Cumberland Cup - New York Yacht Club will return to defend their title

by Royal Thames Yacht Club on 24 Jan 2014 At the Royal Thames Yacht Club’s International inter-club team racing challenge for the Cumberland Cup, being raced in London 30th April – 4th May this year, one place yet remains.

The biennial Cumberland Cup, first held in 2008, is the only major international yacht racing event held in the UK capital and involves two-boat team racing in the club’s fleet of J/80s, stationed during the winter months on the expansive Queen Mary reservoir, hard by Heathrow airport. An impressive social programme based in the Club’s Knightsbridge clubhouse overlooking Hyde Park accompanies the sailing programme and includes receptions there and in the House of Commons, visits to London attractions and a big regatta bash.

The impressive trophy itself dates from 1912 and is a replica of an earlier cup of the same name dating from 1781 in the Club's possession, one of a series of such cups donated by the Duke of Cumberland, the Club's Royal Patron (the first-ever Cumberland Cup race was held in 1775, the year the club was first formed). The replica was commissioned in 1912 by members as a gift for the German Kaiser who had admired the original. It surfaced on the market in London at the beginning of the present century and was acquired for the Club by an anonymous syndicate of members.

Current holders of the Cup are New York Yacht Club, who will return in order to defend their title against the challengers who include, Southern Yacht Club (New Orleans), Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Eastern Yacht Club of Marblehead, Royal Perth Yacht Club and of course the hosts themselves.

More details can be found here.