Winning the Lipton Challenge Cup takes time, dedication and an inordinate amount of time on the water. Having challenged last year for the first time after a long layoff, the team from George Lakes Yacht Club is back again and focusing on the massive task ahead – that of winning the Lipton Challenge Cup.
Again with an all-Youth crew, and some changes in how they approach their training and assault on the cup, they are full of spirit, energy and hope.
They described last year’s challenge as a shoestring campaign, scraping just enough funds together in the last week before the Lipton Challenge Cup contest to enable them to travel to Durban. With experience and better planning behind them now, they trust that this year will be a whole lot easier logistically, enabling them to invest all their effort into their training schedule and preparations.
They have again chosen the Pacer 27 Sport as their trusty steed, and believe that if they can train hard enough, and use all the positives from the 2023 contest, they will be able to sail the boat to its handicap, and even on to the podium. “We are excited to have a few more Pacers joining us this year,” said the team who feel they may have set a trend in the Cape.
Skipper Matthew de Villiers says he has a really solid crew. “Mia Stock and Jordyn Soldin are at the front of the boat, with Luke de Villiers and Rudi Fokkens in the middle. Lee Gibbs and I are at the back. We have a good couple of training sessions under our belts and the boat performs faster each time we sail.”
