Royal Prince Edward win Centenary Sayonara Cup
by Kath McKenzie and Sail-World on 10 Jan 2004
RPEYC Team Wilson,Kirkjean,MacDiarmid -2004 Sayonara Cup Kathy McKenzie
The Sayonara Cup, a match racing competition between Royal Clubs in the Australian states and New Zealand started 100 years ago. Originally called the Interstate Yacht Race Cup, the Sayonara Cup was donated by Alfred Gollin following the first interstate challenge in 1904.
The contest arose when the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria challenged the two Sydney clubs to race their best representative against Alfred Gollin's 'Sayonara' off Sydney Heads.
When 'Sayonara' defeated the Sydney representative 'Bona', Gollin presented the Cup as a perpetual challenge trophy for contests between the Sydney clubs and the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria.
One hundred years later, with the dead of gift no longer requiring the Challenger to sail to the race venue and with the Tasmanian’s and New Zealander’s now recognised, the event is sailed in the Dragon Class.
The 2004 challenger selection series and the first four matches of the challenge were sailed in light and shifty north east breezes on Sydney Harbour, but the final match on Thursday was sailed in a fresh westerly, providing a wide variety of conditions for racing.
The Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club retained the 2004 Sayonara Cup four matches to one after a close and exciting series.
Nick Rogers and his crew Nick Wardrop and John Roche from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania sailing 'Leander', defeated Brian Sullivan of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria 3-0 for the right to challenge.
Representing the RPEYC Sean Kirkjean had won the Cup in 2000. In the 2004 finals Kirkjean and his crew Ian MacDiarmid and John Wilson sailing 'Imagination' lost the first match after scoring a penalty before the start, but then gained control early in the following matches to score four close wins over the Tasmanians.
This was a fitting challenge for the 100th anniversary of the granting of the Deed of Gift for the Cup, and the 75th anniversary of the development of the Dragon class yacht.
History of the Sayonara Cup at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/newsayo.htm
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