Sailing - The Inaugural Shackleton Cup

The inaugural Shackleton Cup was held last weekend, bringing together current pupils and young Old Alleynians in a series of three match races. Organised by Reg Kheraj (OA 02–07), the event began with a training day, during which both crews were coached on their respective Sunfast 3600s racing yachts by professional skippers. This was followed by a day of racing on Sunday, with both teams competing for the honour of being the first name engraved on the new trophy.

The weekend’s conditions proved challenging, with strong winds gusting up to 30 knots testing both crews. The College team, helmed by Max, demonstrated excellent skill and secured strong starts in the opening two races. However, the OA crew, helmed by Ben Taffs (OA 09–16), showed resilience on the upwind legs and came from behind to secure victory in both races.

With more experience on their side, the OAs capitalised on the starboard-end bias at the final start to secure a narrow victory and clean sweep across all three races. Alastair Capon (OA 73–80), Commodore of the Alleynian Sailing Society, praised the strength of the College crew and expressed his excitement for both the future of the Shackleton Cup and the sailing talent emerging from the College.