Club News


Widespread Interest in the 2017 Yachting Cup

By Emily Willhoft | March 13, 2017
Yachting Cup Website

San Diego, CA (March 13, 2017) One of San Diego Yacht Club’s most anticipated spring events, the Yachting Cup regatta, takes place for the 45th year on May 5-7, 2017. Over 80 entries are expected for this year’s regatta from numerous yacht clubs around Southern California.

Early entries for this year’s race include a handful of West Coast 70s including 2017 Islands Race winner Roy Disney’s Andrews 70 Pyewacket. The Pac52 Class will compete in their inaugural event including Victor Wild’s Fox who won the Friday Ton Cup race in the 2016 Yachting Cup. Several past overall and class winners have already entered this year's event. Back to capture another title is the 2015 overall winner, Neil Fraser on his 1D35 Mexican Divorce.

The 2017 Yachting Cup will feature Friday ocean buoy racing for the Pac52 and West Coast 70 classes with scores counting towards their Yachting Cup class standings. Other racers wishing to compete on Friday will sail for the Ton Cup, a random leg race inside San Diego Bay on Friday afternoon. Saturday and Sunday racing will take place on two venues out on the Pacific Ocean, and one in San Diego Bay. After each day of racing, competitors will to return to SDYC for post-race activities and regatta parties.

Widespread interest will look to the Pac52 class with three new designs, all of which will be virtually untested. Manouch Moshayedi (St. Francis Yacht Club) has participated in the Yachting Cup several times over the years and looks forward to seeing how his Pac52, Rio, will stack up against its competition. “Yachting Cup will be the inaugural regatta for the Pac52 class which include Fox, Invisible Hand, Bad Pak and Rio.”

Skippers can continue to register their boats until 5:00pm on Tuesday, May 2nd at http://yachtingcup.com/.

The Schock 35 class will be well represented in 2017. Included in this class is Larry Leveille (Santa Barbara Yacht Club) who frequently sails the Yachting Cup in his Schock 35, Uncle Bob, on the way home from the Newport to Ensenada Race.“SDYC does a fantastic job hosting the regatta, with great committee work, and of course, great parties. With Uncle Bob and our previous boat, Yachting Cup was always a ‘can’t miss it’ event.  For this and any time we visit, the people at SDYC go out of their way to help us out.”

David Boatner’s J/35 Rival was the 2016 overall winner, capturing three bullets on the last day of racing and earning his spot on the Yachting Cup perpetual trophy. One-design classes such as the J/120s, J/105s and Farr 40s are anticipating competitive fleet racing over the weekend.

Additionally, this event is a great opportunity for handicap fleet racing. Handicap racing is important because it provides an opportunity for diverse boats to race, ranging from recreational weekend sailors to those with the most updated designs and seasoned crews.

The Organizing Authority is inviting the participants of the Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race to plan on stopping in San Diego on their return trip north to sail in the Yachting Cup.

The awards ceremony will be held at San Diego Yacht Club after the completion of races on Sunday, May 7 where prizes will be awarded by class.

The Yachting Cup would like to thank its sponsors: Pantaenius, Lars Remodeling, Bay City Brewing Company, North Sails and Rigworks.

For more information or media inquiries, please contact Emily Willhoft.