Close start and close finish at Samui
by Al Constable on 24 May 2005
Sunsail synchronised sailing Guy Nowell
http://www.guynowell.com
'It's fun and games offshore and serious onshore, NOT,' laughed Scott Finsten, CYCA Marina Manager and part of the Australian racing contingent attending the 4th Koh Samui Regatta with Mariner Boating.
'Racing is super competitive and the camaraderie onshore is great.'
Yesterday, in the first race of the regatta, the four Australian chartered Jeanneau 35 Sunsail boats, started in a perfect row under red, white and blue Sunsail spinnakers and battled to the finish line, only seconds apart.
Princess Arietta, steered by former CYCA Commodore Hans Sommer won the close fought start.
It was picture perfect, except for a backward facing spinnaker on Princess Arietta.
'Possibly a fore-deck error,' smiled, the 130kg Finsten, who along with Hans' wife Val is manning the front of the boat for this Tropical Island regatta.
Looking for a pressure advantage, George Snow, steering Princess Athena headed inshore and Karl Stechmann on Princess Anna followed.
Tony Hearder on Princess Sharda, and Princess Arietta, stayed together out wide, battling it out until they reached Ko Kong Ok rock, then Princess Arietta lost the breeze and 'parked', whilst Sharda and Athena sailed round her and then found their own patch of pavement.
Parked in no breeze, with two knots of current running against them, the big bowman suggested to the other three Princesses on radio to go to Channel 69.
Naturally the entire Koh Samui fleet heard the call and of course did so too.
Scott suggested that with no breeze the bar was beckoning.
'No' came the reply from Lindsay May on Princess Athena, ‘we have plenty of beer.’
The competitive spirit re-surfaced and despite the dying breeze, the four Princesses resumed their battle.
Sharda took a flier in on the beach and appeared to be out the back door.
Up front serious match racing resumed, with Arietta and Anna leading the way.
Arietta pulled off a few spectacular gybes and managed to get the better of Anna and Athena.
Mouths fell agape however as Karl Stechman and his Princess Sharda crew came in 'hot' to the last mark and just pipped Arietta to the finish line.
Lots of cheering and yelling, after six hours, there was 116 seconds between the four Princesses.
The tall stories continued at the bar until late into the night.
Princess Anna 6:06:31
Princess Arietta 6:07:24
Princess Athena 6:07:41
Princess Sharda 6:08:27
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