RHKYC China Coast Regatta 2022

by RHKYC Media 11 Oct 2022 23:44 PDT 14-16 October 2022

China Coast Regatta 2021 © RHKYC/ Guy Nowell

With just two days to go, Hong Kong sailors are gearing up for the first major Big Boat event of the season - the China Coast Regatta. Taking place 14-16 October, 29 boats will cross the start line to compete in what is anticipated to be three days of the very best sailing conditions that Hong Kong has to offer. 2022 marks the 30th edition of the China Coast Regatta. Based out of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s Middle Island base, sailors will compete in a variety of windward/leeward, geometric and island courses in the waters south and east of Hong Kong Island. The scorching summer is pretty much over, with daytime temperatures down in the 20s. The northeast monsoon has pretty much replaced the ocean trades coming up from Vietnam.

The event was launched in 1993 as the China Coast Cup, designed by Steve Ellis to be a replacement for the China Sea Series, which had been broken when the China Sea Race moved to Easter. The China Coast Cup became the Corum Cup, and then the China Coast Regatta, which would go on to be held annually during the month of October, an ideal time of year for sailing in Hong Kong due to the onset of the northeast winter monsoon. Ellis planned this event with the intention that it become part of the Asian Circuit, along with the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, the Phuket King’s Cup, and the Singapore Straits Regatta.

The strong 29-boat-fleet range from a 56 foot Bavaria to 31 foot MC31, competing across five divisions: IRC Racer 0,1, 2, 3, and HKPN. The IRC Racer 0 division includes four TP52s: Shawn Kang’s Alpha+, Sam Chan’s FreeFire, Noel Chan’s Rampage 88, Robert Wiest / Victor Kuk / David Ho’s Phoenix, and Marcel Leidts’ Ker 46 Zannekin.

China Coast Regatta 2021 - photo © RHKYC/ Guy Nowell

Racer 1 this year includes an impressive variety of lightweight new yachts: 2021 division winner Drew Taylor will be defending the title with the newly launched Cape 31 Capitano, which made the journey to Hong Kong just in time to compete against strong local contenders - Glenn Smith’s Grand Soleil 44 Wild Card, Eddy Lee’s full carbon Neo Roma 430 Next and Dennis Chien’s Mat 1245 Arcturus+.

Many eyes will be on Stephen Jones / James Verner’s Nightshift that took second place in IRC 2 last year, racing against Kelvin Au Yeung’s Rampage, Nicolas Cohen-Addad’s Jinn, Carey Jack’s Juggerknot, and Carl Law’s venerable Beneteau 40.7 Victoria.

IRC Racer 3 consists of three strong teams including Dexter II (A35) helmed by the sole female skipper Meihan Cheung, and Admiralty Harbour Whiskey Jack (J/109) and Juice (J/99) battling it out for the honours.

Eight entries from HKPN class will join the weekend action, including many familiar names from recent editions of the regatta such as Carbon 3, Blowers Daughter, Jibulai, Scintilla and Lisa Elaine participating in the action.