ISLANDS RACE NEWS

The coveted Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup trophy is leaving San Diego Yacht Club and heading north to the home of this year’s winners: Newport Harbor Yacht Club! After three days of intense, close racing, skipper Justin Law and his seasoned crew earned their bragging rights by winning four of eleven races and staying in the top half of the fleet for almost every other race this weekend.

"It was super stressful. We just really played ball that last race. We had to stay five boats within Chicago and the team just did enough. Winning the first race made the tension go away and it was a great way to start the day. It set us up for a successful final two races," commented Law.

‘Stay out of the pack… and preferably in the front’ was the goal of today’s current first place skipper Will Holz of Chicago Yacht Club. On day two of the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup, Holz and his crew were able to do just that, showing their competitors just how skilled they are in their home-town like winds.

The breeze was stronger than typical San Diego conditions today, seeing southerly winds with speeds in the range of 16-18 knots for the majority of the races. Teams were thrilled to be sailing faster and harder than on day one, especially Chicago Yacht Club, St. Francis Yacht Club and San Francisco Yacht Club who all came to Southern California from the some of the breeziest cities in the country. Holz (CYC) was able to use the breeze to his advantage and make his way from third place to first place in four races.

The 2019 Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup began today (Friday) at the San Diego Yacht Club, and it seems to be picking up right where it left off last year in 2018. All eleven participating yacht club teams are returning from last year, many of them being skippered by the same men and women at the helm. Shane Young and his Long Beach Yacht Club team were one team that really came back ready for a rematch.

Racing began around 1225 while the race committee waited for the breeze to fill in. This gave the teams time to get accustomed to the J/105s and the South San Diego Bay venue. In four races, competitors saw shifty breezes averaging 8 knots through the day. Temperatures hit the high 80’s and as usual, the Bay was covered with bright, sunny skies.

Currently standing in first place is Shane Young (Long Beach Yacht Club) with 15 points, tied with Tyler Sinks (San Diego Yacht Club) in second, also with 15 points. In third place stands Will Holz (Chicago Yacht Club) with 20 points.

One of the San Diego Yacht Club’s most coveted trophies is back up for grabs, going home with the winning team of the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup on October 25-27, 2019. Eleven yacht clubs that battled for the title in 2018 return to South San Diego Bay for a rematch. In the running are: San Diego Yacht Club (2018 winners), Balboa Yacht Club, California Yacht Club, Chicago Yacht Club, Coronado Yacht Club, Long Beach Yacht Club, Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, San Francisco Yacht Club, St. Francis Yacht Club, and Southwestern Yacht Club.

The Lipton Cup is sailed in a fleet of J/105s, graciously loaned from local J/105 owners, with rotating boats between each race allowing for fair, even racing. The first warning signal is scheduled for 1125 each day.