One Ton Cup

What's it all about

Level class ocean racing, where yachts rating 27.5 feet to the International Offshore Rule Mark ll race together without handicaps . . . . . that's the big attraction of the modern One Ton Cup.

Back in 1898 this magnificent trophy was chiselled by goldsmith Linzeler out of 10 kg. (22 lb) of solid silver, and presented to the C.V.P. by several of its members.

The Cup, known as La Coupe Internationale du Cercle de la Voile de Paris was given as the prize for an international race of the one ton restricted class, from whence came the world famous English name "ONE TON CUP".

The first race took place in 1899 at Meulan on the River Seine. ln 1907 the Cup was transferred to the new International 6 Metre Class, and after the 1914-18 war it was transferred to the 6.5 Metre Class.

From 1924 onwards, the contests were again held for international 6 Metres until this class began to disappear in the early 1960's.

At this stage, the C.V.P. with the enthusiastic support of its Commodore, Jean Peytel, decided to issue new rules and selected offshore yachts rating 22 feet R.O.R.C. with interior accommodation, headroom, and areas of cabin sole and deck to at least the requirement of the rule for l.Y.R.U. 8 Metre cruiser-racers.

The new breed of One-Tonners raced for the Cup for the first time at Le Havre in 1965, with 14 yachts from 8 countries.

The winner was "Diana III", a Sparkman and Stephens design, owned by Hans Albrecht who flew the burgee of theDanish club Skovshoved Sejklub.

In 1966 at Copenhagen, nine nations were represented by 24 contestants, including "Salome II" from Australia. A number of radical changes in design and construction of hulls and equipment made their appearance that year, and Edward R. Stettinius won the Cup for the Annapolis Yacht Club in a new steel design by Dick Carter, called "Tina".

The Cup should have been raced for in U.S. East Coast waters in 1967, but by courtesy of the Annapolis Yacht Club, the series was held by the C.V.P. at Le Havre, on the occasion of the centenary of the Yacht Club de France.

Here, 21 yachts from ten countries including "Wathara" and "Maria Van Diernan" from Australia, contested the series. Hans Beil ken won the Cup for the West German club, S.K. Wappen von Bremen in "Optimist", a further advancement by Dick Carter of his "Tina" design . . . . "Tina" was runner-up.

"Optimist" held the trophy in 1968 in Heligoland against 22 yachts from 11 nations, and in second place was "Rainbow ll", a Sparkman and Stephens design, sailed by Chris Bouzaid from New Zealand.

For the 1969 challenge, Bouzaid set about improving his A yacht's light weather performance by increasing the mast height and sail area, whilst maintaining its rating under the R.O.R.C. Measurement Rule by fixing steel sheet over the deck to improve the scantllng allowance and installing a heavy diesel engine. A

Chris Bouzaid's ideas were right, and "Rainbow ll" won an exciting series, including four firsts, in Heligoland for the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. "Optimist" was the runner-up, amongst the 12 yachts from 8 countries. Thus, the One Ton Cup left Europe for the Antipodes.

The R.N.Z.Y.S. in its Centennial Year superbly organised the 1971 series in Auckland, for 17 entrants from nine nations comprising Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

This was the first series under the new l.0.R. Mark ll Rule with yachts rating 27.5 feet.

"Stormy Petrel", a fibreglass Sparkman and Stephens 37 design skippered by Syd Fischer, won the One Ton Cup for the C.Y.C.A. She was first in the two long races and one of the three 30 milers. Runner-up in the series was Hans Beilken in a 40 feet Carter design "Optimist B". Third place was taken by the N.Z. yacht "Young Nick" sailed by Alan Warwick.

The 1972 series in Sydney, which is the 56th contest for the One Ton Cup, is only the third time the trophy has been raced for outside Europe. The first was in 1953 at Long Island, U.S.A. with 6 Metres, and the second in Auckland last year.

Under the C.V.P. Rules the-Cup must return to Europe after this second consecutive series outside Europe, irrespective of which club wins.

The One Ton Cup, the World's premier level class ocean racing trophy, has this year attracted fifteen yachts from 9 nations to the series organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.