Loro Piana Around the Island Race 2006 - Hong Kong

by Sail World Asia on 22 Nov 2006 More than 200 boats and their crews were getting ready at Kellett Island on Sunday morning for the annual Around the Island Race. Two overseas entries helped make up a complement of yachts, outriggers and rowing boats. This year’s edition of the race was sponsored by Loro Piana, the exclusive Italian fashion house, and organised by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.

The race started from in front of the RHKYC Kellett Island clubhouse in a mere 4-6 knots of breeze, making for some confusion in the starting sequence when the Cruiser class was delayed. And of course the usual contribution from coastal freighters did little to help.

At the end of a slow beat up the harbour, and expecting a hole at Lye Yue Mun, the fleet found a get-out-of-jail-free card waiting for them in the form of 6-8 knots of continuous breeze which carried them all the way down to Cape d’Aguilar.

A small cold front then brought in up to 10-15 knots of pressure for those positioned to take advantage of it – the leaders were by now right round the back of the island. As the front passed through, the wind shifted and then died, leaving a hole between Cyberport and Middle Island. 100 or more boats were ‘caught’ here but four notably ‘escaped’ – Sam Chan’s ‘big’ Ffree Fire (Nelson-Marek 70, and on charter to the race sponsor), Steve Bourne’s Merlin (Magic 25), the Isler/Burgurlu/Taylor-owned pocket rocket Ambush (Hick 31), and another Magic – Adam Mowser’s Shenanigans.

The rest of the fleet wallowed around for anything between 90 minutes and two hours, resulting in a large number of retirements as more and more people ‘did the sums’ and took a view on the chance of finishing inside the time limit.

RO Jimmy Farquhar called a short finish – at Green Island for the Cruisers, Sportsboats and Hobie Tigers, and at Cyberport for everyone else.

This is a great event that puts more boats on the water than any other race in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, for many crews this is the ONLY race of the year – and it shows. One competitor commented on ‘Sunday drivers who don’t know the rules’, and the Safety Team spent a good deal of time keeping boats out of the shipping lanes.

Sponsor Pier Luigi Loro Piana shipped in a nucleus of Italian sailors to sail on Ffree Fire, and were ably assisted by some of Ffree Fire’s regular crew . Loro Piana helmed the boat all the way round the course, and was accompanied by his wife, Laura. They took advantage of the available breeze early in the race and took Line Honours in 4h 37m 25s – possibly the first time that a sponsor has participated in and claimed honours in the Around the Island Race. His brother Sergio and family and friends were on hand to lend support from the comfort of a powerboat.

But the day really belonged to Steve Bourne, who won the race after 21 years of trying. ‘I have come 2nd four times, but this year was just perfect for us.’ Bourne even surrendered one of his crew to Adam Mowser before the start of the race – Mowser was short-handed – to make for a more competitive race between these two long-standing rivals.

‘It was a race for light/fast boats,’ said Bourne. ‘There wasn’t much breeze, and there was a strong tide running. This is a premier Hong Kong event as it engages all manner of sailing craft - and also now ocean rowers and outrigger canoes. It brings together all the different sailing clubs in Hong Kong, and is an international event with many people flying in to participate.’

‘It was very pleasing to see the sponsor taking Line Honours – although we did call ‘starboard’ on him near Aberdeen! We just managed to stay just in front of Ambush to the finish… it was a very satisfying sail all round.

Loro Piana must have enjoyed themselves as well – they have promised to be back again to sponsor the 2007 edition of this first class event.

For full results see: www.rhkyc.org.hk