Dalys Insurance Leads Lipton Challenge

by Natalie Webster on 10 Jul 2003 Dalys Insurance from the Theewater Sports Club in the Western Cape stamped their authority on the 2003 Lipton Challenge Cup today with a resounding win in race three of the regatta.

Daly’s, got away cleanly to lead the fleet to the finish, extending her lead on every lap of the three-lap triangle course.

Other favourites including Greenlight, from Royal Cape Yacht Club, Dynamic ID Systems, sailing for Hottentots Holland Beach Club and defending champions MSC Donna Mia, from Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club, were left to fight for second place. The three had a close race, but finished in that order respectively.

The race took place in a fresh northeasterly wind, the strongest of the regatta to date. The triangular course included two tight reaches which provided some spectacular sailing with the yachts flying along under spinnaker. Not everyone got it right though and several yachts spun out of control on that leg with sails flapping wildly in the wind.

Drama reigned further back in the fleet when MSC Donna Mia Always lost a crewmember overboard after a guard rail broke, forcing skipper Matthew Mentz to turn around to retrieve the lost crewman. MSC Donna Mia Always is crewed by a team of development sailors from the Western Cape.

They have been learning fast and surprising some seasoned sailors with their results. The man overboard drill will have added a new skill to their repertoire!

In the overall standings Dalys have now extended their lead to three points, having recorded to firsts and a second place. Currently lying second is Greenlight who are four points ahead of the third placed yacht, KZN entry Orion Challenger.

Orion Challenger was the top KZN finisher today recording a fifth place finish. Sixth place went to the Henley Midmar Yacht Club’s entry, Parental Guidance. With skipper Harry Ellens at the helm Parental Guidance produced her best showing of the regatta to date on a day in which the KZN entries collectively had their best showing of the regatta. The Point Yacht Club’s entry, Foreshore, with Jerome McLoughlin at the helm, crossed the line in seventh place.

After today’s commanding performance by Dalys Insurance many of the top contenders will be spending this evening pondering ways to up the level of their performance. Dalys form today was significantly better than any other yacht on the water. They were superior in all aspects of the race with their boatspeed, tactics and crew work outclassing many of the other teams.

With the regatta’s three compulsory races - stipulated in the Lipton Cup Deed of Gift as laid down by Sir Thomas Lipton in 1909 - completed, the fleet will race various triangular and sausage leg courses until the end of the race on Friday, July 11.

The top three places in today’s third race of the regatta were as follows:

1st Dalys Insurance Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club
2nd Greenlight Royal Cape Yacht Club
3rd Dynamic ID Systems Hottentots Holland Beach Club

The top three places overall after three races are as follows:
1st Dalys Insurance Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club 4 Points
2nd Greenlight Royal Cape Yacht Club 7
3rd Orion Challenger Royal Natal Yacht Club 11