Stokes Bay Sailing Club win The Turk Trophy

Twenty seven racing dinghies competed in difficult sailing conditions on Saturday 26th May for the 2018 Turk Trophy with Stokes Bay sailors taking the first eight places in both races.

The trophy, a gold silver gilt chalice, was made in 1829 for Portsmouth, Portsea and Gosport Regatta, at an original cost of £50. Three yachts entered that first race and the winner was a yacht named ‘The Turk’. The trophy then disappeared for many years, came to light again and inscribed as the ‘Turk Trophy’ in 1914 and placed in the Town Hall safe where it lay forgotten once more until 1965. The mayor at that time, Councillor Cooley, decided it would be a good idea to allow the three sailing clubs of the town to compete for it under the title of ‘The Mayor’s Cup’. Over the years since then the title has reverted to the ‘Turk Trophy’, perhaps because of its long association with Turk Town or Gosport.

Stokes Bay Commodore Larry Lawrence was only able to hold the Trophy for a short while before it was whisked away again to the security of the Town Hall – the Club will however enjoy a picture of the trophy until it is contested again in 2019.