Phuket King’s Cup 2015 – Movement at the Station

by Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia on 7 Dec 2015 Yesterday was the King of Thailand’s birthday, and tomorrow is the start of the regatta that celebrates that happy anniversary, the Phuket King’s Cup. 2015 is the 29th running of the event, and has yet again attracted a substantial fleet of entries for what many consider to be Asia’s premier big boat regatta.

The day before racing starts, there are 150 entries including keelboats boats at current listing: 13 divisions from the ocean greyhounds of IRC 0, the 40-somethings in IRC 1 and then IRC 2, and the comfy boats of IRC Premier (total 24). As per usual, the biggest division is Bareboat Charter joined by Open Charter (total 19). The Cruising Class, Classics and Modern Classics make up 21, and there are 24 multihulls – probably the biggest collection of cats and tris at any regatta in this part of the world.

At today’s opening press conference, Kevin Whitcraft, Chairman of the King’s Cup Organising Committee, said, “We are incredibly proud that the Phuket King’s Cup is able to take a regional role in contributing to the growth of the Thai sailing community and yachting in Thailand. This event gives Thai sailors a superb opportunity to experience international competition, and raise the cachet of Phuket as one of the world’s premier yachting destinations.”

The elite divisions promise some tight racing with three TP52s going head-to-head, and competing with the RP76 Jelik and the canting-keel newcomer from Tasmania, Alive (Duncan Hine, RP66 - via Hamilton Island, China Coast Regatta, Vietnam Race and the Raja Muda).

The event offers a time-honoured format of windward-leeward races combined with around-the-islands courses, and there are plenty of islands to choose from around the southern end of Phuket. Present forecasts indicate 14kts of breeze for the first three days of the regatta and 5s and 7s in the latter part of the week.
There is also the ‘Youth’ element of the regatta in the shape of the fourth International Phuket King’s Cup Dinghy Regatta, featuring Optimist, Topper and Laser Standard and Laser Radial classes, with over 60 entries.

December in Phuket: what’s not to like? Would you rather be sailing here, or in cold and wintry Europe? 30 degrees, blue skies, shorts and t-shirts. Is there another way to sail? Once upon a time a large percentage of the King’s Cup fleet came from the northern hemisphere, with a heavy salting of Hong Kong boats plus a couple from Australia and New Zealand and a smattering of local entries from both resident expatriates and Thai nationals. The geopolitics have changed. The major influx of Russian entries in recent years is still strong if decreased (16 boats), there are 14 from the Antipodes, and 23 Thai-registered boats. Europe provides 14 entries, China five, Japan eight and Hong Kong five more.

The Regatta enjoys the continued support of the host sponsor Kata Group Resorts Thailand, and strategic sponsors the Thai Government Lottery Office, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, and the Thailand Tourism Authority.

Today was Practice Race day – and also Registration, Measurement, the Skipper’s Briefing and the Opening Ceremony - there’s definitely ‘movement at the station’. Tomorrow the on-water action begins in earnest with a Sail-Past in honour of His Majesty King Bhumiphol Adulyadej, with the salute being taken by Thai Royal Navy vessels.

Like Arnie said, “We’ll be back.”