Phuket King’s Cup Race Week Day 3 report

by Rob Kothe on 6 Dec 2006 Today’s Kata Group Andaman Sea race was scheduled to be the longest passage race of this week’s regatta, from the start line off Kata Beach, through the Koh Kaeo Noi gate, marked by the Royal Thai Navy patrol boat, onto Koh Racha Yai, (Big Racha Island, a beautiful diving location with wonderful coral reefs, to the south of Phuket) and back again, a distance of almost 40 miles.

But it was not to be…the best description for today would be ‘a tough day at the office.’

Thirteen fleets were gunned away from 8:30am this morning. The first start was in around four knots of breeze, with the top mark, a mile upwind.

The first of the fleets, the combined Racing 1, IRC 1 and Coutt’s Premier Division started together. There was the sound of crunching carbon, as Dr. Ian Nicholson’s Dubois 80 Intrigue and Paul Winkelmann’s TP52 Island Fling, contacted.

A building current was running, curving out from the shoreline against the fleet, and the wind was dropping. Neil Pryde’s Farr 52, Hi Fi, the former Hollywood Boulevard was first to the top mark. Behind her, Nick Burn’s Mandrake came in from the left, close to the lay line.

Singaporean helm Tiffany Koo, was concentrating hard as she guided the Chinese entry Konka Hummingbird, the Corby 45, towards the mark. Toby O’Connell’s DK-46 Dhevatara Drumstick, the second smallest boat in the Grand Prix fleet, was sailing well above her waterline length and was ahead of Frank Pong’s Reichel Pugh 76 Jelik, when the wind died on the right of the course and she fell back.

It was definitely not a good day for the TP52’s. Island Fling was second last in the fleet and was well back, as was the TP52 Ffree Fire (Russ Parker), who was the tail gunner.

First around the mark was Hi Fi, then Mandrake. Next was Jelik with Konka Hummingbird right on her stern. The Jamie McPhail helmed Karakoa followed, then came Dhevatara Drumstick and Island Fling,

As soon as she rounded the mark Jelik just sailed away, with her big asymmetric kite starting to fill as the breeze built. Island Fling was struggling and Ffree Fire was a gut wrenching 15 minutes behind Island Fling.

In the next division Yasooda, Hans Rahmann’s 70 footer had come inside Island Fling, Nix and Moonblue 11 close with her. When she hoisted her white kite, she did at last start to draw away.

Nico Cortiever’s Nix, the X612, Rhythm Stix and Intrigue were being swept away from the mark; no progress at all.

Nix and Rhythm Stix were falling away from the stern of Intrigue. Moonblue 2 was coming right across her bow but 15 mins later, still no progress. Nix came up with the line of pressure.

Boats of all sizes and shapes were arriving at the top mark. Benoit Lasaffre’s Crowther 50 catamaran Atmosphere, with the turning circle almost as wide as the Andaman Sea, was in the middle of the pack.

Behind her, the lightweight Firefly 850’s ghosted up. First was the series leader Marc Cudennec’s Chi Machine. Ahead of her, Atmosphere stalled.

Chi Machine sailed outside Atmosphere but behind her Roger Kingdon’s Moto Inzi had to put on the breaks to avoid a collision, drifted down and touched the mark. She had to do a 360 just ahead of Henry Kaye’s Mamba. Andrew Marshall’s Pink Lady was 300 metres short of mark.

The breeze began to lift and so did the spirits of race officials and sailors, as the lead boats sailed south. But the wind began dropping again.

By the time the leaders reached the Koh Kaeo Noi gate the tide was crossing the course at more than 1.5 knots. Hi Fi was the first boat there by four minutes, behind her Mandrake was ten seconds ahead of Jelik. As the wind fell, Drumstick understood and had to tack up to the gate. The same thing happened to the following fleet.

Up ahead, the leaders were half way from the gate to Racha Noi being swept west.

Aboard Hi Fi Neil Pryde and his crew threw out their anchor in 50 metres of water. Twice the wind lifted and the anchor rose from the ocean floor, only to be dropped again as the racing current took her seawards.

Race officials mercifully shortened the course for the IRC 2, Multihull 2, Ocean Rover and Bareboat Charter fleets at the Navy Patrol boat and four hours later, as the Racing fleets closed on Koh Racha Yai, an announcement was made that times taken at the earlier gate would become the finishing results.

There are protests a plenty across the fleets, numbers of which will significantly affect the outcome of the racing and results will be delayed for some hours.

Results after Day 3.

In Racing 1 division, Race 5 Konka Hummingbird, helmed by Tiffany Koo was awarded first place on correct time, from Ffree Fire (Russ Parker) and Jelik (Frank Pong). Jelik received the fastest time around the course.

In Coutts Premier division Race 4 finished with Yasooda crossing first to take line honours. She completed the day with a handicap win. Moon Blue 11 (Peter Churchhouse) was second. Australian Maid (Jon Wardill) made her regatta debut on the podium, in third.

In Racing 2 division, Race 4, Peter Dyer’s Madam Butterfly won on corrected time from Jeff Davidson’s Panic, with Niels Dgenkolf’s Phoenix a further 27 seconds back. Panic took line honours.

G4S Somtam Express, Scott Duncanson’s Phuket 8, won the Sports Boat division on corrected time from Phil Wardrop’s Vino, also a Phuket 8. Third today was Motornet, the Platu of Kenichi Takashashi. Fastest boat around the course today was Somtam Express.

In IRC 1, Race 4 Octopussy, the Farr 41 (Jaray Tipsuk) completed the double and won today from Rhythm Stick, X442 (Ryuji Nakata) and Sita (Peter Wintle), a Beneteau F45f5.

Chi Machine, was first over the line today and won on corrected time in the highly competitive Firefly 850 Sports division, Race 4. She’s been tussling all week with second placed Motor Inzi. Mamba placed third today.

Atmosphere took line honours in the Multhull Racing division Race 3. However, it was the Phillip Day skippered, The Sting, which won on corrected time today from Benoit Lasaffre’s Atmosphere. Seekronghuk, skippered by Tim Milner completed the podium placings.

In the Performance Multihull division, Race 3, the Larry Pollock owned Running Cloud, with Dick Flint at the helm won on corrected time by a large margin. Gone with the Wind (Liam Nichols) filled second today. Raimon Land Chameleon, skippered by Chris Runnegar was third in this division and she also took line honours.

In IRC 2, Race 3, Royal Thai Navy 1 (Lt. Peera Sagultem) snared the double win. Master Blaster (Andrey Novoderezhkin) was second on corrected time, with Next Page (Peter Forbes) in third.

The Princesses’ battle Royale continued in Race 3, with Athena (Antonio Escribano) first, Sharda (Philip Bowring) second and Anna (Christian Eschenberg) third. One design sailing makes for very interesting racing and this Sunsail fleet is no exception.

In the Bareboat Charter division, Fidgi (Naoki Wada) won Race 3 clearly on corrected time from Intan (Theodore Bakker) and Amadeus (Masakido Kato). Paprika 11 (Peter Beaumont) registered the fastest time.

In the Ocean Rover division, Race 3 was won by Calypso JJ, on corrected time. Rusalka (Kevan Perrins) made her regatta podium debut, with Rainbow Dream (Simon Piff) receiving third. Festina Lente recorded the fastest time.

Cordelia, skippered by Kent King was first in the Classic division, from Argo (Brendon Baumeister) and Kiara (Roger Brett).

The Final results are on line at www.kingscup.com

Thursday is the Lay Day at the 2006 Kings Cup and many of the skippers and crew will take the opportunity to vist PIMEX.

The Andaman News TV11 Phuket covered the Sailpast, Opening and racing.

The footage can be viewed online now.

http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=197621 for the Sailpast

& http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=197618 for Opening & racing days

The Kata Resort group host