Blow by blow. HKSF Open Dinghy Regatta 2007

by Guy Nowell, Sail World Asia on 4 Oct 2007 The Hong Kong Sailing Federation International Open Dinghy Regatta this year attracted 30 entries in the Open Division (470, 420, 29er, Laser, Europe) and 44 in the Optimist Division. The entry list included competitors from Macau, the Philippines, Indonesia, Taipei and Thailand, constituting the biggest overseas entry in this event for a long time.

With a healthy-sized fleet on the water all that was needed was some good breeze, and the Race Officer, Jimmy Farquhar, Vice Commodore RHKYC was delighted to drop anchor in Port Shelter on Saturday morning with 16 kts of breeze across the deck. Which then abated. No matter: after a little indecision, the wind filled again from the north at around 12 kts, producing near-perfect sailing conditions.

The breeze stayed in all day - with some minor variations in strength – but shifted from 360 deg to 30 and then finally 90. This was the be the pattern for three days of racing: during a 9-race card the RO was obliged to change the race course for each and every race.

After the first three races Erica Leung (HKG) had thrown down a strong challenge, leading the Optimist class with 5 points from three races (1-2-2) ahead of Muhamad Ramlan (INA) on 9 points and Aprinanda (INA) on 11 points. In the Open division some sterling work from Hong Kong’s former Oppie champ, Eva Leung, now sailing in the 420 with crew Cheng Sze Kei, put them at the top of the table on 6 points in front of two Philippines 470 crews with 8 points each, Balladares/Chavez and Villena/Tayong.

On the Committee Boat day 2 looked remarkably similar to day 1: moderate breeze all day, clocking from north all the way to east so that eventuall it was necessary fro the RO to up-anchor and shift the whole race course to the north of Shelter Island where the last race of the day was conducted in bright sunshine and 14 kts of breeze.

The leaderboard was still showing the same names, but in a different order – Leung/Cheng (HKG, 420) were heading the Open division with 13 points, but Villena/Tayong (PHI) and Balladares/Chavez (PHI) were snapping at their heels with 16 and 18 points respectively and three races to go. Muhamad Ramlan (INA) enjoyed another consistent day to get to the top of the Oppie division with 18 points, but Eva Leung (HKG) and Aprinanda (INA) were very close behind with 22 points each. Clearly, the last day’s racing was going to be a case of ‘everything to play for’ at the top of both divisions.

At 0930 hrs the northerly was bringing a steady 20+ kts, gusting right up to 28 kts, under a heavy grey sky that didn’t look nice at all. The sight of 35 Optimists bobbing around the Committee Boat in their little soap-dishes, entirely at ease with the situation, was very cheering for those observers now (substantially!) too old to participate in the class.
The breeze eased to a mere 14 kts as the race programme got under way on time at 1100 hrs, and stayed in all day, building at the end for the whole of the last race of the day and the regatta to be sailed in a steady 20 kts blow. Those that could handle it in both divisions revelled in the conditions. Oppies were seen reaching towards the start line at quite remarkable speeds, crews on the trapeze-class dinghies had their hands full and so did the Laser sailors.

The full race card allowed for two discards from nine races. Erica Leung (HKG) scored a consistent 4-4-4 to finish up with 19 points overall, but it wasn’t enough to compete with Muhamad Ramlan’s (INA) performance of 1-1-6 for a total of 15 at the end of the day. Aprinanda had enough low scores in the bag to be able to discard a 45 (RET) in race 8 and still stay in 3rd place overall. There were plenty of other sparkling performances from the ‘junior’ division, with well-earned race wins from Bernard Kay (HKG), Kwan Wing Ho (HKG), Bobi Sajaya (INA) and a spectacular regatta-finale burst from Yann Cudennec (HKG). All competitors in the Optimist class are to be congratulated on completing a 9-race series in very fresh conditions that made every race hard work.

The leaders in the Open division fought it out down to the very last race, with three crews needing a win to secure the series. Balladarez/Chavez (PHI) secured the top spot with yet another first place, recording 1-1-(6)-2-(6)-2-2-1-1 total 10, followed in second place by Villena/Tayong (PHI) with 15 points and Leung/Cheng (HKG, 420) 16 points. Hong Kong’s 29er crew of Chung Mei Han and Andy Service made 4th place overall and first 29er, with James Murphy (HKG) leading the Laser sailors in 11th place in the division.