Please select your home edition
Edition
Ovington 2021 - ILCA 2 - LEADERBOARD

Second ever Knox-Johnston Cup a huge success

by Danielle Wickham 9 Oct 13:24 BST 5-6 October 2024
Adventurous at the Needles during the Knox-Johnston Cup 2024 © Paul Wyeth

Last weekend saw the second edition of the Knox-Johnston Cup take place, with over 100 guests taking part in a weekend of big-boat racing in the Solent. This flagship race, hosted by Clipper Events and named in honour of Clipper Race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, combines the exhilarating joy racing with a weekend of socialising, camaraderie and networking with like-minded people.

Hosted by Clipper Round the World Yacht Race sister company, Clipper Events, the Knox-Johnston Cup is all about getting people out on the water on board our fleet of Clipper 68s and Clipper 70s and experiencing an incredible race around the Isle of Wight. The racecourse is much like the Round the Island Race; however, it is exclusively open to Clipper Race yachts. Clipper Events combines access to record-breaking offshore racing yachts with proven, highly experienced professional skippers and crew for industry leading sailing race experiences, team development and corporate sailing hospitality events, and the Knox-Johnston Cup is its flagship event.

Tom Myatt, Business and Events Manager at Clipper Events said: "The event is open to anybody, regardless of their sailing background, and this year it was a pleasure to welcome a really diverse group of guests. From past and future Clipper Race crew to their friends and families, corporate groups and individuals who just fancied giving it a go."

The weekend featured a day of training for teams to get accustomed to the boats and their crew, followed by the race day on Sunday, with each yacht being led by a professional skipper, and a first and second mate. With an emphasis on reigniting the social aspects of big boat racing, the weekend featured plenty of opportunities to meet new people and share moments with friends, topped off by classic sundowner gatherings, making for a memorable weekend both on and off the water.

Tom continues: "It was a weekend of two halves with Saturday's nice breeze and sunshine providing the perfect learning conditions for the guests. Then, with 40+ knot winds on Sunday, participants were able to experience the true performance of the Clipper Race yachts under the guidance of our professional skippers and mates. The crew sailed exceptionally well and put on some competitive racing, with all teams returning to Gosport slightly weathered but smiling with lots of stories to be shared during the Prizegiving ceremony."

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston added: "The weather turned on us Sunday late-morning, with the winds becoming much stronger than had been forecasted. However, it gave the crews some exhilarating sailing and some real excitement when the boats had to come back into the marina with a Force 6 gusting straight into the basin. I saw some very good boat handling, so congratulations to all who took part. It was not at all easy, but the skippers did a great job leading the way."

The Clipper 68s and 70s raced competitively with a handicap system, and the route featured tactical elements of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race such as a Scoring Gate, Joker and timed sprint which enabled teams to scoop up some extra points.

Line Honours went to the Jambon Beurre team racing on CV20, a team of Clipper Race Alumni and friends, led by Skipper Charlie Warhurst, who is fresh off a Clipper 2023-24 Race circumnavigation as a First Mate. However, once the handicaps and bonus points were applied, the overall winner was Knotting Wrong led by Max Rivers, with SKIRR 1, a Clipper 68 team led by Cameron McCracken following closely in second, and Skipper Dan Bodey's team Hydrotherapy in third.

Gael Dechevassine, who competed on Jambon Beurre said: "It was amazing! We were a beautiful team, and it was a lovely day. The weather was good and made for a lot of fun!"

Colin Bristow, who took part on the winning team Knotting Wrong, said: "The highlight for me was experiencing what these sailors do down in the oceans, it has been fantastic. We did a bit of offshore sailing, and it was so exciting, it was off the scale.

"The team were fantastic and sailing with my daughter Maisie was great. I've got my friends on board with me, as well as some of the people I competed with last year and it's great to get the band back together!"

Sir Robin concluded: "Events like this bring friends together in a lovely, but competitive environment, with an opportunity to make more friends in the Clipper Ventures family."

The next edition of the Knox-Johnston Cup will be in Autumn 2026.

Related Articles

Knox-Johnston Cup returning to the Solent
Flagship race aims to reignite the joy of big boat racing Run by Clipper Events and named in honour of founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the flagship race aims to reignite the joy of big boat racing through an exhilarating weekend of racing, socialising, camaraderie and networking. Posted on 19 Jun
Get ready to race in the Knox-Johnston Cup
Your team of up to twelve will be led by a Skipper and Mates in the Solent Named in honour of our founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the Clipper Events flagship race aims to reignite the joy of big boat racing through an exhilarating weekend of racing, socialising, and teamwork! Posted on 16 Jun
Sta-Lok to rig 11-strong Clipper Race fleet
This will be the Essex-based company's 3rd edition of partnership Sta-Lok Terminals Ltd. is returning as the Official Standing Rigging Supplier for the upcoming edition of the Clipper Race. Posted on 13 Apr 2023
SKIRR opens up Arctic Circle sailing expedition
Designed for the curious, the restless and those who are adventurers by nature SKIRR Adventures, subsidiary of Clipper Ventures which runs Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, is due to set off on its second expedition to the Arctic Circle this July. Posted on 17 Feb 2023
New leadership team for the Clipper Race
Co-founders to hand over adventure sailing brands After 26 years of building Clipper Ventures and successfully hosting 12 editions of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and CEO William Ward OBE are stepping back from the day to day running of the business. Posted on 13 Nov 2022
Final test of Clipper 2019-20 Race underway
A good breeze for the start of Race 15 from Derry~Londonderry to London The rain gave way to blue skies and a good breeze for the start of Race 15 - the final race in the Clipper Race circumnavigation, taking the teams from Derry~Londonderry to London. Posted on 25 Jul 2022
Race like a legend: Debut Knox-Johnston Cup
Set to put fun back into competitive racing The Knox-Johnston Cup is named in honour of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Founder of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - sister company to Clipper Events. Posted on 25 May 2022
Interview with Ollie Phillips
Clipper Veteran and ex-England Rugby Captain It's not every day that Sir Robin Knox-Johnson suggests you join the Clipper Round the World race! This is what happened to Ollie Phillips after a career changing injury, and 3 weeks later he was starting his training. Posted on 19 Apr 2020
Unicef: A time to stand together
A variety of helpful resources created by Clipper Race Charity Partner During this truly unprecedented and difficult time, Clipper Race Charity Partner, Unicef UK and its entire global family, offer all of their support to Clipper Race Crew, Supporters and Partners. Posted on 9 Apr 2020
The unstoppable journey - 2021
The Clipper 2019-20 Race will resume in early 2021 The Clipper 2019-20 Race will resume in early 2021 to complete the final three legs and the full circumnavigation. Posted on 4 Apr 2020