Two races, one in light winds, the second in a good breeze, have turned the Lipton Challenge Cup leader board on its head, and will ensure that the three potential races scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) will be a shoot-out, with the best team lifting the Lipton Cup in victory.
But it was not only the wind that turned the contest on its head as two protests were lodged, and three boats disqualified, one being the Royal Natal Yacht Club who were top dogs after 7 races, but now drop down to 6th overall and more than likely out of contention as this is a regatta with no discards.
Race six started well in a north westerly wind of about 8 knots, but on the fourth leg the wind rapidly began dying forcing the race officer to shorten the course. And this is where confusion appeared to reign as two protests were lodged from boats alleging that their finish was impeded by boats that had finished.
Race 6 was won by the False Bay Yacht Club whose yacht is co-skippered by Henry Daniels and Asenathi Jim, an Olympic yachtsman. This young team sailed an exceptionally clever race and thoroughly deserved their victory, but sadly were unable to string two consistent races together back-to-back, as they finished 10th in the 7th race.
Runners-up were the RCYC Academy with Sibu Sizatu at the helm and in command of a young team of up-and-coming sailors. He led the race for a while and should be highly satisfied with his overall result for the day as he had a 7th in the second race of the day, one of the better performances taking both races into account.
Third was the UCTYC team skippered by Dale Rae who scored the same position in race 7. They scored the second best aggregate of the day with just 6 points, and jumped 4 places up the leader board to 4th overall – just 7 points off the leaders.
The best aggregate score of the day went to Theo Yon of the Saldanha Bay Yacht Club as he was 4th, and then followed that with a good solid win in race 7, scoring just 5 points for the day, and thus jumping 5 places up the leader board to 5th overall.
While the Royal Natal Yacht Club shot the lights out of the overnight leaders by topping the leader board, they have a single point advantage over the defending champions Hermanus Yacht Club, and 5 over the Royal Cape Yacht Club.
So, with three possible races still to come, and the long range weather forecast promising the best winds of the contest, there is everything to play for with at least 6 teams in with a mathematical chance of winning the 72nd Lipton Cup contest.
Tomorrow (Saturday) is going to be a big day on Table Bay, and a day on which the team who can string 3 consecutive really consistent races together will lift the Lipton Cup in victory. It’s that close, with the distinct possibility of UCTYC and Saldanha Bay Yacht Club winning for the first time ever.
Plus, there is also the very distinct possibility that Dale Rae could become the first ever woman skipper to win the Lipton Cup. How wonderful would that be?
