Royal Thames Cumberland Cup

 

 SCROLL RIGHT DOWN FOR UPDATE AT 25 FEBRUARY 2010.

 

The Royal Thames Cumberland Cup is the international Yacht Club team racing contest hosted by the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London – the only major international keelboat event regularly hosted in the UK's capital.  It was last held in May 2008 and it is planned that the next world-wide event will be in May 2010. Racing in 2010 will be in the Club's newly-acquired matched fleet of J80s and will take place on the superb open waters of Queen Mary Reservoir, London's largest lake, in the west of the capital near Heathrow.

 

The racing for the Cumberland Cup attracts some of the best team racers in the world, sailing against each in closely-matched small keel-boats.  Racing runs virtually non-stop with each two-boat team competing against every other team. With such high quality sailing the Cumberland Cup is very exciting and yet relatively easy for spectators to understand – the winner in each case is the team that avoids having the last boat across the line.

Two-boat team racing has all the competitive ingredients of match racing – like the America’s Cup – but is more intense, more tactical and better spectator value. It is particularly interesting when held close to the shore in close-quarters with no tidal stream or current, while the natural amphitheatre provided by the shape of the reservoir and the balcony of the hospitable Queen Mary Sailing Club where the sailing will be held will provide superb spectator viewing.

 

In addition to the sailing action, the event organisers and participants are able to take advantage of all that holding a major regatta in one of the liveliest and vibrant capital cities of the world has to offer. Many competitors stay in the Royal Thames Yacht Club's elegant clubhouse in Knightsbridge, some in nearby hotels. There is a full social programme both for competitors and their companions, along with a parallel day-time programme for those not directly involved in the yachting. A particualr highlight will be the Cumberland Reception to be held in St James's Palace - London's oldest and most historic Royal palace - for competitors and their guest. In 2008 the Reception was hosted by the Club's Commodore, His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York. In 2010 our host will our Commodore's brother, HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, who just the day before will have been competing in another Royal Thames-organised event, the Royalist Regatta held in Portsmouth to raise funds for the Sea Cadet Corps.

Entry fee for the Cumberland Cup is £2,000 per team - or just £250 per sailor.

Truly, the Royal Thames Cumberland Cup is a very special event.  Don't miss it.

For information about the 2010 Royal Thames Cumberland Cup click here.

For an invitation to the event and an entry form, click here.

For the Notice of Race click here.

For the Outline Social Programme, click here.

UPDATE AT 25 FEBRUARY 2010

We have five teams confirmed – Southern YC, YC de Monaco, Royal St George (Ireland), Port Nicholson (NZ) and of course ourselves – and another with whom we are just sorting final details. We are hopeful of two more teams to give a total of eight, an ideal number for three days of two-boat team racing in our newly-acquired six J80s, owned by us jointly with our friends at the Royal Yacht Squadron.

OUTLINE PROGRAMME

Wednesday 12^th May – teams arrive.

Registration and settle in.  Welcome reception and buffet supper at 60 Knightsbridge.

Thursday 13^th. Transport from Knightsbridge to the sailing venue. Practice sailing in the J80s.

Return transport in time to shift for the Cumberland Cup Reception in St James's Palace, with welcome by HRH the Earl of Wessex (Prince Edward).

 

Friday 14^th. Transport to the sailing venue. Full day of two-boat team racing.

Return transport and evening free to enjoy London.

 

Saturday 15^th. Transport to the sailing venue. Full day of two-boat team racing.

Return transport and Cumberland Cup dinner in our Clubhouse here at 60 Knightsbridge.

 

Sunday 16^th. Transport to the sailing venue. Finals of the Cumberland Cup.

Informal awards-ceremony and BBQ at the sailing venue. Return transport to 60 Knightsbridge. Evening free to enjoy London, if you have the energy. Alternatively, and if flying from Heathrow on Sunday, transport direct to Heathrow from the sailing venue can be arranged – journey time about 15 minutes on a good day.

 

AND THAT'S ONLY THE SAILING PROGRAMME!

 

Nancy Lees, whom those who have been to a Cumberland Cup before will recall puts together a non-sailing social programme that is enough to tempt one off the water, has been busy. This is what Nancy plans for what the world of football and golf calls Wives and Girlfriends:

 

Thursday 13 May

09.45    Visit to Hyde Park Barracks, home of the Royal Household Cavalry

We have been invited to watch the Troop Inspection followed by a private tour of the Barracks with a visit to the Stables, Saddlers and the Quartermaster’s Store. The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, in addition to performing a full-on military role, is the foremost ceremonial cavalry regiment of the British Army and is composed of one squadron from each regiment of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals, being the two Cavalry Regiments of the Household Division, which has a special responsibility to ensure the safety of Her Majesty the Queen.  In addition to that duty the Household Division carries a full military role and, at this moment several elements of the Division are actively deployed in Afghanistan.

A contribution of £10 will be donated to the Household Cavalry Charities

 

Afternoon Free to titivate for visit to St James Palace!!!!!!!!!

 

Friday 14 May

10.00 Walking Tour “St James for the Ladies”

Tour to begin at Green Park Tube Station

This is a delightful area to walk around. Always associated with gentlemen St James’ has a wealth of association for ladies too. The tour profiles personalities such as Nell Gwynn, Ada Lovelace and the Duchess of Jermyn Street (Rosa Lewis, an East London girl who became a legendary hotelier) and Nancy Astor (an American success story).

Our tour ends with a real treat: a visit to Floris, on Jermyn Street since 1730, and where you will hear from their perfumier how fragrances are created.

 

The tour will cost £25pp plus £5.00pp for the visit to Floris

 

12.30 Lunch at Le Caprice/the Wolsey    Numbers are limited

 

Saturday 15 May

11.00 Visit to Borough Market

            www.boroughmarket.org.uk

 

 15.00 Visit to and Trip on The London Eye

            www.londoneye.com

 

OTHER INTERESTING THINGS TO DO

The Wallace Collection                                 www.wallacecollection.org

Portobello Road Market                                www.portobellomarket.org                      

Tate Britain Henry Moore Exhibit                   www.tate.org.uk