The Lipton Cup Trophy Return to SDYC in 2009
Posted by: Jared in Competition Fund, RacingMay 16-17, 2009
by V/Comm. Bill Campbell
San Diego Yacht Club bested three teams from
Saturday’s racing saw SDYC get off to a fast start by winning the first race. The winds were south/southwest from 3-6 knots, and with forty degree shifts throughout the day. It was easy to go from first to last and last to first at any time on the course. Balboa did just that in two of the races Saturday, coming from fourth to first to take the lead after day one by one point over SDYC.
Day two brought what was expected to be the typical go right westerly breeze at 5-9 knots. SWYC started off hot with a 1-2. A foul by BYC on SWYC at the start of the first race of the day resulted in BYC taking a penalty turn right off the line. Having started late, SDYC noted BYC did not do their penalty correctly. This would be the undoing of BYC, and cause for SWYC to protest and be successful in the room. CRA and SWYC continued to put on the pressure by sailing the first two of three races on Sunday in 1-2 combinations. So going into the seventh and final race, with BYC figured in as a probable DSQ, SDYC, CRA and BYC were tied with SWYC one point behind. The racing could not have been closer!
In the last race SWYC was able to get to the weather mark first, and lead around the first lap. BYC coming from last place once again, along with SDYC keeping pace, was able to put the pressure on at the last leeward mark where SWYC, BYC and SDYC were all overlapped, with CRA one length behind. Had the results been tabulated there, BYC would have won, SWYC would have been second and SDYC third, with CRA fourth. But it was determined that SWYC did not give room as required at the last leeward mark and was protested by BYC and disqualified from the race. SDYC made a move to pass BYC on the last windward leg to finish second in the race and win the regatta.
The SWYC race committee, headed by Wayne Coulon, did a great job in very trying conditions and got all seven races run in fine fashion. A world of thanks goes out to
Team SDYC was skippered by Commodore Andy LaDow who did a great job steering the lumbering J-105 in light and lumpy conditions. Benny Mitchell did the mainsheet and tactics and provided the calming influence on board when things weren’t working out as expected. Chris Busch was trimmer and gave lots of great input on tactics. Vice Commodore Bill Campbell was in the pit and giving input from the weather rail. Kelly McKeown was mast man extraordinaire and provided a wealth of information on tuning and boat set up. Peter Burton did the bow and added his input on wind and waves as well. The attitude on the boat was to be conservative, let the other guys take themselves out if possible, and stay positive. Get clean starts and see how things sorted out up the course. And stay out of the protest room! The weather provided lots of opportunities for the crews to second guess themselves and give up at any time, but I am happy to say we were fortunate enough to guess correctly more often than not.
Special thanks goes to Sharon and Dennis Case for lending “Wings” to the Club for use by the team. Graham Kelly was instrumental in representing SDYC on the Lipton Cup Advisory Committee and coordinating the Club’s effort in its entirety.
SDYC looks forward to having next year’s Lipton Cup added to the sailing agenda and hosting what has become a very good event, though low in numbers, but where every boat has a chance to win going into the last race. What more can one ask for!
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