Phuket King's Cup 2022 - Opening Night
by Phuket King's Cup Regatta media 4 Dec 2022 09:02 PST
3-10 December 2022
Phuket King's Cup. The organisers welcome you back. Rear Admiral Suchart Thampitakvej, Deputy Chief of Staff Third Naval Area Command of Thailand; Nithipat Thansrikiat, Vice President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta; Admiral Arak Kaewaium, President of Y © Phuket KIng's Cup media
The 34th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is ready to set sail and welcome sailors from all over the globe, including at home in Thailand, to join in a regatta in the pleasant azure waters of the Andaman Sea off Phuket, Thailand. It’s time to bring yacht racing back to Thailand, and also to enhance Phuket as a destination for family holidays and adventure sports!
Kevin Whitcraft, President of the 34th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee, said, “We are delighted to be putting the King’s Cup “back on the map” after an enforced two-year hiatus. The 34th Edition is ready to welcome all international and Thai yacht racing sailors in keelboat, multihull, and dinghy racing divisions. It is indeed special to compete in this warm weather water, surrounded by the beautiful Andaman Sea and the scenic beauty of Phuket.
“We want to make the King's Cup a bucket list sailing event for boat owners, globally. It is a family-friendly event in which adults can race yachts while their kids race dinghies. The Phuket King’s Cup has long established itself as one of the most spectacular and best-organised events in the region. The diversity of the boats, the international complement of crews, and the fabulous après sail beach parties, have made the Phuket King’s Cup known all over the world. We are very proud of our contribution to Phuket, to Thailand, and to the sport of sailing.”
Mr. Arnupab Rodkwan Yodrabam, Deputy Governor of Phuket, said "Renowned as the Pearl of Andaman, Phuket is ready to welcome all visitors to enjoy our beautiful natural resources, variety of pristine white sand beaches, the island's heritage, a variety of culinary delights, and warm hospitality. The whole week of this premier Asian regatta will enhance Phuket’s sport tourism, including sailing. On behalf of the people of Phuket, we wish all the best for all international and local sailing teams participating in this year’s Phuket King’s Cup.”
Under Royal Patronage, the Phuket King's Cup is organized by the Phuket King's Cup Organizing Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket. The event includes international dinghy classes, keelboats, and multihulls. The Royal Awards Ceremony will be held on 10 December 2022 at Beyond Resort Kata, Kata Beach, Phuket.
The Phuket King’s Cup consists of five days of racing on scenic courses amidst the beautiful Andaman Sea islands. Following two years of no regatta due to the Covid pandemic, the Phuket King’s Cup is glad to be back with a strong showing of 177 dinghies from nine countries to participate in the international dinghy classes. A key event on the Phuket tourism calendar, the regatta has long helped to promote Phuket as a premier sports paradise on the world stage. It has boosted sailing as a sport in Thailand, allowing young Thai sailors to develop their sailing skills in dinghies and go on to join international keelboat crews competing for class honours.
Besides attracting some of the world’s top independent racing teams, the Phuket King’s Cup draws corporate and international brands keen to grow their presence on a cosmopolitan platform. It also offers premier networking opportunities at the party venues each night, following the conclusion of the day’s racing.
Keelboats and multihulls will compete 5-10 December, with 8 December reserved as a lay day for competitors to adjust their strategies or fix their boats.
The International Dinghy Classes will race 3-6 December at Kata Beach. Classes are divided into Optimist Boys, Optimist Girls, Open ILCA4, ILCA6, ILCA 7, 420, 470, and Open Skiff.
Arnupap Rodkwan Yodrabam, Vice-Governor of Phuket, said “we are pleased to welcome all sailors, their teams, and their families once again to the Phuket King’s Cup. We are proud to have been home to this prestigious sailing event for over three decades. The Phuket King’s Cup enhances Phuket’s sport and marine tourism, and definitely contributes to boosting the local economy. Phuket, ranked as one of the best places to visit and the No. 1 island in Southeast Asia, provides a diverse range of water sports for all visitors, including sailing, where all sailors can enjoy balmy weather conditions all year, pristine white sand beaches, the island's rich heritage, a variety of culinary delights, and warm hospitality. On behalf of the people of Phuket, we wish all the best for all international and local sailing teams participating in this year’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta.”
Koravic Bhanubandh Na Ayudhaya, Commodore 0f the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, said “The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta has been a leading regatta in Asia for over 30 years. For the 34th event, the Royal Varuna Yacht Club aims to strengthen the foundation of sailing sports in the country, by increasingly promoting its dinghy races. The objective is to position the PKCR’s International Dinghy Class as one of the biggest dinghy races in the region. Especially, Phuket provides the best conditions for dinghy practices and races almost all year round. This initiative will help enable more Thai dinghy athletes to step up to compete in world-class arenas and sustainably developing the Thailand’s sailing sports in the future.”
Mr. Pramookpisitt Achariyacha, Kata Group Resorts Founder and President, said “First and foremost, I would like to give everyone a very warm welcome to Phuket and the Beyond Resort Kata, the venue of one of Asia’s most prestigious sailing events, the 34th Phuket Kings Cup. It is very refreshing to see everyone today, good friends and colleagues, and to see that the Phuket King’s Cup is back after the pandemic. Together, we have withstood tough challenges, and together we can work towards building what was damaged, so that all of us including the next generation can continue to live a life full of hope and bliss. Having this regatta is a good opportunity to ensure people remain together and united through Sporting Events and Tourism. I finally would like to show my appreciation to all of you for being here and taking the next steps to re-build our world. Thank you and I wish you all a fun and successful Regatta.”
Sponsors of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta include Kata Group, RMA Group, Haad Thip PCL. and Workforce International.
For more information and results, please visit www.kingscup.com