Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron members John and Michael Stephen and their crew have received the Sira Cup from King Harald V of Norway after winning the Classic division of the 8-Metre Centennial World Championship.
With no racing on the final day because of lack of wind on Scotland’s famous Firth of Clyde, Saskia finished seventh overall and a clear winner of the Sira Cup for 8-metre class yachts built before 1960.
King Harald presented the Sira Cup, the most prestigious trophy of the Worlds, at a glittering Scottish night prizegiving at the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club at Rhu on Saturday evening.
He extended an invitation for all to join him again when Norway hosts the next World Championships for the 8 –Metre class, which dates back to 1907.
The Centennial Championship attracted 8-metres, old and new, from around the World with overall victory going to the Swiss boat Aluette after a regatta-long duel with Scotland’s Lafayette. Third place went to the Dutch entry Hollandia, while a Japanese chartered boat won the Neptune Trophy.
Saskia, with John Stephen on the helm, sailed an outstanding series against modern eights, her best placing being a fourth, and headed the Classic division results throughout the regatta.
With seven of scheduled nine races completed, Saskia finished eight points clear of Aun in winning the Sira Cup, third place in the Classic division going to a Swiss boat, Elsinore.
Saskia’s navigator was Lindsay May, who skippered Love & War to overall victory in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race while other crew members included Doug Sturrock, Ian Short, Glenn “Hedgey” Cooper from Sydney and New Zealander Stuart Milburn.
Project manager was Squadron member Mick York, who sailed aboard Gretel in Australia’s first challenge for the America’s Cup back in 1962.
Built in 1931, Saskia came to Australia in the early 1950s when Australia’s first Olympic sailing gold medal winning skipper, the late Sir William Northam, imported her to win back from the Victorians the Sayonara Cup, an intercolonial match racing series. Which he did!
The Stephen brothers have owned Saskia for the past 12 years, racing her in Division One with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.
Saskia is now her way south to Southampton and will be taken to Cowes to compete in the Celebration of 100 Years of the Metre Rule Regatta and Cowes Week.- Peter Campbell
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