Lipton Challenge CUP

🏆🔥 2026 Lipton Challenge Cup – Defending Champions Confirmed 🔥🏆

Hermanus Yacht Club, holders of the “Lipton Cup” since they successfully wrested this historic trophy from the defenders Royal Cape Yacht Club after a 10-race contest last year, announced formally this week that they are ready to defend the Cup against all-comers on the waters of Table Bay this August.

Leading their team again is skipper Calvin Gibbs, returning to the helm after their winning campaign in 2025. Going into last year’s contest Hermanus YC was just one of the 17 clubs challenging for the Cup. This year they set the benchmark, and will feel the added pressure of being the defenders.

As holders of the Cup HYC have thrown down the gauntlet. Who’s ready to challenge them and take the Cup home?


Hermanus Yacht Club

The Lipton Challenge Cup returns.

25–29 August 2026 | Cape Town

South Africa’s most prestigious inter-club regatta is back, bringing together the country’s top sailors for five days of tight, one-design racing on J22s in Table Bay.

Jointly hosted by the Defending Club, Hermanus Yacht Club, and Royal Cape Yacht Club, the 2026 Challenge promises high-level competition, proud club representation and the continuation of a legacy that defines South African sailing.

Entries are open to all clubs affiliated with and in good standing with South African Sailing.*

Enter now: www.liptoncup.com

7th November 2025

Clubs around the country are being asked for their opinion on the Lipton Trustees’ proposal that the 2026 & 2027 Challenges be raced in J22s.

We are proud to be have the 2026 edition of the Lipton Cup jointly hosted by Hermanus Yacht Club and Royal Cape Yacht Club, after HYC’s unbelievable win in Table Bay this past August, encouraging the election to sail next years edition in Table Bay waters once again.

Tough ‘n Tight and Highly Worthy Winners

The Lipton Challenge Cup contest has never gone the full distance of 10 races, yet Hermanus Yacht Club (HYC) have emerged as worthy winners of the contest by simply sailing consistently well in every single one of these 10 races.

The loud cheers as they docked at the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) late on Saturday afternoon with “We are the Champions” reverberating around the marina proved that their fellow competitors fully embraced this victory as one truly deserved.

In amongst the crew led by Calvin Gibbs and Markus Progli were two youth sailors for whom this was their debut Lipton Cup and whom, as they emerge as victors, will be pinching themselves for a reality check for a long time to come. The debutants were James Rae and Scarlet Cilliers, both still at school.

A bonus for the team is that Scarlet has probably become the very first women winner of this event, as despite scouring the history books, no records can be found to show a woman winner.

The racing was intense today as mathematically any one of four clubs was in contention, and each of those teams had a strategy worked out in their minds as exactly what they needed to do to win. Whether these plans actually came to fruition for these top four is debatable as the Walvis Bay Yacht Club (WBYC) team stole the show in race 9 to win “going away”.

Royal Natal Yacht Club (RNYC), in third place overall, scored a resounding 2nd place to be on equal points with the RCYC - while Hermanus scored a 3rd to stay at the top of the leader board.

So with just a single race left it was a case of “all or nothing” to secure victory.

The RCYC team, no doubt fed up with their performance on the penultimate day, blasted out of the start line and led from start to finish. This fine victory was not enough as the Hermanus team were next to finish - and with that second spot were able to lift the Lipton Cup in victory.

Sadly for the RNYC team, despite them trying everything possible to win, their efforts in the final race saw them finish 5th in the race - and 3rd overall.

The J22 Class, introduced to this event for the very first time this year, breathed a huge breath of fresh air into the contest by bringing new enthusiasm, a good sized fleet and a good mix of youth and experience. All this is the catalyst to ensure that the Lipton Challenge Cup remains the top sailing contest in the country.

RESULTS (top 5 only)
1 Hermanus Yacht Club 35 points
2 Royal Cape Yacht Club 39 points
3 Royal Natal Yacht Club 43 points
4 Saldanha Bay Yacht Club 65 points
5 University of Cape Town Yacht Club 76 points

Here they are, your 2025 Lipton Challenge Cup winners! Huge congrats to Hermanus Yacht Club on the title.

Walvis Bay Yacht Club takes race 9!

Close on their heals was Royal Natal Yacht Club, followed by Royal Cape Yacht Club.

Race 10 and final race of Lipton Cup 2025 is on the go!