Volvo China Coast Regatta – Day 1
by RHKYC Media on 22 Oct 2016
Day 1 - Volvo China Coast Regatta RHKYC/Guy Nowell
http://www.guynowell.com/
The Volvo China Coast Regatta got underway on Saturday in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Haima which brought Hong Kong to a standstill just 24 hours before; including the forced cancellation of the Regatta’s Welcome Drinks and Skipper Briefing.
It was a great first day of racing with clear skies, a flat sea state and southerly breeze of six to eight knots - a complete contrast during yesterday’s typhoon. The first race kicked of at 1030hrs for the five boats in IRC 0 including Seng Huang Lee’s super maxi Scallywag (ex Ragamuffin 100) and Marcel Liedts’ Ker 46, Zannekin. The busiest start line was for IRC Racing two and three with 16 boats vying for position.
Today’s racing went to plan with IRC Racer Class 0, 1, 2 and 3 competing in three windward/leewards whilst IRC Premier Cruising and HKPN were set a windward/leeward followed by an island course.
The weather brightened progressively throughout the day and the wind remained study; only dropping slightly in the last race of the day.
Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen was pleased with how race day one went saying “We are lucky we got all of the planned three races in for IRC Racing Divisions 0, 1, 2 and 3 and that the wind kept up though there were a few wind shifts that we had to deal and it was only in the last race that the wind started to get a little bit lighter. The HKPN and IRC Premier Cruising divisions were sent off on a 16nm islands course but we had to extend the time limit per the Sailing Instructions so they could get a finish.
Racing tomorrow will see all fleets being set on a long islands course. Racing starts at 1030hrs.
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