22nd
Phuket King's Cup Regatta 2008
“Another AY Grand Prix Championship Event”
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22nd
Phuket King's Cup Regatta 2008
“Another AY Grand Prix Championship Event” |
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Goto the KC 08 Photo Gallery
The battle of the heavy weights in Premier Cruising is starting to unfold with the cream of the class rising to the top. Second and first places today added onto second yesterday has David Ross' Swan 53 Macquarie - Frangipani Girl taking the top position for the time being. Peter Cremers Shahtoosh scored a race 2 win and third in race 3 to slip into second overall. The Russians Somov Vyachteslav and Ermakov Ilya made their big move today on Ocean Agassy by scoring third and second places to jump up into third overall.
In the Sunsail One Design class Achim Griese's Dutch crew on Princess Anna posted their second win in as many races. Second place for Jakob Handte's German crew on Princess Isabella keeps the overall leaders in the same order. The only change from race 1 saw Nick Rose's British crew on Princess Christina take third place which elevates them to third overall on a count back from Jan Ruedel's German crew on Princess Arieta.
Watching the Firefly 850 Sport catamarans indulge in very intense racing and seriously close crosses is very entertaining for the spectators and hair raising for the crews. Designer Aussie Mark Pescott told the media at the press conference that the acceleration is quick but the slightest drop in pressure or sail trimming has resulted in the lead changing several times throughout the race. In the two races held today the wins where shared by Henry Kaye's Seahorse Interiors - Mamba and Roger Kingdon's Moto Inzi. Two second places for Peter Dyer's SEA Property sees them take the overall lead but things can change in an instant. Hans Rahmann's crew are on a steep learning curve on the newly acquired Voodo Child but hold third overall on their first outing. In the Ocean Rover Class Keitaro Kurihara's Japanese team on Magic Lady took one back from Krasnoperov Oleg's Russian team on Thalassa. Chapus Marc's USA team on Sailor Rest emerged in third place to give a shakeup to the overall standings.
More PKCR 2008 news and results can be found at: http://www.kingscup.com Online AY
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Building
an early advantage before the wind dies
As
there is very little difference in the racing class boats overall performance,
the slightest error can mean winning or loosing. When the horn went for
the start of Race 2 the call went over the radio that all yachts were
over the line except Jelik. By the time they peeled off and dipped
below the line to restart, the valuable minutes lost could not be recovered
and Frank Pong's Jelik went on to post first and fastest. Paul
Winkelmann's TP52 Island Fling helmed by Steve Benjamin did all
they could to catch Jelik but just could not make up the difference
and settled on second place. Being the smallest boat in the class Ray
Roberts DK 46 Quantum Racing may look as if they are trailing
the fleet but as they invariably sail up to their handicap, have a tendency
to displace the leaders when the results are announced. Thereby Quantum
Racing missed out on second place by six seconds and scraped into
third place by twenty five seconds from Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi-Fi.
After
abandoning Race 3 due to a mix up in laying the windward mark and some
boats thought to be materially prejudiced, PRO Tony Denham then proceeded
with two further races. Most the boats are using asymmetrical spinnakers
set of a bow sprit and have to carefully play the angles as they cover
further distances. Ray Roberts DK 46 Quantum Racing chooses to
use symmetrical spinnakers which allows them to run deeper and cover less
ground. As the wind decreased during the afternoon the pendulum swung
in Ray Roberts favour as they picked up two wins to lift them to the top
of the overall points table by the end of Day 2 of racing. Despite shortening
race 4 defending champion Frank Pong got Jelik across the line
to score second place and displace the early pacesetters down the table.
Second and third places for Neil Pryde's Hi-Fi has them tied
on points with Jelik and holding third overall.
The
Sportsboats welcomed the steadier and calmer conditions today. Scott Duncanson's
Phuket 8 Raimon Land The Heights has to keep the throttle open
all race to put enough distance between them and the lower rating Platu
25's. That's just what they did to win two races and head the points table.
Despite being almost a leg behind Japan's Kenchi Takahashi Platu 25 Motor
Net missed out on winning race 2 by 23 seconds and scored two second
places to keep them in the running in second overall. Two third places
for Ray Waldrons Phuket 8 Vino has them leap frogging some places
to hold third overall.
In
the IRC 1 class a familiar trend seems to be emerging. Matt Allen's Beneteau
First 44.7 Ichi Ban posted their third win in a row despite returning
to restart as they thought they were over the line in Race 2. Stacked
full of heavyweights from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia they carry
a wealth of experience and its almost a case of who is not onboard. Rob
Bottomley's bigger Beneteau First 47.7 Sailplane is on the pace
and scored two second places but will have to ratchet up a knot if they
are going to make inroads on Ichi Ban. Jeff Davison's Mumm 30
Panic made up for the disqualification in race 1 by posting two
third places and put themselves back in the running for a podium place.
The
damaged Royal Thai Navy 1 Farr MRX skippered by CPO.3 Wiwat Poonpat
was back on the water in a nick of time after dismasting in the practice
race. The Royal Thai Navy 2 Farr MRX sister ship skippered by
NC Pontap Sukudom continued on their winning ways by posting three wins
out of three races. Not wanting to be left behind Royal Thai Navy
1 put in a good performance to just miss beating their counterparts
by ten seconds in race 2 and fifteen seconds in race 3 to clamber back
into overall contention. After retiring yesterday Peter Dyer's Madame
Butterfly also bounced back into contention by scoring two third
places today and looking at getting back amongst the Navy boats when the
weather lightens up.
Jan
Kisteit's Bavaria 34 cruiser Little Eva once again came out on
top in the Bareboat Charter Class. The event wine sponsor Montclair
skippered by Daniel Schwalb came good to take second place and jump up
in the standings to third place. Toru Inoue's Japanese team on TAG
stayed in the running with third today but will have to go all out if
they are to beat Little Eva.
Neil
Ayre's brand new Cosair C28R HotelTravel.com Shanghai Baby came
to the fore today, reaping the benefits of multihull sailing experience
under their belts. Second place for Radab Kanjanavanit's twenty year old
Farrier - 9A design SEAMICO Cedar Swan is a credit to the builder
and shows how an older boat with experienced hands onboard can still remain
competitive with the newer fiberglass models. Go to the top of the class.
David Liddell's Miss Saigon sailed into third place and lifts
their hopes for better things to come.
James
Stoll's grande old dame Argo did it again to record two wins
in as many races in the Classic class. Paul Brunning's Dondang Sarang
jumped up into second place and Kiwi Roger Folley's Herreshoff schooner
Tradition maintained their consistent performance to score two
third places in a row.
