Glorious Royal Awards Ceremony marks end to Phuket King’s Cup Regatta

by Media Center on 9 Dec 2012 Competitors, VIPs and media came together to celebrate a fantastic week of Phuket King's Cup Regatta sailing at the Royal Awards Ceremony held at Kata Beach Resort & Spa. A formal occasion presided over by H.E. Admiral Mom Luang Usni Pramoj, Personal Representative of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the Royal Awards is something unique to this Royal Regatta, and a highlight for all.

In attendance was Admiral Polawat Sirodom, the Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy; Vice Admiral Tarathon Kajitsuwan, Commander-in-Chief, Third Area Naval Command, Yacht Racing Association Thailand Representative; Maitri Inthusut, Governor of Phuket; Pamuke Achariyachai, Chairman of Kata Group Resorts Thailand; Kevin Whitcraft, President of Phuket King's Cup Regatta, hundreds of participants, media from around the world and sponsors, all lead by master of ceremonies Radab Kanjanavanit.

The splendid permanent trophy, designed by Mom Luang Tri Devakul and graciously bestowed by HM the King, features nine silver sails rising up from a silver sea, super-imposed by the symbol of H.M the King, called the “Tra Sanyalak”, along with the King’s initials, and the Thai nine. The Royal Crown over-arcs the total trophy, indicating the King’s Royal Patronage.

The 26th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta will be remembered for a week of great sailing conditions, close racing and a magnificent fleet comprising of 168 entries. Among them, 78 large ocean-going racers and cruisers, 50 dinghies and 40 windsurfs. Across most of the classes, point scores came down to the wire with many classes seeing three-way battles going into the final day.

Kevin Whitcraft, President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee, said, “This Phuket King’s Cup has been excellent and genuinely inspiring; a lot of fun for everyone involved, partly because the weather has been so excellent for most of the week. We’ve seen some spectacularly close racing, in some cases down to just a few seconds after times have been adjusted for handicaps. This is part of the reason why the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is so regionally renowned. The party series has been great too, and I would like to thank all of our sponsors, partners and party hosts for their support in pulling off this superb Regatta.”