There’s something special about San Diego Yacht Club’s Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup. Some may claim it’s the competition - the best sailing teams that yacht clubs all over the country put together. Others claim it’s the one-design format - each team rotates between the fleet of eleven equalized J/105s after each race, giving each team a fair chance in every boat. Competitors might anticipate thriving post-race socials after a tough day on the water, and locals might boast about their quality San Diego Bay venue and top-notch race management. The truth of the matter is that each one of these aspects makes the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup, better known as the Lipton Cup, a highly sought-after trophy around the country.
This fall, the regatta is scheduled once again on its traditional weekend of October 28-30. Eleven teams are registered from yacht clubs east to west for three-days of intense racing. Some novice to the Lipton Cup, and some experienced, all skippers were selected by their home club to best represent them on (and off) the water.
The full roster of participating Lipton Cup teams:
American Yacht Club - Skipper Dwight Greenhouse
California Yacht Club - Skipper Will Peterson
Chicago Yacht Club - Skipper Will Holz
Coronado Yacht Club - Skipper Scott Harris
Del Rey Yacht Club - Skipper Chris Weis
Long Beach Yacht Club - Skipper Keith Ives
Newport Harbor Yacht Club - Skipper Justin Law
New York Yacht Club - Skipper Peter Levesque
San Diego Yacht Club - Skipper Tyler Sinks
San Francisco Yacht Club - Skipper Shawn Bennett
Storm Trysail Club - Skipper Bill Zartler
Returning on behalf of San Diego Yacht Club is skipper Tyler Sinks, with crew members Max Hutcheson, Lucy Wallace, Nick Kaschak, Eric Shampain, Jake La Dow, and Nevin Snow. “The format of the Lipton Cup is very unique given the boat rotations between each race. The competition is also notable as most yacht clubs send their best teams to compete making the racing extremely close and fun for spectators. The team and I try to sail in a few of the local One Design weekends and organize after-work training sessions in La Playa before the regatta. I’m looking forward to seeing old friends and having a great, competitive week of sailing. October in San Diego is tough to beat, I just hope we have some wind,” explained Sinks.
With four Lipton Cup wins under his belt (including 2021), Sinks is surely a team to beat. Sinks skippered for Team SDYC this September at the New York Yacht Club Resolute Cup in Newport, RI, where they finished second, right in front of Storm Trysail Club.
New this year representing the Storm Trysail Club is skipper Bill Zartler and his nationwide crew consisting of folks from Texas, Maine, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Connecticut. “I have raced J/105s for nearly 20 years on and off, so have plenty of time on the boat. We have a very experienced crew on many kinds of boats and may be able to assemble the crew on the east coast for a practice day. It will be a great experience to put a new crew together and test our skills.” said Zartler. Look out for Team Storm Trysail the weekend prior to Lipton Cup at the J/105 Northeast Championship in Annapolis, MD, where they’re sure to get great practice!
Chris Weis, skipper for Team Del Rey Yacht Club, has been interested in competing in the Lipton Cup since a young age, and named it a “must-do” for sailors in the region. “Our team has been practicing these last few months in preparation for the Lipton Cup on a J/105 in Marina Del Rey. As a team, we competed in the Catalina 37s at Long Beach Race Week and were happy to come away 3rd. From that, we identified a few areas we really want to focus on and will be working on those until the event,” explained Weis.
Day one of the Lipton Cup is set for Friday, October 28. Races will begin with an 1130 warning signal in South San Diego Bay. After a series of races and rotations on the floating dock, the teams will head back to SDYC for a welcome reception featuring light bites, beer, and cocktails. After the racing on Saturday, competitors and family members are invited to participate in the traditional Lipton Cup Banquet, where teams prepare their best roasts and get on stage. Once the racing concludes on Sunday, an Awards Ceremony will be held on the Front Deck.
JR Young is thrilled to be chairing the 2022 regatta. “Planning for this signature regatta has been going on since January and I couldn’t be more excited about the 107th running of the Lipton Cup that dates back to 1904. From the generous J/105 boat owners who allow us to use their boats, to the dozens of volunteers who prep the boats or help during the races, to our great Club staff, it takes a huge team effort to make it successful. We’re hoping for a great regatta with some great competition.”
Special guest at this year’s Lipton Cup is the restored 1902 Butcher Boy. Butcher Boy will be performing a faux start before the official start of the Lipton Cup on Friday, October 28. The yacht will be available at the front dock after Friday’s racing.
Thank you to our dedicated sponsors, who make events like this one possible: Doyle Sails, Helly Hansen, Old Harbor Distilling, Bay City Brewing, Bay Club Hotel and Marina, Chipz Happen, Sailing Supply, and Regatta Craft Mixers.
This year, each boat will be sporting a brand-new spinnaker. Every four or so years, at the end of their lifespan, spinnakers are replaced with the opportunity to be branded by local businesses. We look forward to seeing your logos fly on the city front! Thank you to those who bought a spinnaker for the next term: Sharp Business Solutions, Jeff Brown Yachts, Brigantine Seafood and Oyster Bar, Ketch Brewing, Xceptional Dental, Round Feather, and South Coast Yachts.
