Top of the Gulf 2011 starts in 'good steady winds'

by TOG Event Media on 30 Apr 2011 Top of the Gulf Regatta 2011: Good steady winds saw all classes away cleanly on the first day of the 2011 Top of the Gulf Regatta (TOG Regatta). Held off Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Jomtien Beach, Pattaya, Thailand, winds ranged from 8 to 12 knots as all keelboats and ocean multihulls raced windward-leewards, except the cruising class which raced a longer passage race.

IRC Racing 1 class brings together an international fleet with Asian circuit regulars Evolution Racing (Aus), Hi Fi (Hong Kong), Wan Ma Rang (Thai) and relative newcomers Team Premier (UAE) and Zanzibar (Sing). Of the five, it's the first TOG Regatta for Hi Fi, Team Premier and Zanzibar. Hi Fi and Evolution Racing, pre-regatta expected to be duelling for the top positions were surprised on Day One as Team Premier fired a shot across everyone's bow with line honours and handicap in Race 1. In Race 2 Team Premier was beaten into second by Evolution Racing, with Hi Fi third.

IRC Racing 2 saw a nine boat fleet take to the start line with all eyes on Australian favourite Matt Allen and his crew on Ichi Ban. Tactics were the call of the day and Ichi Ban called them correct. Although pushed close in Race 1, Ichi Ban took line honours and class win on corrected time from Jing Jing (China) skippered by Rick Poulson, and Katsu (Thai), skippered by Ben Copley, in second and third respectively. In Race 2 Ichi Ban took his second bullet with Jing Jing steady in second place from El Coyote (Aus) skippered by Gary Baguley, in third.

IRC Racing 3 saw Royal Thai Navy 1, skippered by Damrong Sirisakorn, continued their winning form in Thailand regattas with a close fought win in Race 1 by 25 seconds on corrected time from Hi Jinks (Thai) skippered by Surapol Tippawongse in second, and Magic (Aus), skippered by David Bell in third. Race 2 saw the same place finishes, Royal Thai Navy 1 (1), Hi Jinks (2) and Magic (3).

The Sports Boat class are being run on the same startline and sequence as the IRC Racing 2 class, but with separate class trophies being given. Pornstar (Thai) skippered by Kipsan Beck took two bullets from C U Later (Fra), skippered by Mikael Pophillat.

The one-design Platu class lit up the course with some tight and entertaining racing, places being traded mid-fleet throughout race one. Magic Dragon, crewed by one of three SMU teams in the class, took to the front early on and rounded the windward mark first. She continued to stretch her lead throughout and easily took the bullet. Lucky Lady (Japan) skippered by Kenta Inaba, took second with Naiad (Thai), skippered by Wiwat Poonpat, in third. Last year's Coronation Cup winner, The Ferret, skippered by Scott Duncanson, came back from a poor start to take fifth, one place behind their perennial rivals The Fox, skippered by Rolf Heemskerk. Race 2 saw Naiad pull out all the stops to take first from The Ferret and The Fox in second and third respectively.

The passage race by the Cruising class saw the 11 strong fleet head offshore to out-lying islands. Amanda (Sing), skippered by Lennart Fahlgren, won the day on corrected time from Free Wind (USA) skippered by George Foose in second, and Reef Knot+ (Thailand), skippered by Simon Denny in third.

In the Ocean Multihull class, Radab Kanjanavanit skippering Cedar Swan (Thai) bounced back from a third in Race 1 to take the bullet in Race 2 and lead the series standing after the first day. A ripped mainsail didn't stop Sonic (Thai) taking first in Race 1 from Bladerunner (Thai), skippered by Thierry Cercleron in second. In Race 2 Bladerunner again took second from Dash (Thai), skippered Bob Garner, in third.

Day One saw some upsets and a number of regatta-newcomers leading in the series standings. Provisional series results for IRC Racing 1 are Evolution Racing (1), Team Premier (2), Hi Fi (3); in IRC Racing 2 Ichi Ban (2), Jing Jing (2), Katsu (3); in IRC Racing 3 Royal Thai Navy 1 (1), Hi Jinks (2), Magic (3); in Cruising Amanda (1), Free Wind (2), Reef Knot+ (3); in the Sports Boat Pornstar (1), C U Later (2); in the Platu class Naiad (1), Magic Dragon (2), The Ferret (3); in Ocean Multihulls Cedar Swan (1), Bladerunner (2), The Sting (3).

The 2011 Top of the Gulf Regatta is supported by the Principal Sponsor Ocean Marina as host venue. Co-Sponsors include Land Rover and Range Rover, Thai Airways, Gulf Charters and Mont Clair Wines as Co-sponsors. A large contribution was also made by an anonymous sailor this year. Other sponsors include Ocean Property Co. Ltd., Singha Corporation Group, Thai Numthip Co., Ltd. (Coca Cola), Lucaris, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Golden Foods Siam Ltd., Bank of Ayudhya Plc., Seat Boat Co., Ltd., Corsair Marine Thailand Co., Ltd., QBE Insurance (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Mõvenpick ice cream, Nivea, CAT Telecom, Media Representation International and Sail Quest. Media partners include Pattaya Mail, SEA Yachting magazine, Ensign Media and Mix 88.5 FM. The event is supported by the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (YRAT), Royal Varuna Yacht Club and Pattaya City.

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