KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna Yacht Club (KYC) marked a strong return to the Lipton Challenge Cup, South Africa's premier sailing regatta, securing seventh place overall and joint sixth on points in Cape Town last week. 

Hosted by the Royal Cape Yacht Club, the event, first heldin 1909, featured 18 top sailing clubs vying for the historic trophy donated by Thomas Lipton.

This year's regatta embraced inclusivity by adopting the J22 class, making competition more accessible and blending veteran and youth sailors. 

The move fostered comradeship, with teams sharing set-up tips and equipment. International judge David Hudson oversaw 10 races on traditional courses, windward-leeward, equilateral triangle, and quadrilateral layouts, each at least 12 nautical miles long. With no discards, every race counted.

KYC's campaign, backed by community support and sponsors such as Sanlam Private Wealth, came together quickly. 

Securing a J22 just months before, skipper Dave Shilton, trimmer Anthony Parker, and bowman Michael Hill tackled the boat's sensitive tuning demands.

They refined rigging and teamwork mid-regatta, adapting tacking strategies with success.

Racing was intense, with gusts over 33 knots and rough seas testing crews. KYC faced early setbacks, including a lost spinnaker and torn jib hank, but climbed to fifth by day two. 

High-speed downwind runs saw competitors capsize, yet KYC's consistency kept them in the top third.

"We had little prep time, but the crew gelled fast. It was a tough, rewarding week of racing and camaraderie," said Shilton.

Hermanus Yacht Club, led by Calvin Gibbs and Markus Progli, won, with Scarlet Cilliers becoming the first woman to lift the Cup. KYC, supported by OJ Grinaker and others, plans a stronger return, eyeing a second J22 for youth training.

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