Four in a row for Team Hollywood
Ray Roberts’ Team Hollywood was the toast of the town last weekend as they won the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta for the fourth successive year.
Competing in the IRC Zero class, the TP52 Hollywood heroes came in ahead of second-placed THA 72, James and Kate Murray’s Callisto in third and Steve McConaghy’s Aftershock Syndicate, a Davidson 55, in fourth.
The TP52 THA 72 won both races on Saturday’s (Dec 9) final day of racing in the 11race series, made all the more remarkable as Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana was one of the crew on deck, demonstrating her very capable sailing skills throughout.
In other racing categories, Ithinai Yingsiri’s Thai vessel Pine Pacific, an X-Yacht 55, won the Premier class after triumphing in all seven races, with Peter Cremers’ Shatoosh, a Warwick 75, finishing in second.
Hans Rahmann’s JV 72 custom-built Yasooda chances were hurt with a ‘Did Not Finish’ (DNF) in race three, meaning they had to settle for third overall. Bernard Huybens’ Aphrodite, a Vitters 92, was fourth in the class and did not sail on the final day.
Nick Burns’ Witchcraft, edged out Rolf Heemskerk’s The Next Factor in the sevenboat IRC One class, just as it did two weeks ago at the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta.
Witchcraft won seven of the ten races sailed in this class, with Craig Douglas’ and
Gordon Kettleby’s Ramrod finishing third and Craig Nichols’ Alright edging out Susurnu Kurose’s Char Chan by one point to take fourth spot.
Robert Carr and Sandy Farquharson’s Aquarii was hurt by a ‘Did Not Start’ (DNS) in race eight and had to settle for sixth overall, while Clayton Craigie’s Anjo had a challenging regatta with four DNFs and one DNS and finished last in the class.
TIGHTEST CLASS Elsewhere, the six-boat Bareboat Charter Class saw Dean
Peng’s and Tiffany Khoo’s Gragonborn win five of the seven races sailed, with Mike Downard’s Piccolo narrowly edging out Toshihiko Iijima’s Hippocrates by one point to take second.
Moonshine, featuring the ASA Sailing Dream Asia, was fourth while Team Hayato took fifth in the class, with Alan Anderson’s Judy not starting the last three races and thus being relegated to sixth position.
The five-boat Monohull Cruising class was the tightest class going into the final day with three boats tied with nine points. But when it was all sailed and done, Philippe Dallee’s Swan II edged out Steve Maine’s Enavigo by two points and Jianhao Yang’s Isabella by three points, the latter disqualified in the third race for carrying an anchor on the bow. Thomas Veltin’s Brisk was fourth with Mo Yiwei’s Sumalee fifth.
The two-boat Multihull Racing class saw Dan Fidock’s Parabellum zip around the course to win seven of the nine races sailed. John Newnham’s Kata Rocks 2, aka Twin Sharks, was the only other boat competing in this class.
Andrew McDermott’s Trident won all five races in the Multihull Cruising class after having to sit out day one because of a demasting. Frank Kastelein’s Team No Escape (Pooichat) was the only other yacht competing in this class.
ROYAL AWARDS The Regatta’s International Dinghy Classes this year competed in a three-day competition divided into four classes: Monohull Dinghy Handicap (12 boats); ILCA 4 (15 boats); Open Skiff (17 boats); and Optimist (79 boats).
The overall Optimist winner was Patcharaphan Ongkaloy, continuing on her gold-medal performance from the Southeast Asian Games. Fellow Thais Pailin Jaroenpon and Karit Phrammanee finished in second and third respectively.
The Open Skiff class was won by India’s Anandi Chandavarkar, with Thailand’s Dom Kaewpradab second and India’s Ayaan Nath third.
The ILCA4 class was swept by Thailand with Nanvatorn Supaamphonwit capturing top spot, Ton Rattana finishing second and Thanaphat Sirichaoren placing third.
The Monohull Dinghy Class (Handicap) was won by Claudia Nazarov with Voravong Racharattanaruk coming in second and Morten Jakobsen in third.
The official awards ceremony on Saturday evening carried an extra air of importance as Queen Suthida, fresh from her successful exploits on the water earlier in the day, presided over proceedings.
Her Majesty betsowed royal awards to winners in the Keelboat and Multihulls classes and the International Dinghy classes in a ceremony held at the Beyond Kata Resort.