China Coast Regatta 2025 - Hong Kong's Premier Big Boat Spectacle
by Vivian Ngan 9 Oct 16:51 AEDT
10-12 October 2025
Volvo China Coast Regatta 2024 - Day 3 © RHKYC / Guy Nowell
The China Coast Regatta, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s premier big boat event since 1993, is scheduled to take place from 10 to 12 October. With 33 top-tier boats on the start line, expect thrilling action and tactical battles across the southern waters of Hong Kong. This year’s regatta promises another unforgettable experience for sailors, with epic conditions forecast over three days of racing. Competition will be fierce across all six divisions: IRC 0, IRC 1, IRC 2, IRC 3, IRC Premier, and PHS, each featuring a diverse and competitive fleet ready to fight for top honours.
In IRC Division 0, the competition is set to be intense with a standout fleet featuring three TP52s: Sam Chan’s FreeFire, Noel Chan’s Rampage88, and Nie Hua’s Happy Go. These high-performance racers will be joined by two formidable Fast 40+ contenders—William Liu’s Ker 42 Custom Seawolf and Bo Wu / Lu Xiaoguang’s Ker 46+ Unicorn—adding depth and diversity to this division.
IRC Racer 1 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in this year’s regatta. Leading the charge is top contender Nick Burns’ King 40 Witchcraft, going head-to-head with some of Hong Kong’s most active and accomplished big boat racers. The fleet includes Dennis Chien’s Mat 1245 Arcturus+, Nicolas Cohen-Addad’s J122e Jinn, Glenn Smith’s Grand Soleil 44 Wild Card, James Ford’s A40 RC Ocean's Five, James Verner and Sean Taylor’s Judel Vrolijk Custom 36 Nightshift, and Henning Mueller’s Sunfast 3600 Zesst. With a mix of proven performance and tactical depth, this division promises close racing and dramatic finishes.
IRC Racer 2 showcases a dynamic fleet of five Cape 31s, promising fast-paced and closely contested racing. Defending champion Noel Chan returns with Rampage38, ready to defend his title against a strong line-up that includes Denis Martinet and Andrew Taylor’s Capitano, David Kong’s Out of Africa, Randy Yeung’s Tai Chi, and Kelvin Woo’s H30. With evenly matched boats and skilled crews, this division is set to deliver some of the most exciting action on the course.
IRC Racer 3 is expected to be another tightly contested division, featuring three strong teams. Returning to defend his title is Nick Southward with his J-109 Admiralty Harbour Whiskey Jack. He’ll be joined by Andrew Pidden’s J-99 Juice and Rita Yau’s A35 Dexter II, both bringing solid crew work and competitive edge to the fleet.
This year’s IRC Premier Class features a diverse mix of performance cruisers, including Carl Wilkinson’s Lisa Elaine, Thomas Wong’s DBX2, Tom Attenborough’s Parnassus, and Franco Cutrupia’s Fenice. These yachts bring a blend of elegance and competitive spirit to the regatta.
The Performance Handicap System (PHS) division—using a rating system similar to golf handicaps—will be the largest fleet this year, with nine entries. The line-up includes Eddy Lee’s Generations, Sunny Leung’s Jibulai, Chris Li’s Kiasu, Raymond Wu’s Tornado, Bradly Wilkins’ Blowers Daughter, Dean Chisholm’s Darling, Terrence So’s Doris, Johnson Yuen‘s Zoe, and Yiu Kwai Szeto’s Grand Soleil 50 Glory, making her debut at the China Coast Regatta. With a wide range of boat designs and crew experience, the PHS division is set to deliver exciting racing.
The IRC Racer divisions and IRC Premier will compete from 10 to 12 October, while the PHS Class will race on 11 and 12 October. Sailors will test their skills across a variety of windward/leeward and island courses on the waters to the southeast of Hong Kong Island.
Keep up with the latest news on the China Coast Race Week visit: www.chinacoastraceweek.com/news
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