Governor’s Cup, Youth Worlds in 2021

The 2021 dates for the 54th Annual Governor’s Cup International Youth Match Racing Championship are confirmed as July 26-31. Additionally, host Balboa Yacht Club will hold the 2021 Youth Match Racing World Championship which are tentatively planned for August 9-14. This is the second time for the Worlds to be at this venue, having previously been held in 2017.

Teams in both events will compete in Governor’s Cup 22 sloops which have been used since 2016. Designed by yacht designer and BYC member Alan Andrews, the boats are light, fast in all conditions, and feature a fractional rig, flat top mainsails, and masthead spinnakers.

Due to the 54th edition being cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, a rule change for 2021 only will extend the age limit for the 2020 invitees who may not otherwise qualify, as the Deed of Gift specifies that no competitor may have reached his or her 23rd birthday.

Two of the 2020 invitees, Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL), who is the defending champion from 2019, and Ted Blowers (GBR), who would be a first time GovCup competitor, would have missed the 2021 deadline without this exception.

“The Selection Committee did a great job and invited a truly amazing group of ‘Grade 1’ level skippers for 2020 who sadly didn’t get to compete this year,” said Andy Rose, Chair of the GovCup Steering Committee.

“We hope that the cancellation after 53 consecutive years of competition will never happen again but in this unusual situation, we thought it was important to try to do something for these skippers even if they miss the age deadline next year.”

The amendment to the Deed of Gift which will apply only to 2021 to allow Request for Invitations (RFIs) be accepted from 2020 invitees otherwise qualified that do not meet that cutoff date.

“In all other respects, the rules will stay the same as will the selection process, including the automatic invitations,” continued Rose, noting that all crew members next year must still meet the normal age limit deadline even in the case of their wishing to sail with a skipper that benefits from the rule change.

While both the skippers affected by the new rule could file RFI’s, only Egnot-Johnson is assured of an invitation as defending champion (2019) if he does so. “Blowers’ record is excellent, and if he continues that success and files an RFI, he too may well be invited,” said GovCup Chair Christine Robertson Gribben.

In addition to the defending champion’s automatic invitation, the winners of the 2021 U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup, the U.S. Intercollegiate Match Racing Champion and a Balboa Yacht Club representative will also be invited if each files an RFI by the deadline which, for next year, will be April 9, 2021.

The Notice of Race, the event brochure and information on requesting an invitation for the 2021 Governor’s Cup will be online January 2021: https://www.govcupracing.com/

Source: Governor’s Cup