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.
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 our yachts.
Image: Knox-Johnston Cup race start
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 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. #
Image: Saturday training day
Image: Sunny skies for the training day
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 and a large sea state on the 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.”
Image: Post-training sundowners on board in Cowes
Image: Sir Robin delivers a pre-race speech in Cowes
Image: Sunday’s wild conditions saw the yachts in their element
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.”
Image: Conditions made for some thrilling racing
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.
Image: Knox-Johnston Cup 2024 results
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!”
Image: Jambon Beurre celebrates Line Honours
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!”
Image: Knotting-Wrong: The Knox-Johnston Cup 2024 winning team
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. Clipper Events has a number of iconic races scheduled for the 2025 season, including the Round the Island Race and a Fastnet campaign, where participants can sign up to race on board a Clipper 68. Head over to the Iconic Races section of our website for details.
