Samui Regatta - Stunning sailing conditions on day 1

by Event Media on 28 May 2013 Samui turned on the style for day one of the 2013 Samui Regatta with steady 10-14 knot breezes under blue skies, and some tight racing across the 22-strong fleet.

The winds held good through the day allowing Principal Race Officer Ross Chisholm to finish two windward/leewards for all classes and a third race for IRC Zero.

Jelik (HKG), skippered by Frank Pong, got off to a flyer with line honours and the win on corrected time in race one, with their closest rival in size – the 72-foot Antipodes (HKG), skippered by Geoff Hill – placing fifth. Second place went to Freefire (HKG), skippered by Sam Chan and Katsu (AUS), skippered by Ben Copley took third.

Pong continued his winning ways with another first in race two, again followed by Freefire in second and Antipodes found their groove finishing third. A little over three minutes separated the entire class.

The final race saw Pong again come out on top making it three wins from three, and three line honours to boot. A contender for the 2012/13 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship title, which concludes at Samui Regatta, the results after day one has put Pong firmly in the driving seat.

Last years IRC One class winners EFG Bank Mandrake (HKG), skippered by Nick Burns/ Fred Kinmonth, got off to a slow start today with a fifth place finish in the first race of the day. They managed to get back on track with a second in race two, but following a protest and subsequent disqualification of Windsikher (SIN) for a port/starboard incident, EFG Bank Mandrake placed first.

Walalwala Two (SIN), skippered by Steve Manning, raced well to take the double in race one – line honours and handicap win. Elektra (HKG), skippered by Marcel Liedts finished second ahead of Singapore-based Foxy Lady Six (SIN), skippered by Bill Bremner, in third.

In race two the tables were turned with EFG Bank Mandrake in first, Foxy Lady 6 in second, and Walawala two third.

After slipping up on the final day last year, Foxy Lady Six has put in a solid performance on day with a three, two, setting themselves up for what looks to be a tough competition over the next four days.

The largest class in the Regatta, IRC Two, saw eight boats on the startline and it was Italian entry Siren (ITA), skippered by Bryan Coianiz, that took the early line honours win. However, they did not convert to a win on corrected time and finished third overall in the first race of the day. The win went to Matt Allen's Ichi Ban (AUS) who finished over seven minutes clear of Pattaya-based El Coyote (THA), skippered by Gary Baguley in second, and Siren placed third.

The second race went to form with Ichi Ban again taking first, El Coyote second and Siren third. Known for his Sydney Hobart Race exploits on his VO70 of the same name, Matt Allen and his crew are making a name for themselves on the Thai regatta scene with wins this season at the Phuket King's Cup and Top of the Gulf regattas.

The Multihull class is dominated by Thai entries this year, and it was Crazy Horse (THA), entered by Samui Ocean Sports, that galloped off to a win in the first race and a second in race two to take an early lead in the standings. Miss Saigon (THA), skippered by David Liddell, placed two,one on the day and Sweet Chariot (THA), skippered by Henry Kaye, placed third in race one and following breakage scored a DNF in race two and trails behind.


For more information, visit the Samui Regatta website