Shanghai Cup – With the Club celebrating its 75th Anniversary, and Bay Pointe on board as sponsors for the second year, expectations were running high for this prestigious regatta, with a welcome return of the big boats.
A small armada arrived from Swansea, including two J109s, First 36.7, HOD 35 and an X332. Timon Robson returned to Cardiff in his new First 34.7 “As if By Magic”. Timon and a small crew had sailed from France in this as yet unraced boat and arrived just four hourse before the start of the first race on the 9th September.
Also, literally straight out of the box (or Cambrian’s slipway) was Alan Shaft’s Projection 920 “Sleeper”. By the end of the competition, both boats were performing very well and giving the J109s a run for their money. With local boats “Jack Hammer” (J109), “Valkyrie” (Dehler 36) and “Starship” (Sigma 38) entering it promised to be an interesting month.
However, proving that big is not always the best, the ‘slow boat’ team consisting of “Papillon”, “Rising Damp” and “Essen” put in some credible performances, quite often embarrassing some of the larger yachts and sports boats.
James Dwyer, the Aussie skipper of “Essen”, soon broke this poor little yacht and made a tactical change chartering the J80 “Red Skye” and was soon showing the regular J80 skipper the way round (shame about the rugby though!).
The quarter ton “Pindari” had her moments too, sailing with “Valkyrie” and “Merlin”. Sports boats (or toy boats as George Pettifor affectionately calls them), were represented with three Cork 1720s, four J80s and a Projection 762 – competition was always fierce, culminating in a nerve racking tacking duel along the Barry foreshore during the low water race on the last Saturday.
However the Shanghai Cup is a team event with three boats in each and a maximum of two sports boats permitted in each team. Twenty-one boats took part in seven teams over four weekends. This year’s winning team was J109 “Blue Jay” (Greg Burgess), J80 “Blue Thunder” (Iwan Basten) and J80 “Purple Haze” (Scott Cole/Simon Thomas). They were undoubtedly the most consistent team in the competition scoring 6 points. Very well done!
Second team with 17 points was, First 36.7 “Fox Trot” (George Pettifor/Hilary Davies), X332 “Day Dream” (Stephen Cutforth) and First 34.7 “As if by Magic” (Timon Robson). Congratulations to them.
Just one point behind with 18 was “Team Enterprise” consisting of Cord 1720 “Muketeer” (Ian Jones), Sigma 38 “Starship” (Captain Kirk) and a slightly out of sorts J80 “Junior High” (Steve/Andrew Cooper).
For the seconf year, the best individual boat performance went to Ian Jones and crew in “Musketeer” proving that a boat full of good oldies can still beat a boat full of younger ones! Second were the “Swansea Jacks” , Greg Burgess and crew (mostly from Barry) in “Blue Jay”. Third on count back and fresh from his worst-dressed helmsman award in the J80 Nationals was Iwan Basten in “Blue Thunder”
Nimrod Cup – Once again this was a very well supported class racing under the P.Y. handicap with nine boats taking part with some new face, including Mike Lewis from Newport in the Hunter 27 OOD “White Satin” and not so much a new face as a different boat.
Steve Parker in the Sea Wold 26 “Xanadu”. Steve, as you know, owns “Courtier”, a Gib Sea 43 which has been cruising in the Azores this year and is currently resting in Portugal. Steve and crew arrived frsh off the plane a couple of days before the start and acquired “Xanadu” just so they could take part!!!!
It was a very close run series and went down to the wire in the last race with only three points separating the first three places.
In first place, sailing his Sigma 33 “Spirit of Tilman” was CBYC President John Mead. In second place, and sometimes only two-handed in a well-sailed Spring 25 “Spring Break” was Andy Freemantle, followed in third place by a consistent Trapper 28 “Ishkoodah skipper, Colin Rose.
Congratulations to all the competitors in both cups. We had a month of relatively light winds and awkward tides, so thanks for your perseverance and support.
The social events were very enjoyable, starting off with the Wales v Australia rugby weekend, featuring live big screen viewing, followed by an evening of top class entertainment with “Owen Money” and his band.
The second weekend we hosted a 70’s night with the “Bee Gee’s”. Thanks to all the Swansea crews, particularly “Judgement Day” for entering into the spirit of things. You were definitely the best-dressed transvestites in Cardiff that evening!
The ball and Price giving on the last weekend was a sell out and included live music with a casino until the small hours.
On behalf of CBYC, a very big thank you to everyone who helped, to the competitors for taking part and to the students from Cardiff University who took the photos and allowed us to use them.