One Ton Cup Revisited broadens its embrace

Rainbow 2 goes into action soon after the start of Race 4 in the 1969 One Ton Cup off Heligoland, Germany. The large overlapping genoa and small main were encouraged by the rating rule of the time. SW

Rainbow 2 being loaded for shipping to Bermuda after winning the 1969 One Ton Cup in Heligoland, Germany © SW

On 27 November, Chris Bouzaid and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron announced that they were seeking an indication of potential interest in a proposed 'One Ton Cup Revisited' regatta, in Auckland, New Zealand, in February/March 2015.

The initial thinking was to cater for RORC and IOR One Tonners that were eligible for Cup competition between (and including) the years 1965 to 1983 inclusive. The immediate response was 10 serious intentions, including former winners Rainbow II and Wai-Aniwa.

That response, however, was accompanied by an even larger number of potentials from outside of the original year constraints. We have checked with several of the world’s leading offshore racing designers who have advised that, should we open up the proposed event, the IRC Rule, under normal circumstances, would do a more-than-satisfactory job of rating the performances of what, after all, would be a fairly narrow range of race boats.

We have, therefore, decided to re-launch the initiative and seek expressions of intended entry from the full range of 'modern' One Tonners (1965 to 1994* inclusive).

The time frame and venue for the proposed regatta remain the same – February/March 2015, in Auckland, New Zealand.

'We will do everything possible to ensure everyone has an equitable chance of success on the race course, regardless of the vintage or size of their boat,' Bouzaid said today 'so we will be seeking expert advice on how to divide the potential fleet into divisions to ensure best-possible racing - maybe the Classic Division (1965 to 1972 inclusive), Division Two (1973 to 1983 inclusive) and Division 3 (post 1983).

Ganbare © SW

'The objective will be that everyone will enjoy the experience of racing these boats as a class again. A lot of us will have been lucky enough to have experienced that already, when One Tonners were the hottest offshore racers around.

'We know everyone will have a great time ashore in the City of Sails. It will be our job to ensure a similar experience racing in the Hauraki Gulf'.

In an earlier release the organsiers explained that the regatta would celebrate the (near) 50th anniversary of the One Ton Cup switching from metre class yachts to offshore racers, using an international rule (RORC) to measure and rate contestants. This was when interest in the Cup went global and led to One Tonners being regarded as the Formula One class of ocean racing.

The current thinking is to cater for RORC and IOR One Tonners that were eligible for Cup competition between (and including) the years 1965 to 1983.

The IRC Rating Rule would be used to equitably handicap the fleet which would be raced in two classes – RORC and IOR yachts 1965 to 1971 (inclusive), and IOR yachts 1971 to 1983 (inclusive).

Bouzaid, of course, twice won the One Ton Cup – in the S&S design Rainbow II, in 1969 (off Heligoland), and in the Carter-design Wai-Aniwa, in 1972 (off Sydney).

The RNZYS has had a long involvement in the modern era of the event, first challenging with Rainbow II in 1968. Since then, it has contested the Cup no less than 12 times, in seven different countries. In the process, it has won the Cup on five occasions and hosted the event twice.

The current proposal for the 'Revisited' regatta would be to mirror the One Ton Cup of old - ie there would be three inshore races, a short ocean race and an ocean race-proper. In deference to contestants and boats, however, the inshore races would be of approximately 20 miles length, while the short ocean race would be a 40-miler (approx) and the ocean race a 100-miler (approx).

There would be a Prix d’ Elegance and other innovative awards, with an opening ceremony and prizegiving that would do full justice to New Zealand’s legendary record for celebrating major sailing occasions.

The Red Lion © SW

There would also be a New Zealand Millennium Cup super yacht and One Ton Cup Revisited weekend at the beautiful Hauraki Gulf island of Kawau, with its famous Mansion House which, in the mid-to-late 1800s, was the residence of the then Governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey.

This will be a high-profile sailing period in Auckland.

The Finn Gold Cup will be raced off Takapuna Beach in February, 2015, while the Volvo Ocean Race fleet is scheduled to arrive in Auckland (from China) on or about around 26 February, 2015, and leave for Itajai, in Brazil, on 15 March, 2015.

The proposed 'One Ton Cup Revisited' would be an important and integral part of this major celebration of sail.

Could those interested in the above please communicate, by email, that interest, with brief detail of the One Tonner that might/would be involved, to: Alan Sefton: alansefton@xtra.co.nz

An example of boats that were eligible One Tonners up to and including 1983 (it is by no means definitive):
45 South Farr Graeme Woodroffe NZ
Alpha Tauri Carter Germany
America Jane III Kaufman George Tooby USA
Ancilla S&S Sweden
Apecist Carter Bimmy Fischer Germany
B-195 Peterson Tom Stephenson Australia
Belita VI Carter Holland
Billycan Holland
Breyell
Breyell II Belgium
Bullet S&S Andy McGowan USA
Bushwacker Harry Smith USA
Carolina S&S Finland
Ceil III Miller W. Turnbull Hong Kong
Chartreuse II
Clarionet S&S UK
Clay Target Hong Kong
Columbine USA
Concord S&S Vitali & Johnson NZ
Country Boy Farr Clyde Colson NZ
Crescendo Brian Barraclough NZ
Eliza Peterson Germany
Escapade S&S Gil Hedges NZ
Exador Farr Tom McCall NZ
Export Lion Farr Stu Brentnall NZ
Gambol Coyte Tony Coyte NZ
Ganbare Peterson USA
Gauntlet Mike Coupe NZ
Geronimo Farr NZ
Golden Apple Holland J. Ewart UK
Gumboots Peterson Jeremy Rogers UK
Hati IV Peterson Chris Bouzaid NZ
Hawk Bill Tripp USA
High Tension de Ridder George Stead UK
Holiday III Chance USA
Jan X1V Sweden
Jenny H Farr Ray Haslar NZ
Jiminy Cricket Farr Stu Brentnall NZ
Joran Carter Jean Berger Switz
Karate Peterson Jeremy Rogers UK
Kerkyra II S&S Marina Spaccarelli Italy
Kerkyra IV S&S Marina Spaccarelli Italy

Kishmul S&S A. Tengblad Sweden
Lisoletta Austria
Love Lace Farr Keith Andrews NZ
Mardi Gras Farr Chris Beckett NZ
Maria S&S D.A.Cooper Aus
Mark Twain S&S Jock Sturrock Aust
Moonlight Townson Peter Mulgrew NZ
Morningtown S&S Mike Winfield UK
Mr Jumpa Farr NZ
Mr Jumpa Farr Graeme Woodroffe NZ
Mustang C&C Noel Angus NZ
Nini Sweden
Offwego V Holland
Optimist B Carter Hans Beilken Germany
Optimist Carter Hans Beilken Germany
Outrage Carter Clyde Colson NZ
Outrage Carter Clyde Colson NZ
Pacific Sundance Farr Del Hogg NZ
Panther S&S Ian Lichtenstein NZ
Pathfinder S&S Roy Dickson NZ
Pied Piper Peterson USA
Pied Piper Peterson Ted Turner USA
Pilgrim S&S Graham Evans Australia
Prospect of Ponsonby Farr Noel Angus NZ
Raider Frank Primi NZ
Rainbow II S&S Chris Bouzaid NZ
Rasbora van de Stadt Belgium
Rebel Wilson Brin Wilson NZ
Renegade Lidgard John Lidgard NZ
Resolute Salmon Chance Britton Chance USA
Result Lidgard John Lidgard NZ
Robin Hood Ted Hood USA
Rockie Farr Peter Kingston NZ
Rogue Lidgard John Senior NZ
Roundabout S&S UK
Runaway Lidgard John Lidgard NZ
Sabina III
Sabina IV
Saiga Peterson A. Elmarrian Switzerland
Scandinavia
Schuttevaer Holland
Silver Apple Holland G. Gryns Spain
Smir-Noff-Agen Farr Don Lidgard NZ
Solent Saracen Farr Jeremy McCarthy UK
Solveig Barry Hargreaves NZ
Staron Van de Stadt Holland
Stormy Petrel S&S Syd Fischer Aus
Sunbird II Japan
Sunbra IV Peterson Italy
Sunmaid V S&S
Suspense Kaufman P. Hill Australia
Swuzzlebubble Holland Ian Gibbs NZ
Tarantella Finland
Terrorist King Al Cassel USA
The Magic Twanger Peterson Lowell North USA
The Number Farr Graeme Woodroffe NZ
The Red Lion Farr Stu Brentnall NZ
The Red Lion Farr Stu Brentnall NZ
Victoria S&S Goran Lundberg Sweden
Wai-Aniwa Carter Chris Bouzaid NZ
Warri Miller W. Hart Aust
Wee Willie Winkie Holland Stu Brentnall NZ
Wild Goose France
Winnie Two Sweden
Winsome Blue Holland David May UK
Ydra Carter Agostino Straulino Italy
Young Nick S&S Alan Warwick NZ

Rainbow’s One Ton Cup winning crew (from left).- Back row: Arnold Baldwin (manager), Ward Schofield, John Woolley, Alan Warwick. Front row: Roy Dickson, Chris Bouzaid, David Craig © SW

The Sparkman and Stephens designed Rainbow II shows off her lines born of the RORC rule © Alan Sefton

Rainbow 2 training in the Hauraki Gulf prior to being shipped to Germany for the One Ton Cup. © SW