Feature image: Showdown between the Germans and the British: Even before the start, it was all about putting the competing nation in a disadvantaged position. In the end, Alistair Warren in the green IC Canoe took victory for Great Britain. Photo: segel-bilder.de
The silver pot stays in England
For seven years, the British were allowed to display the New York Canoe Club International Challenge Trophy in the sailing club showcase in their home country. It was decided at the 135th Travemünde Week as part of the International Canoe World Championships that it would continue to be on display there. For the first time, Germany had managed to enter this national showdown as the challenger, but they were unable to snatch the silver pot from the British. In the all-important race, Alistair Warren scored the final point for the Cup defenders.
The trophy is decorated with the finest Victorian silverwork in the shape of a jug, engraved with the names of the participants since the first Challenge in 1886. The contents of two bottles of champagne fit inside. At the award ceremony, the winner gets the first sip, then the “jug” is handed over to the runners-up. To this day, it is the trophy par excellence for the International Canoe class. Every nation wants to call it their own.
Anyone who takes part in the New York Canoe Club International Challenge Cup is very close to the trophy, even if they don’t win it. This is because not only do the runners-up also get to drink from the pot, but the names of all those who have competed are also engraved on the silver jug – not just those of the winners. This year, the British team shambled their way to a successful defence of the cup and once again entered their names in the list of winners. Chris Hampe from the British defence team had already immortalised his name on the trophy, but in a different way than he had previously wished. “My name was on the losing side. I was in the British team in 2011 when we lost the trophy to the Americans. Now it’s finally on the winning side.” He had been working on a new boat all winter to increase his speed potential.
For the German sailors, even taking part in the Cup regatta was a historic moment. For the first time in history, they had taken on the role of challengers. Their World Championship placings had knocked the Americans out of the challenger race. “Just the fact that we managed to be the challengers in the New York Canoe Club Challenge Trophy was a stroke of luck. We had dreamed of that. The jug is impressive, you have to have won it once,” said Peter Ullmann, who made up the German team together with Ole Junge and Simon Beers. In the end, however, they were unable to put the icing on the cake of their Cup victory. Ullmann took the first victory for Germany in the “best of three” duel. Ole Junge was close to victory in the second race, but then Alistair Warren was able to overtake him and force the all-important race for the British team.

The moment of victory: Alistair Warren acknowledged the successful defence of the New York Canoe Club International Challenge Trophy with a subdued smile. Photo: segel-bilder.de
However, both teams had to wait a night for this. The wind broke on Thursday and it was not until Friday morning that they returned to the ring. And Warren was wide awake. With the wind clear, he got the best start on the starting boat, overtook the competition, defended the top position against Ole Junge and finally knocked out the Germans with a 2:1 race win. Dan Skinner and Chris Hampe, who can finally read his name in the victorious list, celebrated the successful Cup defence with Warren.
Although the Germans were unable to snatch the jug from the Brits, their challenge in Travemünde means they have finally joined the list of names engraved on it and can proudly claim: “We have finally also fought for the coveted trophy.”

For the first time, German names appear in the engravings on the New York Canoe Club International Challenge Trophy. However, the British emerged as the Cup winners. Photo: segel-bilder.de