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Dear Lipton Cup Competitors,

I’m pleased to announce the return of the Lipton Cup for 2021, currently scheduled for Fathers Day Weekend, June 18-20. As we mentioned last year, we will be honoring all existing registrations. Please review the updated NOR with your club, and decide if you still wish to participate. Once you confirm your participation with me, you will be sent the official Charter Agreement from the St.FYC.

If you decide not to participate this year, please let me know so that we can refund your registration fee and give the spot to one of the clubs on the waitlist.

As we get closer to the date of the regatta, we will be sharing more details about the event, such as transportation and social activities. 

We are also exploring using RaceQs for the event, as a way both to track the fleet but more importantly to broadcast the racing in our respective clubhouses and for those at home. Please encourage your sailors to learn more about this program and give it a try before the regatta.

We are looking forward to being able to once again celebrate camaraderie among the various Yacht Clubs that make up our Northern California sailing community.

Thanks,

Andrew Lorenzen, South Beach Yacht Club

Jens Jenson, Commodore, Encinal Yacht Club

 
Please support PICYA with a purchase of special edition Lipton Cup Neck Gators.  Go here to check them out.

 

 

The modern Lipton Cup regatta in San Francisco is three day racing special event presented by the Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association.

The Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association (PICYA) is made up of over 100 yacht and boat clubs in Northern California. They are one of the largest such associations in the world and their history dates back to 1896. PICYA was formed to foster communication and cooperation among boaters and their club members.

Overall Lipton Cup Award Plus Individual Trophy Events For Each Day

The Lipton Cup is awarded in a formal PICYA event for the overall points winner of the regatta.   

Since 2018, the regatta also includes three additional trophies awarded at the end of the racing day.

On Friday, the Admirals Cup is contested with older skippers representing their clubs in a single destination race.

On Saturday, clubs will compete in a series of short buoy races to win the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy.  Skippers must be at least 25 years old.

Sunday’s race is another destination race for the Larry Knight Trophy but skippers must be female.

Lipton Cup History

Sir Thomas Lipton first came to San Francisco Bay in 1912 to compete in 12-meter racing at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915.  WWI interrupted plans but the Lipton Cup was raced in 1916, 1918, 1919, and 1920.   At that time, the Cup was won by John Hanify.  With the death of Hanify, the 12- meter class also collapsed and the Cup itself was “lost” for 40 years.   PICYA regained control of the Cup in 1960 when it was found at the Olympic Club.

Tragedy hit when the Cup melted in the St. Francis YC fire of 1976.  Then a new trophy was built in the image of one of the 12-meter yachts.  The trophy is on display at the St. Francis YC.