International fleet assembles for Koh Samui 2008

by Captain Mart Rijkuris on 1 Jun 2008 Captain Marty Rijkuris from Asian Yachting previews the seventh annual Koh Samui Regatta.

'All the major racing class players from the Asia have turned up at Koh Samui, the last event on the 2007-08 Asian offshore calendar.

After last years convincing win, Bill Bremner made the decision to get a bigger boat and returns with the TP52 Foxy Lady IV and hopes to be hoisting high the beautiful Waterford Crystal KSR perpetual bowl for the second year in succession.

Frank Pong and his 75ft Reichel Pugh are the reigning Asian Yachting Champions, will be going all out to add another prize to the ever expanding trophy cabinet.

Even though Australia's Ray Roberts and Quantum Racing have already won the 2007-08 AY Skipper and Boat of the Year there is still the ‘KSR bragging rights’ to fight for.

But the likes of Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi-Fi, Sam Chan's Ffreefire 52, the Kinmonth / Burns Mills 51 Mandrake and Chris Mead’s Corby 43 Full Metal Jacket will be pushing all the way to prevent Ray from lifting both trophies.

Fresh on the Asian racing scene are Australia’s CYCA Commodore Matt Allen’s Beneteau 44.7 Ichi Ban, fresh from her recent victory in Dubai at the Maktoum Cup and Ben Copley's Club Swan 42 Katsu that made their debut at the Langkawi Regatta earlier this year.

However the Samui Regatta is not just about the Grand Prix yachts and a good line up of Racer/Cruisers, Sportsboat and Multhulls are already anchored off Chaweng beach.

The organisers are very grateful for the boats that travel thousands of miles to compete and make this such a friendly laid back event for all to enjoy.

In IRC 1 Jeff Davison's Singaporean based Mumm 30 Panic is back to defend the title they so narrowly won last year on count back. They can expect some more close racing action as Pascal Leray's Lyons 38 Breakaway who won the recent Top of the Gulf Regatta as well as David Bell's second placed Jeanneau 35 Magic Roundabout are all fired up and ready to go.

Also up from Singapore is Jonathan Mahony's Mumm 30 Happy Endings and Keith Dunn's Mount Gay 30 Lunchcutter are aiming for podium places.

Three Firefly 850 Sports catamarans, three Farrier/Corsair trimarans and the resident twin rigged Radical Bay 8000 catamaran are expected to contest the multihull class.

Favourites are Peter Dyer's Firefly SEA, who should have won the Top of the Gulf but were unlucky with two mishaps, Cedar Swan sailed by the highly disciplined Thai crew under the leadership of Khun Redab has won here before and the well travelled Corsair Sprint 750 The Sting has made an impression wherever she races. If the wind is light, which is forecast, then the tri's will come into their own but in the stronger winds at the TOG, the lone Firefly sped away and was literally uncatchable.

Thai television personality Kipsan Beck will be helming his nippy Shaw 6.5 Sportsboat aptly named Pornstar and if he can keep it all together should start out as the favourite. If the two Elliot 7's Moon Shadow and Ice Bucket registered by Mick Grover make it to the starting grid they will have their hands full keeping Pornstar honest and Dick Sanders Thai Raver at bay.

Another highlight of the regatta this year includes the first Samui Junior Sailing Squadron Challenge racing on the kindly donated Sunsail Odyssey 35 Princess Sharda.

Organized by one of the original founders of the event, John Stall, this will give local children the chance to experience the passion and excitement of competitive yacht racing.

Graham Lind's Hustler SJ35 Sumatra is up from Singapore and has won the cruising class at other Asian events before. Constanza and Big Blue are new on the scene and can be considered dark horses of the cruising class.

Callum Laing's Bangkok-based MobyElite have taken over organizing the event and local Samui sailing celebrity Francesco Brancaccio is heading up the island management team.

The on the water Race Management team is again led by the experienced Simon James, with a supporting cast that includes Aussie Race Officer Tony Denham returning for the third time and Australian international judge Mark Pryke is chairing the jury. '