Kitten Cup – Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

April 23rd & 24th, 2022 – Register Here!

 

What’s in a name? Alex Marshall was father of the Kitten Class, a 15 foot centreboard sailing dinghy designed by John Winslow and built in 1918. For ten years the Kitten Class was the popular dinghy for racing sailors in Vancouver. Cedric and Norman Gyles were among the best skippers in the Club competing in this class. However, 1923 saw the advent of the Star Class which spelled the demise of the Kitten Class, after which Stars took over.

So the Kitten Class Cup became RVYC’s Kitten Cup. Other historic trophies of the club are assigned to today’s Kitten Cup regatta because of this relationship .The Kitten Class Trophy Challenge Cup was donated by Tacoma Yacht Club in 1921. How it ended up at RVYC is a mystery but in those days, if you won a trophy for the third time, you got to keep it. In 1955 it was re-deeded to the Junior International Christmas Regatta. It’s now given to the 1st place Laser. The Scotia Cup, donated in 1923 by N.W. Birkenshaw is now awarded to Laser Radial 1st place. The International Challenge Cup for Kitten Class Yachts was donated in 1920 to the Crescent Beach Country Club by Vancouver Mayor R.H. Gale. Again, how it ended up at RVYC is another mystery. It now goes to 1st place in the 29er class. The Rogers Trophy, donated by Mrs. B.T. Rogers in 1920 was originally for the Kitten Class Season Championship. Re-deeded in 1947 to 14 foot dinghies and then to Lightnings in 1961, it is currently awarded to 1st place in the 420 Class.