Team Hollywood capture IRC I honours
PHUKET: A healthy 16 knots of breeze brought to a close a hugely successful Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek yesterday.
In IRC I, Team Hollywood were the runaway winners. The TP52 benefitted from being the largest in the fleet but their crew work and sailing skills proved to be nearperfect and it showed as they finished the series unbeaten.
The four 40-footers behind Team Hollywood (AUS) were having their own race and just seconds separated them. In the end it was Aquarii (AUS) that raced an excellent second half of the regatta to claim second place overall ahead of David Dimmock’s Loco (SIN) in third.
Phoenix (DEN) dominated IRC II, adding two more wins to their tally and with that defend their title with an undefeated record. A superb performance on the last day from the all-female crew on Krabi Boat Lagoon Pinocchio (AUS) saw them tie Prime Factor (AUS) and on count-back the ladies secured second overall.
Cruising Class went down the wire. Beaux Esprits (AUS) lead from the beginning of the regatta but started to falter over the last two days. Despite two wins in the last two races, it wasn’t enough for Lady Bubbly (AUS) who had to settle for second, behind new champions Beaux Esprits. Third place went to Venture (AUS).
Fugazi (AUS) and Bladerunner IX (USA) battled it over the final two races on the last day. Tied at the start of the day the Multihull Racing class was open for either to win and it was the smaller Bladerunner IX that mastered yesterday’s conditions best to claim the class win. A consistent scorecard for Cosmo (AUS) meant they finished third.
Twin Sharks’ (GBR) six wins from eight races were enough for them to claim the Firefly 850 class title and become the event’s first ever six-time winners (2013-2018). Voodoo (GER) finished second overall ahead of Blue Noze (GBR).
A last day shoot-out saw Pixalux (AUS) tied with SuDu Red (AUS) at the top of the Pulse 600 standings. Pixalux, with more first-place finishes over the series, were crowned class winners.