The Coronation Cup, Top of The Gulf Regatta 2011, Pattaya

by Kev Scott, Ferret News on 22 Apr 2011 The Coronation Cup started in 1996 when the fleet of Platus was based in Hua Hin. The owners wanted to name a regatta with a connection to Thailand, and John Weston - who was part of the original design team - was challenged to find a suitable name for the regatta. He decided to associate the regatta with the King’s coronation.

No one has ever successfully defended the Cup, so this year presents a special challenge for Scott Duncanson and his crew. ‘Scotty’ has won the Cup three times - in 2002, 2008 and 2010, and K. Vinai Vongtim has won it twice, in the inaugural event in 1996 and also in 2001.

Coronation Cup 2011 will see at least four teams mounting a strong challenge, including Scott Duncanson on The Ferret, Rolf Heemskerk on The Fox, Maximilian Soh on Magic Dragon and Kenta Inaba on Motornet (or perhaps Lucky Lady). Kenta is travelling in from Japan and was on the podium last time he came to Pattaya. Maximilian is the skipper of a young but very experienced team who have won match racing events in both Malaysia and Pattaya this year.

Rolf Heemskerk won almost everything last year, but wants to add the Coronation Cup to his long list of awards. His battles with Scott Duncanson have continued for three years, and are amazingly close and eventful - similar to the Ray Roberts/Neil Pryde battles. Scott was the National Platu Champion in 2008 and 2009 but was narrowly beaten by Rolf last year.

Other entries include Pine Pacific with K Ithinai as skipper, Puma with its usual Japanese crew, and three teams from the Singapore Management University including crew from the Western Australia University. Also trying their hand for the first time we have a young team aboard Stingray skippered by Don Whitcraft, whose father Kevin will be entering the racing class aboard his much revamped boat. We may get some surprises from these teams because they are getting faster race by race, and for sure in One Design fleets everyone gets the chance to win.

The list of winners is shown below but we are missing the year 2000. If anyone reading this has knowledge please inform Kev Scott at kevscott@hotmail.com.


Platu Coronation Cup Winners

1996
Vinai Vongtim, Sittisak Musikul, Somkiat Poonpat, Prasertsak Moolprasert, Chatchai Soung-Oon
1997
Damrongsak Vongtim, Niwat Triyot, Julapong Janyim, Chayaan Pholphitaksiri, Suwat Mangkang
1998
X P Garcia, Louie Perfectua, Lino Perfectua, Stephen Tan, Allan Balladares
1999
Warwick Downes, Glenn Kim, Evelyn Lam, Nick Burns, Mo Mueller
2000
Unknown. Was it even run this year, as 2001 was called ‘5th Coro Cup’?
2001
SNBYC Lt Vinai Vongtim, Oaychai Choompuvises, Chatchai Sang-un, Chayan Phonpitagsiri
2002
ACYC Scott Duncanson, Muzza Nordstrand, Andrew Debruin, Rob Taylor, Brian Ritchie
2003
Team Pasaya
2004
Somkiat Poonpat, Wiwat Poonpat, Tawan Parintanan, Aek Lokitiyakul, Dalad Harivarawong
2005
Neil Semple and Morten Jacobsen
2006
Marty Kaye, Jamie McWilliam
2007
K. Aek, Wiwat Poonpat, Caddie
2008
Team Ferret: Scott Duncanson, Trent Pedersen, Lim Veerasit, Scott Venes, Kev Scott
2009
Ray Roberts, Ed Smyth, Steve Makka, Tim, Brad
2010
Team Ferret: Scott Duncanson, Jeremy Chase, Trent Pedresen, Nils Razmilovic, Kev Scott