Regatta ends with memories of late King
Navy win a fitting tribute at anniversary event
>> PHUKET: Yesterday’s final day of the 2016 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta concluded the international sailing competition in a sincere expression of love and respect for His Majesty the King and his late father King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The 30th anniversary of the tournament, under the theme ‘A Heritage of Passion’, gave sailors a chance to look back on the long history of successes for the King’s Cup.
It also spoke of the future direction of the regatta, with a strong focus on the development of youth sailing and greater connectivity to new and growing sailing markets around the world.
The regatta has a very bright future, according to the Phuket King’s Cup organising committee.
All classes ran just one race yesterday due to light wind conditions in the morning.
Wiwat Poonpat and his Royal Thai Navy 1 won the Platu One Design class, having come first in all seven races.
The Royal Thai Navy team performance was particularly poignant given the fact that the 30th anniversary Phuket King’s Cup Regatta was dedicated to King Bhumibol who passed away in October.
The Royal Thai Navy team are an inspiration for all Thai people, who will take great pride in this magnificent achievement.
Kevin Whitcraft and his THA72 only had Ray Roberts’ boat to battle with. THA72 finished six minutes ahead yesterday and won the IRC Zero title.
Japanese team Yasuo Nanamori’s Karasu took the IRC One title.
April Jorgensen’s IRC Two team, Judy, performed very well and deserved their victory.
In the Premier Class, Ithinai Yingsiri and King’s Cup regulars PinePacific won after a week of solid first and second place performances.
Elsewhere, the Pulse 600 Racing class was won by Neil Ayre, skipper for Java Racing; the Multihull Racing class was won by Andrew Hurford (Phantom V); and Kimiya Shimizu skippering Ying Yang won the Multihull Cruising class.
In the Open Charter, Vladimir Oleynikov and team Popeye were victors, while compatriots on Snapdragon skippered by Igor Ginzburg won the Bareboat Charter A.
In the Cruising, Jianquan Tong and Asia Pacific Atom were champions.
LEGEND ELVSTROM DIES
Denmark’s Paul Elvstrom, winner of four Olympic gold medals between 1948 and 1960 and 13 world championships, has died at the age of 88, his family said on Friday.
Elvstrom, who was named the Danish sportsman of the century in 1996, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday in his home north of Copenhagen, his family said in a statement sent to Danish media.
Britain’s Ben Ainslie, who in 2012 became the first sailor to match Elvstrom’s Olympic feat of four consecutive gold medals, wrote on Twitter that he was saddened by Elvstrom’s death and that the Dane “was an inspiration to pretty much anyone who stepped foot on a sailing boat.”