2015 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek- ending on a high note

by Event Media and Sail-World Asia on 19 Jul 2015 It is a well-tested principle that s long as there is good breeze on the last day of a regatta, all else will be forgiven and forgotten. It’s been a trying few days at the 2015 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek. The event started with an AP, a wait, and just one race on the first day in rather less pressure than could be reasonably expected for the time of year – this is, after all, Phuket’s ‘green season’, with plenty of rain and (usually) south west monsoon winds from the south and south west. It’s the reason Phuket Raceweek was invented in the first place.

Those who enjoyed sailing in 20 and 30 kts of pressure just a few days beforehand could legitimately say “You should have been here last week”. Which leads straight on to another well-worn comment – “It isn’t usually like this.” The second day of the regatta was practically a write-off, with just one short windward-leeward race for the two-boat IRC Racing 1 division, and nothing beyond a four hour stint on a tropical barbeque plate for everyone else. Just one race on the board when half way through a regatta makes Organisers and Race Officers quite nervous.

Some reprieve on day 3: there was a long wait under an ‘AP on shore’, during which the assembled sailors took full advantage of the iced coffees and banana shakes at the Cape Panwa Hotel’s delightfully appointed Bamboo Bar, and lounged indolently under the shade of the palm trees at the back of the beach. It’s a nice place to wait!. And then, having been out on the water since crack of sparrow’s, PRO Simon James decided there was enough breeze (he was right) to get everyone around two short race courses.

Day 4, and normal service was resumed. A pleasant 8kts welcomed sailors at the right and proper start time, and the RO wasted no time in getting the fleet into sequence. Island courses for all: around the windward mark and back around Koh Lon to the finish for all classes except IRC Racing I, who headed off on a longer course taking in Koh Aeo, Koh Hi and Koh Bon. And then, as the wind held good, Mr James opted to send all but the Cruising and Charter/ Bareboat classes on a second race, around Koh Maithon and on to a finish near the Safe Water Mark off Cape Panwa.

Oi! (AUS) got the better of Kodo (AUS) in the first IRC Racing 1 start and lead up to the first mark. Kodo closed the gap on the downwind leg, and the two TP52's then match-raced around the course with little between them. It was a close duel, and Oi! crossed the line just 10 seconds ahead, claiming line honours and the win on corrected time.

In Race 2, Kodo took an early lead and managed to keep daylight between themselves and Oi!, for the full distance, sailing a good race and further stretching out their lead around Koh Maithon. They crossed the line just 56 seconds ahead of Oi! after more than two hours of racing - with handicaps accounted for they recorded their second win of the series. It wasn't enough to knock Oi! off the top step of the podium, who claim a deserved win, but in their first competitive outing Kodo should be rightly proud of their performance and improvement over the regatta against a well-campaigned multiple-regatta winning boat and crew.

Jessandra II (AUS) came into the final day with a 1,2,1 scoreline and needed to sail clean and keep themselves out of trouble in order to protect their lead and secure the title. However, sailing easy is not in this crew's nature and they were here to compete. Fujin (AUS) and Jessandra II got away clean, but Foo 4 (USA) soon found their rhythm and took a clear lead on the water, going on to claim line honours. In the second row, Jessandra II and Fujin raced hard, fast and close. Almost side-by-side as they rounded the Outer Port Channel Marker in Chalong Bay, the two were inseparable with Fujin managing to get a small lead over Jessandra II on the final leg, finishing ahead by just five seconds. However, it wasn't enough, with Jessandra II converting third on the water into a handicap win.

There was a 5-second margin on the finish line in race two, too, but this time it was the difference between Old Mutual International Endeavour of Whitby (MAS) and Fujin for second and third. The winner was, again, Jessandra II whose three-minute winning margin secured them the IRC Racing 2 title. While a third overall was probably not the result Fujin was hoping for at the beginning of the week, they should be commended for their start line performance, winning almost all their starts and showing everyone how to hit the line on time and at speed.

Multihull Racing were back in full strength today, with the six-boat line-up looking to end the Regatta in style. Two more wins for Asia Catamarans Hurricane (AUS) saw them unbeaten over the week and the clear class winner. However, second and third places were hard earned with just seconds in it. Less than 30 seconds separated WOW (GBR) and Java (CHN) in race 1, and while WOW scored another second in race 2 it wasn't enough and they had to settle for third overall, one point behind Java.


It was a game of cat and mouse as the Firefly 850s chased each other around the start area and along the line in race 1, with Twin Sharks (GBR), Advanced Racing Mamba (GBR) and Voodoo (GER) neck-and-neck, and Dyer Straits (AUS) and Blue Noze! (GBR) on the second row. Mamba Advanced Racing rounded the windward mark first and headed back down the course while series leaders Twin Sharks were substantially off the pace.

Mamba Advanced Racing lead Voodoo and Blue Noze! around Koh Lon, with Twin Sharks further back and as they re-emerged from Chalong Bay it was Voodoo who snatched the lead and held on to it all the way to the finish.

Twin Sharks bounced back in race 2 with an outstanding win by nearly two minutes and secured their place at the top of the division by six points. Advanced Racing Mamba finished second overall and Voodoo was third.

With just one regatta under their belts, the four Corsair Pulse 600 crews were still learning their rides as they lined up on the first day, and through four days (well, three really) all four boats learnt a lot and improved. SuDu 3 put in a late charge on the final day, winning the start and holding off series leaders SuDu 1 to add a second win to their tally and heap on the pressure.

The series was decided on the very last race when, after one hour of racing, Sudu 1 edged out Sudu 3 by a scant three seconds to take the Corsair class title by a single point. SuDu 3 had to settle for second with SuDu 4 third overall.

Following two wins yesterday, Sansiri Windstar jumped to the top of the Cruising class standings and brought a one point lead into the final day. So: everything to play for, and the pressure was on. Sailescapes Farrgo Ladies (AUS) got the best start, alone at the boat end of the line, while Krabi Boat Lagoon Piccolo (GBR) lead Sansiri Windstar (THA) at the pin end. Windstar rolled Piccolo soon after, and enjoyed the space to stretch their legs up the course, tracked closely by the competition. However, the crew on Windstar sailed flawlessly to lead around the course and claim line honours and the win on corrected time, and with that they were crowned Cruising class champions. Despite a fumbled kite hoist that ended up with a ‘gift wrapped’ keel early in the race, Sailescapes Farrgo Ladies (AUS) recovered well to finish third on the day and an admirable third overall.

Uhuru (AUS) enjoyed the last day’s stronger breeze, making the top mark first in the Charter/Bareboat class and despite being overhauled later by Venture (AUS), Uhuru managed to keep in touch and earn a well deserved win on corrected time – their first win of the Series. However, it was too little too late as Venture's second place in the race was enough for them to hold on to the win overall from Uhuru with Fei Yu (AUS) in third.

The 36 boats and more than 500 sailors and friends came together to celebrate at the final prizegiving ceremony hosted by Cape Panwa Hotel. Withoit a doubt, a good time was had by all. The beach gardens of the Cape Panwa Hotel make a wonderful setting for a party, and the buffet dinner was a right royal feast. There was no grumbling, and no complaints about the weather, due in no small part to thoroughly efficient race management on the part of Simon James and his crew who successfully made the very most of what they had on hand. There are three things that make a perfect regatta: good breeze, good race management, and good socials. You can get away with two out of three, but just one won’t work. Congratulations to the Race Management, the Cape Panwa Hotel and the Phuket Raceweek organisers on overcoming some thoroughly iffy weather and delivering another successful event. Like Arnie said, “We’ll be back!”

Overall Results (top three)
IRC Racing I
1. Oi!, Peter Ahern/ Scott Bailey/ Fergus Wilmer (6)
2. Kodo, Ben Copley (8)

IRC Racing II
1. Jessandra II, Roland Dane (4)
2. Foo 4, David Dimmock (9)
3. Fujin, Mick Tilden (13)

Multihull Racing
1. Asia Catamarans Hurricane, Alan Carwadine (4)
2. Java, John Coffin (9)
3. WOW, David Liddell (10)

Firefly 850
1. Twin Sharks, John Newnham (4)
2. Advanced Racing Mamba, Neil Ayre (10)
3. Voodoo, Hans Rahmann (11)

Corsair
1. SuDu 1, Andrew DeBruin/ Zam Bevan (5)
2. SuDu 3, Dirk Weiblen (6)
3. SuDu 4, Scott Galle (11)

Cruising
1. Sansiri Windstar, Patinyakorn Buranrom (5)
2. Krabi Boat Lagoon Piccolo, Mike Downard (7)
3. Sailescapes Farrgo Ladies, Liz Schoch (12)

Charter/ Bareboat
1. Venture, Ian Lodewyckx. Keith O'Donnell (4)
2. Uhuru, Philip Grove (5)
3. Fei Yu, Con Macarlino (7)

For more information and full results:
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