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CYCA Trophy

Saturday, 9 December 2023

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Notice of Race

Sailing Instructions 

Amendment to the Sailing Instructions

History of the CYCA Trophy

The CYCA Trophy, formerly known as the Rolex Trophy Series, is sailed out of Sydney in December each year. It is not only a significant lead-up event to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, but a prestigious race in its own right.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia originally introduced a regatta to provide a competitive series in the even years between the biennial international teams racing series for the Southern Cross Cup. Unlike the Southern Cross Cup, the CYCA Trophy Series was a regatta for individual yachts and was a standalone series.

The CYCA Trophy Series is held annually. Since 2008, The CYCA Trophy Passage Series has IRC and ORCi rated-series, as well as a PHS division. The Passage Series was conducted over two days, with one ocean passage race each day. More recently it has become a single race on the second Saturday of the month.

The CYCA originally introduced the Southern Cross Cup, a series of races out of Sydney and including the Sydney Hobart Race, back in 1967 after an Australian team first won the famous Admiral’s Cup in England.

Over the years, the Southern Cross Cup enjoyed international status, attracting teams from many overseas countries to compete in regatta racing off the New South Wales coast as an exciting prelude to the long ocean race to Tasmania. The final race was the 628 nautical mile Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

In 1996, following another Southern Cross Cup year, the CYCA agreed to requests from yacht owners to introduce an annual lead-up regatta to the Sydney Hobart. It was to be a stand-alone regatta for individual yachts.

The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania found in its trophy cabinets in Hobart an historic piece of silverware called the British Trophy and presented it to the CYCA as the perpetual trophy for the new annual regatta. The CYCA Trophy has also been known as the Telstra Cup and the Rolex Trophy Series. Past years have seen both Windward Leeward Rating and One Design fleets take part in the regatta.

Ocean racing yachts that have done well in this regatta have continued that form into the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.  Several British Trophy winners and placegetters have gone on to win the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, including the Victorian boat Terra Firma (1996), Beau Geste from Hong Kong-China (1997) and Sydney yacht Bumblebee 5 (2001).

History of The Southern Cross Cup

The CYCA originally introduced the Southern Cross Cup, a series of races out of Sydney and including the Sydney Hobart Race, back in 1967 after an Australian team first won the famous Admiral’s Cup in England.

2013 Southern Cross Cup winning team CYCA White: Roger Hickman (Wild Rose), Commodore Howard Piggott, Dr Darryl Hodgkinson (Victoire) and Tony Kirby (Patrice) accepting their trophies at the official prizegiving of the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2013Over the years, the Southern Cross Cup enjoyed international status, attracting teams from many overseas countries to compete in regatta racing off the New South Wales coast as an exciting prelude to the long ocean race to Tasmania. The final race was the 628 nautical mile Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The Southern Cross Cup was last conducted in 2001, before being re-introduced to the 2013 and 2014 sailing programs.

The re-introduced Southern Cross Cup series consisted of four races: the CYCA BWPS Bird Island Race, the two CYCA Trophy Series races and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and was contested in 2013 and 2014.

The CYCA has plans to conduct the Southern Cross Cup again in 2019 as a Team’s event within the 75th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Past winners:

2022

2021

2020

2019

2014 – CYCA Gold (St George Midnight Rambler, Celestial, Balance)
2013 – CYCA White (Wild Rose, Victoire, Patrice)
2001 – NSW (Ragamuffin, Sting, Loki)
1999 – Australia (Bumblebee V, Ausmaid, Atara)
1997 – China (Beau Geste, Exile, Hi-Fidelity)
1995 – Australia (Ragamuffin, Sycorax, AMP Wild Oats)
1993 – NSW B (Solbourne Wild Oats, Micropay Cuckoo’s Nest)
1991 – Ireland (Atara, Beyond Thunderdome, Extension)
1989 – United Kingdom (Canon Express, Heaven Can Wait, Juno IV)
1987 – Australia (Madeline’s Daughter, Sagacious, Joint Venture)
1985 – United Kingdom (Panda, Cifraline III, Highland Fling)
1983 – New Zealand (Pacific Sundance, Geronimo, Exador)
1981 – NSW (Szechwan, Smuggler, Beach Inspector)
1979 – NSW (Deception, Diamond Cutter, Relentless)
1977 – New Zealand (Jenny H, Smirnoffagen, Swuzzle Bubble)
1975 – New Zealand (Prospect of Ponsonby, Quicksilver, Tempo)
1973 – United Kingdom (Prospect of Whitby, Superstar, Quailo III)
1971 – New Zealand (Pathfinder, Runaway, Wai Aniwa)
1969 – NSW (Boambillee, Mercedes III, Ragamuffin)
1967 – NSW (Calliope, Mercedes III, Moonbird)

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