Lipton Challenge Cup 2012 Article by AB Shanton Claude Prins Photos by AB Caswell Motlolisi

On 25 February 1909 Sir Thomas Lipton gave to the then known as Table Bay Yacht Club (later it became the Royal Cape Yacht Cup) RCYC a silver cup to encourage yachting in coastal areas. The event was to be called the “The Lipton Challenge Cup”. In the competitions development Sir Thomas Lipton clearly specified how the event should be managed and today, 103 years later, the event is still managed along the same principles established in 1909.

The Lipton trophy

The 2012 Lipton cup challenge was hosted by False Bay Yacht Club in conjunction with the SA Navy. The typical False Bay winter weather played a critical role in the competition. Conditions were tough, testing the metal of young and old sailors alike. The final day of racing had to be abandoned on the first upwind leg. So without having actually won an individual race in the regatta but with some consistent top 5 placing the Royal Natal team became the first Kwazulu Natal club to win the coveted Lipton cup since their fellow Natal Point Yacht club’s victory in 1984. The young team of sailors from the Royal Natal Yacht club clinched the 2012 Lipton Challenge cup by 1 point from Cape Town’s Royal Yacht Club.

Starting line of the race	Sailing Yachts are on a run, while Donna Mia Always, making her way to the top

The South African Navy entered four yachts, the Defence Yacht Club (DYC) Western Province, DYC BOLAND, DYC Pretoria and the DYC Kwazulu Natal. All four had a Navy and Izivunguvungu combined team. The best finisher, the MSC Yacht Donna Mia Always (DYC WP), skippered by AB D. Shilton, performed very well, ending up in 8th position overall with their best finish of 5th place in one of the races.

The SA Navy MSC Yacht, the Donna Mia Always, who finished in 8th position	The yachts out in the bay

RESULTS

LIPTON CHALLENGE CUP
Royal Natal Yacht Club

BOATING ASSOCIATION OF TABLE BAY TROPHY
1893 A University of Cape Town Yacht club

BOATING ASSOCIATION OF TABLE BAY TROPHY
1893 B Royal Cape Yacht club

BOATING ASSOCIATION OF TABLE BAY TROPHY
1893 C Royal Cape Yacht Club

L26 CLASS ASSOCIATION TROPHY
Royal Cape Yacht Club

POKALL CUP
Point Yacht Club

VAN DER STEL TROPHY
Royal Natal Yacht Club

JACK FINLAYSON MEMORIAL TROPHY
Royal Cape Yacht Club

OWEN AISHER TROPHY
Fish Hoek Beach Sailing Club