Algoa Bay Yacht Club

Things just don’t seem to be going too well for the ABYC Lipton Cup Team who have slipped to 16th position in the 19 boat fleet after today’s racing with a 15th place.

Rob Archibald and Andrew Ward sailing for Redhouse Yacht Club had a steaming day with their best result yet – a 4th on the sausage course after being the first boat to round the top mark.

The report by Mathew Thomas below comes from the Lipton Cup web site:

Today, the weather gods must have decided that the majority of the crews hadn’t bathed properly as the heavens opened and the sailors were subjected to a nearly constant downpour for the duration of today’s racing. With two of the three compulsory courses sailed, today’s race course was the final required course, the “sausage”, sailed in SW winds that varied between 6 and 12 knots, with gusts around 15kts.

Right from the start of today’s racing it was a tight battle up front with Rob Archibald, sailing Redhouse Yacht Club’s Orion, first at the top mark, followed by Luke Wagner on PYC Element and Ricky Robinson on RNYC’s Orion B2G2, followed closely by defending Champion Greg Davis on KYC Colorpress, followed by Guido Verhovert on RCYC’s Ells Teeth, Neil Malan on UCT Maverick and Andrea Giovannini & Markus Progli on FBYC’s Team Intasure Marine Insurance.

With the sailors being pummelled by numerous rain squalls and nearly constant rain, it was tight racing that saw the front pack closely bunched around the course as the fought to keep ahead of the yachts behind them, while at the same time trying to pass the yachts ahead of them.  By the end of the race, Ricky Robinson, on RNYC’s Orion B2G2, had managed to work his way into second place, just behind Rob Archibald on Redhouse Yacht Club’s Orion, who had lead from the start. Defending champion, Greg Davis on Knysna Yacht Club’s Colorpress was 3rd.

This epic battle continued till the end, with Colorpress trying to out manouver Orion B2G2, but it was False Bay Yacht Club’s Team Intasure Marine Insurance, sailed by Andrea Giovannini & Markus Progli, who managed to pass everyone and ended up finishing 1st. Ricky Robinson, on Orion B2G2, finished 2nd, Greg Davis, on Colorpress, 3rd and Rob Archibald, on Orion, 4th.

With their win today, this has moved Team Intasure Marine Insurance into 3rd place behind Colorpress and Orion B2G2 who are tied for first place.

Rob and Andrew are lying 8th Overall with the top three places being claimed by:

1. Knysna Yacht Club
2. Royal Natal Yacht Club
3. False Bay Yacht Club