The weather was unbelievably foul in the week prior to the race, but it steadied down and behaved up to the final day when racing had to be abandoned on the first upwind leg.
Without having actually won an individual race in the regatta, but with consistent placing in the top five, the Royal Natal Yacht Club team became the first Kwazulu Natal Club to win the coveted Lipton Cup since fellow Natal Point Yacht Club's victory in 1984. The young sailors from Royal Natal clinched the challenge by one point from Royal Cape Yacht Club.
Out of the fleet of 25 yachts, Mossel Bay was the leading Southern Cape challenger in 12th position, Knysna achieved 21st and Island Lakes 23rd.
New season
This Saturday, September 1, the first day of spring, the Knysna Yacht Club celebrates the opening of the sailing season with the fabulous Opening Cruise. A fleet of over 50 boats including keelboats, catamarans, sailing dinghies, power boats, rowing boats and canoes, will proceed from Thesens Jetty toward the Knysna Yacht Club, where they will sail past Commodore Jim Parkes, in salute.
Starting at around 15:00 they will probably be passing the Yacht Club by 15:15, providing excellent spectator value. All skippers are asked to attend a skippers briefing in the yacht club at 13:30 to enable the sail pass to proceed smoothly.
The young team from UCT proved that hard work and perseverance are what is needed to claim a race in the Lipton Cup challenge. (Photo: Trevor Wilkins)
