China Cup International's international entries

by Rob Kothe, Sail-World.com on 18 Oct 2007 Denmark: RHKYC Past Commodore Inge Strompf-Jepsen says that the Danish team is ‘really more of a United Nations team? Sailing on Star Light in the Beneteau 40.7 One Design division will be six Brits, three Dutch, two Hong Kong representatives and - yes - the Danish skipper.

The crew includes Olympians and dinghy sailors, from 17 to 53 years, but all the same gender. 'This is a Ladies crew' says Strompf-Jepsen. The team includes UK double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, Prima 38 sailor Julie Fawcett and Hong Kong 420 and 29er helm Chung Mei Han.

France: Simpson Marine, Asian agent for Beneteau, supplied ten Beneteau 40.7s to the organisers of the China Cup International Regatta for a One Design division for the inaugural running of this event. Now Mike Simpson, Managing Director of Simpson Marine, adds that ‘w'We have entered an eleventh Beneteau First 40.7 in the One Design Racing division, with some top European sailors joining our own crew.' A factory team for sure, but they certainly won't have things all their own way!

New Zealand: Visiting Kiwi, Mike Calkoen, has been campaigning a Young 11 for 20 years. Called ‘TThe Flying Boat it was named the Royal Port Nicholson Boat of the Year 2007. Calkoen and crew were dockside at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club on Sunday looking at the boat they will be racing in the regatta. The Kiwis raced a 40.7 called Panacea at Hamilton Island in 2001. ‘W'We've had a couple of days of practicing hard. This will be my first time in China, and we are all very excited to have the opportunity to race in this historic international regatta' he said.

Australia: Tthere is a strong keel boat racing circuit Down Under, and Sydney sailor Steven Proud will certainly be leading a competitive team on board the 40.7, Swish. 'We do a lot of big boat One Design racing on the Sydney 38s, often with 20 boats in the start line, so we know we are strong in OD tactics. Our tactician, Andy McPhail, has been sailing on the Asian circuit for many years - including ten Phuket King's Cups, and a couple of China Coast Regattas and Hainan Races.'

McPhail is enthusiastic about the China Cup - ‘w'We are looking forward to racing in Shenzhen, and there are some top sailors in the eleven boats in our class. Today we've been out for a 10 nm training run, tuned the rig, tweaked the control lines and did some calibration. It's definitely game on.'

Taipei: Jason Wu is looking forward to this regatta. 'I have been Mainland China many times on business trips, and I have sailed in China, but racing at Longcheer is going to be even more exciting. We have a very experienced crew who have raced at the Ryukyu Ohcho Cup and the Philippines'President's Cup. After the China Cup we are looking forward to participating in the Phuket King's Cup (Thailand, December), and then other regattas in Europe and Australia.'

The Beneteaus are not the only OD class: international crews from Malaysia, South Africa and France will be competing on the China-built one-design sportsboats, the 10m Flying Tiger designed by respected American naval architect Robert Perry and built by Hansheng Yachts in Xiamen, China.

‘LLocals - the boat to beat from the China fleet has to be Adam Ng's Microlab Moonlight Shadow.

Recently appearing at the RHKYC's China Coast Regatta where she placed at the bottom of the four-boat IRC A division, Ng is nonetheless very positive about their performance.

'We are beginners, but we learn fast! The China Coast was our very first regatta, and it helped to hone our racing skills.

'Training in Longcheer with the crew from Jelik has made a huge difference to our performance - we were right there with Fortis Mandrake, so we know we are a contender. What we need now is a good tactician.'

The IRC racing fleet is approaching 50 yachts, with boats and crews with winning track records from around the world. Amongst the favourites is Australian Ray Roberts who will have his DK46 Quantum Racing on the starting block, with Steve McConaghy. a double 11 metre World Champion whispering in his ear. This combination has won the last two Phuket King's Cups and if conditions become light and fluky they are liekly to star.

Roberts has won both the Phuket King's Cup and Hamilton Island Race Week on a DK46. Roberts will definitely be after for a good result to add to his portfolio of recent successes. 'We are looking forward to this regatta. We've raced the Asian and Australian circuits for many years, this is going to be a very interesting series, plenty of good boats and plenty of great sailors.'

Billed as a life style event? this year CCIR will also include an economic forum, a golf tournament, an art exhibition, a fashion show, a wine tasting and a music festival, and the final night will conclude with an elaborate fireworks display and a party on board FashionTV-Diamond.'

These events all aim to showcase the Shenzhen region, which includes one of the fastest growing cities in China with a population of over 13 million people - and counting.

More information at www.chncup.com