co-Chair Alli Bell states, “The San Diego Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup is a unique regatta that pulls together some of the best sailors from California, the rest of the country, and this year Canada for a weekend of competitive racing. As fierce competitors as these sailors are, we also have a lot of fun off the water. It’s great to see the camaraderie and friendships at the social events.”
SDYC Waterfront Director Jeff Johnson expresses SDYC’s pride in the event. “The legion of people that loan their boats, others who gather them, clean them, service them, tune them, rig them, and care for them during the regatta is remarkable. The helpers that just run out on the floating docks anchored in the Bay and hold dock lines and fenders to protect the boats from getting scratched is extraordinary and not like any other event we host during the year. Hats off to their efforts!”
The regatta will feature three days of competitive racing, along with a social event on Friday evening, Saturday night banquet and awards to follow Sunday’s races. The Lipton Cup’s Saturday Night dinner has been known as a “don’t-miss” event for shenanigans and good-natured ribbing between the different clubs in light of the competition. For more J/105 Lipton Cup Challenge Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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