Day Two rings the changes at 2012 Top of the Gulf Regatta

by Infinity Communications on 7 May 2012 Day Two started with lighter winds as the boats headed to their respective startlines, building to a steady 8 knots for Race One on the keelboat and multihull courses. The tough conditions yesterday left their mark on some with Quantum righted and safely secured in the marina, no longer participating in the series. Sweet Chariot and Cedar Swan, however, were back on the course as Principal Race Officer, Jerry Rollin got the races off on time.

With HiFi not making the start for Race One in IRC 1 Class, the 40-footers went head-to-head for the bragging rights. The Japanese crew on Karasu, lead by skipper Yasoro Nanamori, took the win by two minutes on corrected time from Rick Pointon's Jing Jing who secured second by just over 30 seconds from Bill Bremner's Foxy Lady 6.

In Race Two, Karasu showed a clean pair of heels to take another first. Walawala, skippered by Steve Manning and HiFi, skippered by Neil Pryde, finished second and third respectively. Two wins today sees Karasu lead the series going into the final two days.

Completing two races today, IRC 2 Class has become somewhat of a processions with Magic, skippered by David Bell taking two firsts, Gary Baguley's El Coyote two second places and Brad Kirk, skippering Dynamite, taking two thirds. Magic leads the series standings at the halfway mark.

In IRC 3 Class, Royal Thai Navy 1, skippered by Wiwat Poonpat were beaten into second in Race One by Hi Jinks, sailed by a team from Singapore Management University (SMU) and skippered by Gregory Ho Thian Yew, who also took line honours. Royal Thai Navy 2, skippered by Nattapol Srihirun finished third. In Race Two, Royal Thai Navy 1 returned to the top with a win from Royal Thai Navy 2 in second and Hi Jinks in third.

The four-strong IRC 4 Cruising Class saw results to form with Kirifki, skippered by Peter Herning continuing his winning ways and leading the series rankings. San Sanook, skippered by Andrew Watt took second in Race Two and lays second overall with Tai Two, skippered by Sadunori Osada finishing third in today's final race.

In the Sports Boat Class Crime Scene, skippered by Noel Leigh-Smith, continued their winning ways with two bullets today. Kipsan Beck, skippering Porn Star scored two second places with Hello Kitty, skippered by Miki Munchasa, two thirds. The three Shaw 650's sit atop the rankings in the Sports Boat series.

In the ultra-competitive one-design Platu Class, the halfway mark sees a group of four to five boats breaking away from the rest. Chris Way and his Australian 'Easy Tiger Racing' team go to the top of the series standings following three races today. After a slow start and a fifth place in Race One, they secured a first and second. Nataya, skippered by Rolf Heemskerk slipped up with a sixth and fifth in the first two races, but found her way with a first in the last race today to remain in touching distance of the leaders and second overall. Naiad, skippered by Chai Weiguo, continued their move up the leaderboard into third overall after second, fourth and fifth placings today.

Race One in the Ocean Multihull Class saw a new winner. Kirati Assakul, skippering Sonic, took first on corrected time by over five minutes from Sweet Chariot, skippered by John Higham in second and Free Wheeler, skippered by David Race, in third. In Race Two, Sweet Chariot took the win from Andrew Stransky's Fantasia in second, with Sonic in third. Fantasia holds top place overall in the series at the halfway point.

The NeilPryde Racing Series concluded today. Two days of windsurfing in Ocean Marina's basin proved to be an exciting spectacle with a competitive mixed field and participants from four nations. Today's competition saw three races in each of the three divisions: Male under 22 years; Male over 22 years; and Women. The top three of each division then went into the final – a single race for the 'super' title.

First in the male under 22 years division was Natthanont Chui, followed by Pornanan Payurgkasem in second and Sirichai Phusiri in third. In the male over 22 years division, Thai Olympic hopeful Ek Boonsawad took the win from Navin Singsart in second and Natthaphong Phonopparat in third. While in the women's division, Napalai Tansai, who will be representing Thailand at the London 2012 Olympics, secured the win with Sunaree Soemros in second and Sarocha Prumprai third.

In the Super Final, Natthaphong Phonoppharat secured the win and was announced the overall winner of the Thailand stage of the NeilPryde Racing Series. Taking place in Thailand for the first time, the NeilPryde Racing Series offered a total of USD3,000 prize money.

The 2012 Top of the Gulf Regatta continues tomorrow at Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Jomtien, Pattaya, Thailand.

The 2012 Top of the Gulf Regatta is supported by the Principal Sponsor Ocean Marina Yacht Club as host venue. Co-Sponsors include Tourism Authority of Thailand, Land Rover and Range Rover, Singha Corporation Group, and Mont Clair Wines. Other sponsors include Thai Airways, Gulf Charters, Mont Gay Rum, Bank of Ayudhya Plc., Neil Pryde, Minor Group (The Pizza Company and Dairy Queen), Corsair Marine Thailand Co. Ltd., QBE Insurance (Thailand) Co. Ltd., SKPF, Thai Numthip Co. Ltd. (Coca Cola), CAT Telecom PCL, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Golden Foods Siam Ltd., Lucaris, Suniture, Sunbrella, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Buzzcats and Simpson Marine. Media Partners include Helm Superyacht magazine, SEA Yachting magazine, Go Yachting, Mix 88.5FM, Pattaya Mail, Guy Nowell Photography, and Asianyachting.com. The event is supported by the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (YRAT), Royal Varuna Yacht Club and Pattaya City.

For more information, www.topofthegulfregatta.com.