Seven nations in Thailand Hobie Cat Championship
by Peter Cummins on 28 Apr 2006
Hobie 16 Media Services
To be sailed over this weekend, April 29-May 1, at Pattaya, the Thailand Hobie Cat Championship will feature a huge fleet sailing off the Royal Varuna Yacht Club (RVYC) which is hosting the event. The championships will feature teams of 35 Hobie Cat 16s, from Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and, of course, Thailand.
There will also be 10 Hobie Tigers, with two of Hong Kong's best sailors; in all some 100 competitors.
This is just the start for, next year, with the incredible increase in popularity of Hobie Cat racing, Thailand will stage its first-ever Asian Hobie Cat Championship and could well hold the prestigious world championship.
With rapid and far-reaching developments in the marine industry, it is no surprise that there are now regattas being raced all around the kingdom where a stretch of water can be identified. An incredible resurgence in the Hobie, the beach catamaran based principally at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in South Pattaya, comes to the fore this weekend with a three-day spectacular ideally timed to make possible connections with next week's Second Top of the Gulf Regatta, the kingdom's biggest.
According to principal organiser Gary Baguley, Thailand and, specifically the Royal Varuna Yacht Club is the major focal point for this particular event.
'There has been an overwhelming response from overseas Hobie Cat sailors to join this year's regatta,' Baguley said.
Nineteen overseas teams are participating and will include some of the Top Hobie sailors from around the Asia-Pacific region. There will also be a big fleet of 10 Hobie Tigers, the Maserati of the waterways.
Sponsors are Hobie Cat Australasia, Blue Wave Watersports Asia and YachtPro Sail Training. Although not an official sponsor, nevertheless, the Pattaya Mail and the Pattaya Mail on TV will be covering the event and offering some support in kind.
Baguley notes that registration is still open. For the non-sailors, come to Pattaya for a sailing extravaganza and a marvelous spectacle.
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