King’s Cup Regatta enters decisive final day
>> PHUKET: The penultimate day of the 29th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta yesterday had a delayed start time due to light winds.
The titles in several classes will be decided in the final races today including the IRC Zero, IRC One and Firefly.
In the IRC Zero, Windsikher II, Team Premier Oi!, Alive and Jelik will be vying for the top honour.
In the IRC One, Rerefine, EFG Mandrake III and GP42 will battle it out on the final day.
The IRC Two title is likely to go to Japanese team Karasu skippered by Yasuo Nanamori or their close rivals Roland Dane’s Jessandra II.
Defending champions Pine Pacific retained the Premier Class crown after two victories yesterday.
The Performance Multihulls Class was won by Elizabeth Schoch, who has been in exceptional form throughout the regatta.
In the Firefly 850 Sports Class, John Newnham and Twin Sharks are ahead of their rivals going into today’s final races.
In Hobart, a 54-year-old British sailor sustained broken ribs and a head cut after a Clipper Round the World yacht race entry was hit by a breaking wave in the Southern Ocean.
Race officials said on Thursday that the 70-foot Northern Ireland entry Derry-Londonderry-Doire with injured sailor Michael Gaskin aboard was diverted to Tasmania.
Gaskin was injured in rough seas approximately 130 nautical miles southwest of Tasmania. Team medics administered first aid.
Once Gaskin is transferred to a hospital, the yacht will continue the race.