12 yacht clubs will compete in 12 races for the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup

SAN DIEGO ― The 103rd Sir Thomas Lipton Cup Challenge kicks off in San Diego Bay, Oct. 27-29. San Diego Yacht Club, the organizing authority for this sailing competition, has already selected the 12 qualifying yacht clubs to take part in the 12 races.

The participating yacht clubs from the East and West coast include: Balboa YC, California YC, Coronado YC, Chicago YC, Larchmont YC, Long Beach YC, New York YC, Newport Harbor YC, San Diego YC, San Francisco YC, Southwestern YC, and St. Francis YC.

“The entry fee for the selected yacht clubs will be $7,000, of which $2,000 shall be nonrefundable,” the Notice of Race stated. “The entry fee will include yacht charter, use of sails, daily team breakfast, team tickets to social events, and team tickets to event dinners.”

Sailing teams can only have one yacht club member each. Last year’s 2016 champion, Joe Pinckney representing Newport Harbor YC, returns this year. Tyler Sinks, the 2015 champion from San Diego YC, is also back to compete.

“Boats and sails will be provided [and] will be sailed in J/105 Class boats,” the Notice of Race also stated. “The event will utilize a boat rotation” to ensure fairness.

Crews will have access to the J/105 boats for practice on Oct. 26. The yacht teams will start racing at 11:55 a.m. on Oct. 27-29.

The regatta is named after Thomas Johnstone Lipton, a Scottish man who took up yachting at the age of 43 and was knighted by the Queen of England in 1898.

“A Commodore of SDYC wrote to Sir Thomas in 1902 to request permission for the Club to name a cup in his honor,” San Diego YC’s website states. “Sir Thomas not only granted the request, but once again demonstrated his nobility, gifting a trophy to SDYC which became known as the San Diego Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup.”

Cynthia Sinclair photo