1720’s Sovereign’s Cup Day 1 report
Anyone who might have thought that the Ross McDonald & Co on Atara would have an easy time of it defending their 1720 European Championship title at the Simply Blue Sovereign’s Cup will have to tear up that script based on the evidence of the first day’s racing off sun-soaked Kinsale. Julian Hughes and team on Root 1 may have set the pace with a bullet and two seconds, but seven different boats shared the nine available podium places today – such was the tight racing enjoyed by the fleet. [...]
Sovereign’s Cup was the brainchild of Denis Kiely in the early 1990s. At the time the thought was that a regatta in the off year to Cork Week would make for a good event. Pat Pyne was also very much involved – as was another club stalwart John Godkin. The idea took hold however. Research was conducted and it was discovered that the ‘Sovereign of Kinsale’ used to put up a trophy for a sailing race in the late 1700s or early 1800s. It was felt appropriate that the proposed event would be named Sovereign’s Cup. Most people think it’s called after the Sovereign Rocks east of the harbour mouth, and why not? The original trophy being unavailable, or perhaps being a myth, resulted in a new one having to be found. Cork Dry Gin and Brown Thomas entered the breach and commissioned a special Waterford Glass “Sovereign’s Cup” for the inaugural event in 1995. Another trophy called the “Portcullis” was made at the same time to be presented to the winner under the CHS handicap the winner under the CHS handicap system which was gaining momentum. The Portcullis Trophy was based on the tradition of using a Portcullis in the KYC Burgee which celebrates the area’s history.
Sovereign’s Cup was the brainchild of Denis Kiely in the early 1990s. At the time the thought was that a regatta in the off year to Cork Week would make for a good event. Pat Pyne was also very much involved – as was another club stalwart John Godkin. The idea took hold however. Research was conducted and it was discovered that the ‘Sovereign of Kinsale’ used to put up a trophy for a sailing race in the late 1700s or early 1800s. It was felt appropriate that the proposed event would be named Sovereign’s Cup. Most people think it’s called after the Sovereign Rocks east of the harbour mouth, and why not? The original trophy being unavailable, or perhaps being a myth, resulted in a new one having to be found. Cork Dry Gin and Brown Thomas entered the breach and commissioned a special Waterford Glass “Sovereign’s Cup” for the inaugural event in 1995. Another trophy called the “Portcullis” was made at the same time to be presented to the winner under the CHS handicap the winner under the CHS handicap system which was gaining momentum. The Portcullis Trophy was based on the tradition of using a Portcullis in the KYC Burgee which celebrates the area’s history.
