Samui Regatta - Samui Island delivers the goods on day 2

by Event Media on 29 May 2013 It just keeps on getting better. Following a stunning first day to the Regatta, Samui upped the ante on day two and delivered on its billing as the 'Tropical Island Regatta' with good winds, calm seas and picture postcard scenery.

Winds up to 18 knots and relatively flat seas played into the hands of the bigger boats with Frank Pong and his crew on Jelik (HKG) romping away with the first win of the day in IRC Zero. A windward/leeward saw Pong edge out Ben Copley's Katsu (AUS) by just 11 seconds, with Freefire (HKG), skippered by Sam Chan, coming in third. Despite a range of boat sizes in the class – from 45-foot (Katsu) to 75-foot (Jelik) – the separation on corrected time was just over two minutes, showing how close the boats are racing under IRC.

Geoff Hill's Antipodes (HKG) has some top sailors onboard including Matt Humphries, a veteran of five Whitbreads/VORs and with many Fastnets, Sydney Hobarts and major ocean races under his belt, and are beginning to find their speed with a win in the second race today. However, a protest for a pre-start incident saw Antipodes disqualified resulting in Jelik promoted to a second win of the day. Second place went to Freefire with the Royal Malaysian Navy entry Uranus, skippered by Mohamad Razali Mansor, enjoying the longer distance and stepping into third spot.

A 1,3 yesterday for Steve Manning and his crew on Walawala 2 (SIN) in IRC One gave them a solid start to the Series and they went on to finish first in Race 1 today, enjoying the stronger breeze on the race course. Foxy Lady 6 (SIN), skippered by Bill Bremner and with Steve McConaghy onboard, are keeping up the pressure adding a second place to their 3,2 scoreline yesterday, just four seconds behind. Despite finishing third, EFG Bank Mandrake (HKG), skippered by Nick Burns/ Fred Kinmonth, were only 19 seconds off first place on corrected time. The closeness of the racing is indicative of the quality of the IRC One fleet.

Walawala 2 made it two from two winning the longer second race of the day and showing their pedigree over distance was Elektra (HKG), skippered by Marcel Liedts who finished second and pulled themselves up the leaderboard. Windsikher (SIN), skippered by Sarab Singh, after mixed results and a disqualification on day one finished third in the second race pushing Foxy Lady 6 down to fourth.

Aussie champion Matt Allen continued on his winning ways after the end of yesterday's racing: Matt's Ichi Ban (AUS) has racked up three first placings in the IRC Two class, keeping marginally ahead of another Aussie sailor, Gary Baguley's Pattaya entry, El Coyote (THA) which, however, is issuing a strong challenge to Matt, with, as in the previous day's results, Italy's Siren, just behind in third.

Run as a division within IRC Two, is Bareboat/ Cruising and it was the chartered Sunsail entry The Waughship (AUS), skippered by Barry Waugh that revelled in the stronger winds and single long race today to take the win. Local boat Free Wind (THA), skippered by Nicholas Smith, finished second ahead of Paprika II (THA), sailed by the SailQuest crew, in third.

Henry Kaye staged a comeback in his Phuket-registered Sweet Chariot (THA) and with two good wins in the Multihull class today, has drawn level with the erstwhile leaders, David Liddell's Miss Saigon (THA) and Samui entry, Team Kunta/ Zanzen's Crazy Horse (THA) lies in third.

The 2013 Samui Regatta is organised by leading regatta services provider, Regattas Asia, with strong support from Samui businesses and staff. Racing continues tomorrow off Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, Chaweng Samui Regatta