Phuket King's Cup Regatta 2019 - Day 1
by Guy Nowell 2 Dec 2019 08:21 PST
2-7 December 2019
Windsikher. Phuket King's Cup 2019 © Guy Nowell / Phuket King's Cup
Weather-wise (read: photography-wise) it was a bit of a muted start to proceedings for the Phuket King's Cup Regatta 2019. In this part of the world we are regularly spoiled by blue skies and sunshine, and the combined divisions of the King's Cup fleet battling it out on the limpid waters of the Andaman Sea. So it's very churlish to complain; but hey, when the local residents say "You should have been here last week," a photographer has a reason to feel a bit miffed. Note to self: it doesn't always look like the brochure.
That doesn't make a scrap of difference to the racing, of course. Day 1 of Asia's premier big boat regatta was grey and a little unappetising as far as the camera was concerned, but there plenty enough breeze for racing, and the leading contenders for honours quickly laid down their markers for the series to come.
For the Racing divisions on Course Area A, it was windward-leewards all round, with the exception of the Premier Cruising boats who were sent off on two trips to Koh Kaeo Noi and back. After two races it was Shahtoosh (Peter Cremers) leading Antipodes (Geoff Hill) by just one point.
Five 52-footers in IRC 0 promised some good start line action, and did not disappoint. After two races that started in 8-10kts of breeze and ended in a rather lower bracket, Windsikher with newly-installed owner Nick Burns on the helm took both races on corrected time. The point at which the Premier Cruisers were rounding the windward mark to starboard at the same time the IRC 0 boats were rounding the same mark to port provided some interesting moments.
Alexey Mashkin (Megazip) has been here before, and so has Yasuo Nanamori (Karasu). The 'new' Karasu was formerly Scott Bradley's Emagine, and happily recorded 1, 2 to open the scoresheet, whilst Magazip's smart new paint job undoubtedly helped them to a 2, 1 result - or maybe it was the 'Go Go Megazip' cheerleaders? Either way, we are always happy to see a splash of colour on an otherwise grey day.
Multiple Fugazis on the race course is confusing, but Dan Fidock's latest 'Fugazi Racing' got the better of Gaetan Verhegge's 'Team Blood Red (Fugazi)' and ahead of Bonza (Mark Thornburrow) to lead the Multihull Racing division at the end of the first day.
Kata Rocks will be feeling pleased with their sponsorship programme: Kata Rocks Wuhan University EMBA Sailing Team was today's winner in Multihull Cruising, Kata Rocks Sea Escapes topped the podium in the Cruising class, and Kata Rocks Big Boys Sailing Team took out the day prize for IRC 2.
Tonight's prize-giving party was at the elegant Kata Thani Resort at Kata Noi beach and, just like last night, the heavens opened at absolutely the wrong moment. Never mind; there's plenty of indoor space at the Kata Thani, and the buffet dinner was well up to - and maybe beyond - the usual impeccable standard. Your scribe was joined on stage by John Doerr, Chairman of the Jury, and Al Chandler IJ to help hand out the just rewards. Really, if you want to shake hands with a couple of Jurors it is much better to do it whilst picking up a prize than in the Jury Room.
Side note: congratulations to John D on his appointment as Chairman of the Jury for the next Olympics. If you are expecting to compete in Enoshima next year, better to buy him a beer now.
They say that the weather will be better tomorrow; meaning more sunshine and more breeze. However, if someone tells you that it is going to be light and nasty, does that mean you stay in bed and give it away? Of course not. We all turn up at the appointed time, and take the cards that are dealt - sailors and photographers alike. See you on the water tomorrow. First warning signal: 08.55hrs.
Standing by on 72.
Results after Day 1:
IRC 0
1. Windsikher 1, 1 (2)
2. THA 72 3, 2 (5)
3. Team Hollywood 2, 3 (5)
IRC 1
1. Megazip 2, 1 (3)
2. Karasu 1, 2 (3)
3. Loco 3, 4 (7)
IRC 2
1. Big Boys Sailing team 1, 1 (2)
2. Over Here 2, 3 (5)
3. Highlead Encoragers 4, 2 (6)
Premier Cruising
1. Shahtoosh 1, 2 (3)
2. Antipodes 3, 1 (4)
3. Pine Pacific 2, 3 (5)
Multihull Racing
1. Fugazi 1, 1 (2)
2. Team Blood Red 3, 2 (5)
3. Bonza 2, 3 (5)
Multihull Cruising
1. Kata Rocks Wuhan University 2, 1 (3)
2. Klook Star Trek 1, 2 (3)
3. Alienkat 3, 3 (6)
Firefly 850
1. Twin Sharks 1, 1 (2)
2. Voodoo 2, 2 (4)
3. Ballerina 4, 3 (7)
IRC Cruising
1. Kata Rocks Sea Escapes 1, 1 (2)
2. Awatea 4, 2 (6)
3. Night Train 2, 4 (6)
Bareboat Charter A
1. Beiyi Fund Asia-Pac Sailing 4, 1 (5)
2. Megan 3, 2 (5)
3. Moonshine 1, 5 (6)
Bareboat Charter B
1. Hippocrates 1, 1 (2)
2. Inlova 2, 2 (4)
3. Iyarada 4, 3 (7)
Full results at www.kingscup.com