Knickerbocker Cup - 31st running commences tomorrow

by Andrea Watson on 29 Aug 2013 The Manhasset Bay Yacht Club’s 2013 Knickerbocker Cup commences on Thursday, Aug. 29 ending on Sunday, Sept.1. This is the 31st running of the event and is the third in the Grand Slam Match Racing Series, the other three being the Chicago Match Cup, the Bayview YC’s Detroit Cup and the Oakcliff International.

Taylor Canfield took top honors in Chicago with Peter Gilmour winning the Detroit Cup. Both Canfield and Gilmour, who have raced on Manhasset Bay will be competing this week.Canfield is on a roll, having won both the Chicago Match Cup, the only U.S. stop on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour. Ranked second in the world, Canfield beat a strong team of competitors – Keith Swinton (AUS), Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Ian Williams (GBR) and past KCup competitors Phil Robertson (NZL), Adam Minoprio (NZL) and Will Tiller, (NZL), the 2012 Knickerbocker Cup winner.

David Gilmour, ranked 24 on the world match racing scene, is back for another try with the variable winds and currents on Manhasset Bay, known for relegating top racers from a podium finish. Upon winning in Detroit, this young Australian said, 'We’re hoping this will start some momentum for us going into the remaining Grand Slam events.'

The 2012 Knickerbocker finals placed Canfield in seventh overall and Gilmour fourth.

Both Canfield and Gilmour are up against a great lineup at the KCup and will have to pull out all their tricks to be crowned the winner of the 2013 Cup. The 2013 lineup: Taylor Canfield, USone, ISV, 2; Nicolai Sehested, TRE-FOR Match Racing, DEN, 12; Eric Monin, Okalys-Corum, SUI; 14; David Gilmour, Team Gilmour, AUS, 24; Dustin Durant, Long Beach Match Racing, USA, 26; Mark Lees, Team Echo Sail Racing, GBR, 33; Chris Poole, Riptide Racing, USA, 40; Stratis Andreadis, Atalanti Racing/Black Goat Offshore, GRE, 43; Ashlen Rooklyn, Ballyhoo Racing, AUS, 46 and Stephanie Roble, USA, 88 (ranked seventh in the Women’s ranking).

The Knickerbocker Cup has been around for a long time. In 1977, the late Ed du Moulin, from Sands Point, along with the late Arthur Knapp were out west in Long Beach, CA watching the very prestigious Congressional Cup, which at that time was the only match racing event in the US. The two friends thought it would be a terrific idea to bring match racing to the east coast and the Knickerbocker Cup was born. The idea was to get four or five to the best-known east coast skippers and add some up-and-coming stars in match racing from Europe. The first edition of the KCup took place in 1982 and throughout the years has helped launch many sailing careers, including Paul Cayard, Ed Baird, Russell Coutts, Terry Hutchinson, Peter Gilmour, Reuben Corbett, Phil Robertson, Laurie Jury and William Tiller. Fast forward to today and the Knickerbocker Cup is part of the Grand Slam Series, drawing top talent from around the world. duMoulin and Knapp would be very pleased, Knickerbocker Cup website