Lipton Challenge Cup Day Four

Royal Natal Yacht Club

Lipton Challenge Cup Regatta 2012

False Bay: 19 – 24 August

Day Four: Wednesday 22 August

 False Bay Yacht Club, the defending champions of the Lipton Challenge Cup, round the mark just seconds after the Royal Natal Yacht Club entry, Orion B2G2 that is currently in second position on overall points. At the helm of Orion B2G2 is Ricky Robinson, whose brother and crew member, Brenan celebrated his birthday on-board the boat.

Greg Davies proved why he has won South Africa’s most prestigious sailing event nine times when he cemented his lead with an astounding victory on day four of the Lipton Challenge Cup.

With two races remaining in this weeklong regatta, Davies sailing for the Royal Cape Yacht Club is 7 points clear of second placed Orion B2G2 from the Royal Natal Yacht Club.

The fleet of 25 yachts took to four laps of a windward / leeward or sausage course, with the Cape weather providing the yachts with yet another magnificent day of sailing, a good 12knots of breeze blowing from the South East.

Hoisting the spinnaker on day four of the Lipton Challenge Cup, a crew member gets splashed on the bow of Theewater Sports Club down in False Bay.

Davies, from the onset, led the race with the fleets’ positions remaining the same for majority of the battle. The top Durban entry, the Royal Natal Yacht Club rounded the first marker in ninth position after a very disappointing start, wiggling their way up to a fourth but dropped a place concluding the days racing in fifth place.

Fellow Durban yacht club, Point Yacht Club’s Choose Life High Performance Sailing Team were comfortably in third for the first three laps but on the last leg were passed by defending champion, Andrea Giovanni sailing for False Bay Yacht Club.

Beating their way up the course, Defence Yacht Club – WP and the Royal Natal Yacht Club compete in the Lipton Challenge Cup yesterday (Wednesday) down in False Bay.

The three entries from KwaZulu Natal finished in the top six positions on day four, with Craig Millar sailing for Henely Midmar Yacht Club crossing the line in sixth place. On the log PYC Choose Life High Performance Sailing Team are placed fifth and Millar is in seventh position overnight.

University of Cape Town Yacht Club had a very solid race sticking on Davies’ tail for the entire race, which gives him a total of 18points on the log, keeping them in third position. The battle is on for second position as the young team from Cape Town are three points behind second placed Ricky Robinson helming the Royal Natal Yacht Club boat.

The penultimate day of the 121^st Lipton Challenge Cup has the darling of L26 sailing, Greg Davies from the Royal Cape Yacht Club decisively in first position.

Defending champions False Bay Yacht Club and the Royal Natal Yacht Club head towards the leeward mark on day four of the Lipton Challenge Cup in False Bay.

Results Day Four

1 Royal Cape Yacht Club (Greg Davies) 8pts, 2 Royal Natal Yacht Club (Ricky Robinson) 15pts, 3 University Cape Town Yacht Club (Neil Malan / Oliver Hobson) 18pts, 4 False Bay Yacht Club (Andrea Giovanni / Markus Progli) 19pts, 5 Point Yacht Club Choose Life High Performance Sailing (Richard Weddel) 22pts, 6 Defence Yacht Club Western Province (David Shilton) 25pts, 7 Henley Midmar Yacht Club (Craig Millar) 28pts, 8 Langebaan Yacht Club (Dominique Proveyeur / Ken Venn) 29pts

Photos by Trevor Wilkins