A dramatic conclusion to the Ola Lipton Challenge Cup took place offshore of Durban today (Friday) with False Bay Yacht Club claiming the prestigious title of the 2013 event.
Going into the final race, overnight leader, Richard Weddell sailing for Point Yacht Club on Choose Life Co-Ordination needed to be no more than one boat behind second placed False Bay Yacht Club’s co-skippers Andrea Giovannini and Markus Progli racing on Intasure Challenge.
From the start the guys from False Bay Yacht Club stuck with PYC’s every move, sailing inshore on the first beat to the weather mark. The inshore route paid off handsomely for the two boats as they rounded the mark with the remainder of the fleet a minute behind. Giovannini rounded first with Weddell just on this tail, 15 seconds off.
The positions remained unchanged for the next two laps between the first two yachts. Royal Cape Yacht Club sailed a cracker of a race, having rounded the first mark in sixth position. Greg Davis and his team changed gears working their way up the fleet. On the second rounding at the bottom marker, RMS Harbour Lights came around in third position just 20seconds behind Choose Life Co-Ordination.
On the third beat, Davis went inshore while Instasure and Choose Life Co-Ordination competed in a tacking duel going offshore. At the weather mark Instasure had a fantastic line coming into the lay line, having broken away from Weddell. Davis came up from the corner of the course, tacking around the buoy just on Intasure’s tail, putting Weddell in third.
For the final lap the top three yachts raced their hearts out. At one stage, it looked like RMS Harbour Lights had pulled into the lead but nearing the finish False Bay Yacht Club powered across the line with Royal Cape Yacht Club in second, dashing the hopes of the local lads sailing for Point Yacht Club. The trophy and the event will be competed for in False Bay.
“We are euphoric; it is an emotional relief having won. We can all relax now!” said a delighted Andrea Giovannini.
“Out of the five races we managed to beat our main competition four times but our seventh on the second day put us in a bit of bother.” This is not the first time the two successful skippers have come back from a disappointing seventh. In 2011 the duo won the regatta held in Mossel Bay having sailed a seventh in the first race. “We have been against the ropes before and came from behind. Second time we have done that, but I would like to race in this regatta and experience an easier win!” Giovannini commented.
The co-skippers are the only two remaining members from the 2011 winning team. “This has been a five year campaign for us, and we have done extremely well! Our records are a third, a second, a first, a fifth and now this memorable first.”
Markus Progli stated, “For us every year we have gone into the Lipton with the ambition of beating Greg, he has always been our arch rival as he is the guy to beat!”
Giovannini is taking a back seat from the Lipton campaign, giving Progli the reins. “I love this event, but it takes too much time and I need to focus on work. But I will definitely return.”
A disappointed Richard Weddell complimented False Bay Yacht Club’s racing, “They sailed really well! We sailed our hearts out but it wasn’t to be!”
Point Yacht Club finished tied on 12points with False Bay Yacht Club but finished second overall due to a count back. False Bay Yacht Club had three first places as opposed to Point’s one first place.
Pic by Trevor Wilkins
RESULTS
Race 5 Provisional results
1 Intasure FBYC Challenge (False Bay YC) Andrea Giovannini/ Markus Progli
2 RMS Harbour Lights (Royal Cape YC) Greg Davis
3 PYC Choose Life Co-Ordination (Point YC) Richard Weddell
4 DRBC Choose Life Element (Durban Radio Boat Club) Luke Wagner
5 Hoplite (Henley Midmar YC) Craig Millar
6 Southern Charter UCT Maverick (UCT YC) Matthew Shaw/ Neil Malan
7 Orion B2G2 (Royal Natal YC) Patrick Harris
8 Trader 24 (Defence YC, Boland) Sieraj Jacobs
9 JML III (Hout Bay YC) Theo Yon
10 Eikos Sail Africa (Denneysville YC) Trevor Donald
11 Donna Mia… Always (Defence YC, WP) De Wet Nel
12 Bumbo (Transvaal YC) Graham Baker
13 Choose Life Lipton (Island Sailing Club) Siyando Vato
14 Windways (Aeolians) Phillip Bennett
15 VLC Watersports Institute (Victoria Lake Club) Shelee Nel
16 MCU@ZYC (Zululand YC) Tyron de Jager
17 Eikos Sail Africa (Lake Denysville YC) CJ Milin
18 Container World Challenge (Glenwood Boys High School YC) Michael Dickinson
Overall final placings after 5 races
1 Intasure FBYC Challenge (False Bay YC) Andrea Giovannini/ Markus Progli (1 + 7 +1 + 2 + 1) 12 points
2 PYC Choose Life Co-Ordination (Point YC) Richard Weddell (3 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 3) 12
3 RMS Harbour Lights (Royal Cape YC) Greg Davis (3 + 2 + 3 + 9 + 2) 19
4 Orion B2G2 (Royal Natal YC) Patrick Harris (4 + 3 + 6 + 4 + 7) 24
5 DRBC Choose Life Element (Durban Radio Boat Club) Luke Wagner (7 + 6 + 7 + 1 + 4) 25
6 Southern Charter UCT Maverick (UCT YC) Matthew Shaw/ Neil Malan (5 + 9 +5 + 6 + 6) 31
7 Trader 24 (Defence YC, Boland) Sieraj Jacobs (9 + 5 + 4 + 8 + 8) 34
8 Hoplite (Henley Midmar YC) Craig Millar (8 + 10 + 11 + 5 + 5) 39
9 Choose Life Lipton (Island Sailing Club) Siyando Vato (11 + 4 + 13 + 7 + 13) 48
10 JML III (Hout Bay YC) Theo Yon (6 + 15 + 10 + 11 + 9) 51
11 Bumbo (Transvaal YC) Graham Baker (12 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 12) 51
12 Eikos Sail Africa (Denneysville YC) Trevor Donald (10 + 11 + 8 + 12 + 10) 51
13 Donna Mia… Always (Defence YC, WP) De Wet Nel (15 + 17 + 12 + 13 +11) 68
14 Windways (Aeolians) Phillip Bennett (16 + 13 + 14 + 14 +14) 71
15 Eikos Sail Africa (Lake Denysville YC) CJ Milin (13 + 12 + 15 + 15 + 17) 72
16 VLC Watersports Institute (Victoria Lake Club) Shelee Nel (14 + 14 +16 + 16 + 15) 75
17 MCU@ZYC (Zululand YC) Tyron de Jager (17 + 16 + 17 + 18 + 16) 84
18 Container World Challenge (Glenwood Boys HS YC) Michael Dickinson (18 + 18 + 18 + 17 + 18) 89
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