Obsession wins Lipton Cup Regatta off New Smyrna Beach

Norman Church wins 2nd year in a row

Norman Church wins the 2013 Lipton Cup Regatta in New Smyrna Beach / Headline SurferPhoto for Headline Surfer / Skipper Norman Church had history on his side and perhaps a little faith Sunday as he repeated as champion in the 2013 Lipton Cup Regatta.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Norman Church was obsessed with winning the 2013 Lipton Cup Regatta off the Atlantic waters of New Smyrna Beach. So much so that he skippered "Obsession" into victory in the Spinnaker Class.

The regatta was held Saturday and Sunday with the first day much rougher going in the choppy waters.

“Building seas became quite a challenge resulting in four competing boats retiring with equipment or crew problems on Saturday,” the Smyrna Yacht Club said in a press release. “Sunday, light and shifty easterly breezes slowly increased providing for a fair and competitive race course.”

Keeping with tradition, each of the class winners will have their names placed on the Lipton Cup, whose history dates back to the 1930s.

Lipton Cup Regatta Final Results:

Spinnaker Class (Division I)
1st place: Obsession, skipper Norman Church
2nd place: Morning Dew, skipper Chris Herbster
3rd place: Misty, skipper John Jacobs
 
Non-Spinnaker Class (Division II)
1st place: Sailaway, skipper Phil Cornett
2nd place: Incommunicado, skipper David Smith
3rd place: Adios, skipper
 
Hamilton Sirls Cruising Class (Division III)
1st place: Spongecake, skipper Clyde Rogers
2nd place: Sassy, skipper Jeff Steblein
3rd place: Password, skipper Dave Huff