Knarr

THE IKC MIDWEEK PRIZE:
«THE PERPETUAL GEORG VON ERPECOM TROPHY»

- how it all began...

Until the beginning of the eighties, there was no specific prize for winning the «halfway-race». The host fleets presented different prizes of varied quality. These were keeper prizes.

At that time Georg von Erpecom of Norway gave to the Bergen Fleet an old Cup, the «S.S. EOLUS HEDERSPRIS. Till Göteborgs Kungl. Segel-Sällskaps 75-års Jubileumsregatta», which had been in his collection for years.

There were no strings attached to the gift from the donator, but the sitting management of the Bergen fleet decided to put it into the international cooperation and use it for IKC Midweek Prize under the name: «The Perpetual Georg von Erpecom Trophy».

This was done partly in order to always have a nice prize to present to the winner of the Midweek, and partly to honour Georg von Erpecom sen. for the great work and effort he has put into the organisation of Knarr racing and also for being a great helmsman and competitor himself from the very beginning and for approx. 50 years.

David Holm of Denmark was the first to win the trophy in Bergen - IKC 1984. He immediately instituted the tradition concerning the return of the trophy to the next host fleet:
«Last year's winner should return the trophy containing a bottle of genuine French Champagne!»

This has turned out to be a solid tradition that all trophy-winners ever since have followed.

The trophy cannot be won for keeping, and if the IKC races stop, it should be returned to the fleet in Bergen or - (if there is no organisation) - to: Bergens Seilforening, Hjellestad, Bergen, Norway.

Bergen, 16.06.1999 - Jan Møller Nielsen

THE INTERNATIONAL KNARR CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY

- how it all began...

The idea of an international championship was first brought up by Knud Wibroe, San Francisco, during the 125 years anniversary regatta outside Copenhagen in 1966 were 35 Knarrs participated. The idea was discussed with Knut E. Røsholm and among others Arne W. Kamfjord, Oslo and Erik Dugdale, Copenhagen and a working group was established. Knut Røsholm, who at that time was the commodore of the Norwegian Knarr Club, had the responsibility of proposing the trust for the championship called «The IKC Deed of Trust».

The International Knarr Championship trophy, the silver half model of the Knarr, was produced at «Marthinsen Sølvvare fabrikk» in Tønsberg, Norway. They have stated that if anything happens to the trophy it shall be returned to «Marthinsen Sølvvarefabrikk» for repair.

The first IKC was then held in San Francisco in 1969 and won by the late Robert York, Belvedere.

The Trophy is perpetual and how it shall be presented and kept is stated in IKC Deed of Trust.

Morten Heldal Haugerud