Reunions forming for Admiral’s Cup Anniversary

The Admiral’s Cup, considered to be the unofficial world championship of offshore racing, was an international keelboat regatta based at Cowes on the Isle of Wight off southern England. The biennial event started in 1957 and was competed for between national teams.

After teams from the United Kingdom and United States won the first five events, Australia won in 1967 and this year are celebrating the accomplishment with a tribute regatta held on December 1-3 on Sydney Harbour, Australia.

Since the idea was launched, excitement in the yachting community surrounding the Admiral’s Cup 50th Anniversary Regatta has spread to all corners of the sailing world. News of the event has also inspired some remarkable reunions.

Sons of all three skippers from Australia’s victorious 1967 team will be sailing on their fathers’ yachts during the three days of racing.

Scott Kaufman is flying in from New York to helm Mercedes III which was the top-scoring boat in the 1967 series when skippered by his father, Ted. The 40-footer was co-designed by Ted and Bob Miller, who went on – as Ben Lexcen – to create the legendary America’s Cup winner Australia II.

Anthony Crichton-Brown will arrive at the regatta from his home in London to sail on Pacha, the famous ocean-racing yacht owned by his father, Sir Robert. In the 1967 Admiral’s Cup series Sir Robert campaigned his previous yacht Balandra which is still under restoration in Tasmania.

Tony and Rob Reynolds live in Sydney, so they won’t have far to travel to step aboard Caprice of Huon, the third member of Australia’s first team to win the Admiral’s Cup half a century ago. For the1967 challenge Caprice was chartered and skippered by their father, Gordon.

To complete these remarkable reunions, Gordon Ingate, who was the skipper of Caprice of Huon when she won three races in the 1965 Cup, has accepted an invitation to helm his old yacht for the inshore races of the Anniversary Regatta. Ingate is now 91 and is still competing in – and winning – sailing races.

“This event really seems to have tapped into a deep well of nostalgia and goodwill,” says regatta chairman, David Champtaloup. “We already have more than a dozen of Australia’s great Admiral’s Cup yachts committed to the regatta.

“Veteran crew are coming out of the woodwork every day, wanting to be involved. We’re beginning to put together a register so that we can match those blokes up with appropriate boats. We’ve also had the kind offer of a comfortable big spectator boat for those who’d rather follow the fleet than get their feet wet.”

The Admiral’s Cup 50th Anniversary Regatta will have two Harbour races and one short offshore event. The Notice of Race and Entry Form will soon be available on the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club website. For further information contact Peter Shipway at: peter@barlowdistributors.com.au or David Salter at: davidelva@alpha.net.au

Photo: Mercedes III thunders down the Solent during the 1967 Admiral’s Cup.

Source: David Salter