10th Singapore Straits Regatta 2004

The 10th Singapore Straits Regatta (14 -18 January) organising committee have advised that all the racing will take place off Singapore's eastern freeboard between the Changi Sailing Club and Nongsa Point Marina in Batam, Indonesia.

Most of the regions top racing boats will be there and a Premier Cruising Class has been included for the large cruiser / racers. More info and results can be found on the website: http://www.straitsregatta.com

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Photo of the Year - SSR 2003
by Ho Shu Fen (RSYC)

A Day on Hollywood Boulevard

Race 1 - SSR 2003
After deciding to change the ways of reporting at regatta's to include onboard reporting, fellow Aussie Ray Roberts kindly invited yours truly to join his star studded crew on the 1 million $$Aust plus Hollywood Boulevard for the passage race from Changi Sailing Club in Singapore to Nongsa Point Marina in Batam, Indonesia. Hollywood Boulevard is one of the latest Farr 52 one design, out and out racing yachts built by DK Yachts completely from carbon fibre in neighboring Malaysia that Ray has successfully campaigned in Australia including the famous 2002 Sydney - Hobart Race. Returning to his favorite sailing grounds for the 2003/04 Asian Yachting Grand Prix season to take on the other top class yachts and serious racing sailors that gather in the Asian region each year.

Up to 15 crew is needed on such a high powered racing yacht which requires a dedicated team of specialized sailors working in harmony with the weather conditions around the course to succeed. There are sail trimmers and bowmen working with the helmsmen plus a navigator and tactician that co-ordinate and orchestrate the activities throughout the race, where one mistake could loose valuable minutes that can never be made up.

After a quick preparation period on the way to the start line the new Quantum mainsail was hoisted and assessed by sailmaker Bruce Anson, then navigator Richard Grimes (nicknamed L. B.) gave a course briefing followed by skipper Ray Roberts (Razor or Hollywood) on the helm introducing the new comers like myself (Capt Marty) and Sir Steve Corrigan (Nig-Nog) plus instructed the crew on taking a healthy and coordinated attitude during the race. Jamie Wilmot (Sparrow) one of Australia's former Olympic champions having the dubious role of tactician then took over calling the shots and following discussions with the sail trimmers on sail choice conducted some pre-start testing maneuvers on the short windward beat. The visitors were given tasks to suite their capabilities and mixed in with the specialized crew.

The start is usually a study of time and distance with tacticians picking the favored end and helms trying to place the yacht in clear air and accelerating across the line as the gun goes. This is not as easy as it sounds amongst a fleet of various sized yachts traveling at different speeds all with the same game plan. Getting a good start is crucial as only a few seconds could separate the yachts at the finish after handicaps have been applied. Having chosen to start at the favored pin end of the line and dodging Chris Gee's smaller Mata Hari, Ray placed Hollywood Boulevard in a advantageous position to cover Ray Ordovesa's Claridan-Karakoa (last years SSR winner) which the after guard considered to be there main rival in the gusty 12 to 18 knot NE conditions.

The short windward leg was spent trimming the sails to reach the target boat speed with the crew hiking out on the high side and Cameron Percival (Cam) precisely calling the wind gusts and lulls as they approached the boat for Ray on the helm to react too. This combination proved successful and after 1 tack Hollywood Boulevard rounded the top mark in 1st pace with Karakoa hot on our heels. Bowman Aaron Linton (Azza) with the mast crew led by James Judd (Juddy) and Larry Dean (Lazza) operating the pit keyboards swung into action setting up the big masthead spinnaker for a short downwind leg, followed by a peel to the asymmetric reaching spinnaker then eventually returning to the headsail and setting up a inner stay sail all in the space off about 15 minutes, to spearhead the boat across the eastern shipping channel and out into the open straits.

Trimming the huge spinnakers was left to Simon Fisher (Sifi) who held a similar position on GBR Challenge during the recent America's Cup which requires close communication with the helmsman, accurate wind strength calls from the rail and a team of grinders on the pumps to turn the winches for the trimmers. This task was ably shared between Bryce Rasmussen (Old bull), Bryce Ruthenberg (Young bull) and by fellow AsianYachting director Arrifin (Fin) who, over the years has steadily climbed the ranks to make him Malaysia’s highest decorated sailor that commands a regular crewing position onboard the top racing yachts competing in Asia.

The NE breeze increased as the close hauled yachts picked their way between the fish trap markers along the Johore coast to round Stapa mark before setting off on a screaming 8 mile downwind reach across the main shipping channel to finish at the popular Indonesian tourist destination island of Batam. After several tacks on the windshifts and a little reprieve on the rail the crew went back to setting up the masthead kite which went up with clockwork efficiency and saw the yacht take off in the choppy following swells. As the breeze moved forward the bowman and his assistant George Miguel (Chip) from the Philippines peeled to a asymmetric reaching spinnaker, the yacht loaded up as she was driven forward mercilessly by the crew at 15 knots, the creaks and groans from the carbon hull and rig are frightening to a newcomer that may not be familiar with these high teck materials.

After taking line honours and finishing just shy of 5 minutes in front of Claridan-Karakoa, after handicaps are applied Hollywood Boulevard was relegated to 3rd overall and over 9 minutes behind Karakoa the winner of Race 1 with Neil Pryde's Hi-Fidelity slotting into second place. At the after race debriefing a few tactical decisions were identified and as winning requires making the least mistakes the crew vowed to rectify these problems as they face up to 5 demanding windward/leeward races over the next 2 days.

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10th Singapore Straits Regatta 2004 - Summary

A fleet of 31 yachts from 8 countries and over three hundred crew members battled it out over five days around Singapore and Batam, Indonesia for the honour of becoming the 2004 Singapore Straits Regatta champion. Conditions were superb as the expected North Easterly monsoon did not disappoint and regularly blew a steady 15 knots by race time with gusts increasing to 18 / 22 knots.

The stalwarts of the racing division in the region had gathered again, including Peter Ahern's Yo!, Ray Roberts Hollywood Boulevard, Neil Pryde's Hi-Fidelity, Fred Kinmonth's Stella Minter Ellison and Ray Ordoveza's last years SSR 2003 Champion Clariden Karakoa. The SSR is the fifth ***** five star event on the 2003/04 AsianYachting Grand Prix Rankings can be browsed at: http://asianyachting.com/news/Rankings0304.htm and the third event on the Omega Asian Yachting Circuit standing can be can be found at: http://www.asianyachtingcircuit.com

Right from the very beginning Ray Ordoveza from the Philippines fired a early warning shot at the other competitors with “Clariden Karakoa is well prepared for this regatta. I hand picked this crew and it’s a good blend of Filipino and International talent including Alan Andrews the yachts designer on the helm. There are some new faces on board but they stand on top of a very solid foundation of key crew members who travel to all the events".

This year the organising committee decided that all the racing will take place off Singapore's eastern freeboard with 2 passage races between the Changi Sailing Club and Nongsa Point Marina in Batam, Indonesia before returning to the Changi Sailing Club for the last day of racing action. Five windward /leeward races where planned on a new race area to the east of Nongsa Point Marina and the final race leads the yachts around Singapore’s last remaining untouched enclave of nature to circumnavigate Pulau Ubin. As a number of huge reclamation works are in progress on the islands foreshores no wonder yacht racing in Singapore waters is no easy task these days as reducing the size of the busy waterways down to restricted shipping lanes heard suggestions that all future keelboat racing may have to be held in Batam.

During the passage races the fleet had to negotiate one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and had strong flowing currents to contend with plus play dodge the huge cargo vessels plying some of the busiest waters found anywhere in the world. Size really does matter out there and the yachts in the regatta are under strict instructions to give way to ships they meet.

In race 1 Peter Ahern's Yo! had to take evasive action around a huge dredging ship "Queen of Holland" to finish a disappointing fifth and Neil Pryde's Hi-Fidelity was dwarfed in size as they disappeared between 2 enormous ships during race 7 on the way back to Changi.  

The five windward/leeward courses proved to be a severe test on crews and equipment as the short, sharp chop made for a bumpy ride. Yo’s spinnaker pole hit the forestay with dire consequences and a number of spinnaker drops ended with the crews dragging a wet sail over the rail after fishing it out from beneath the boat.

Neil Pryde's Omega sponsored spinnaker on Hi Fidelity that has rarely been suited to the conditions and remained in the bag for most of the time parted at the seams upon hoisting to provide the photographers with interesting shots. Yo! and Hi Fidelity where judged over the start line in race 7 and lost valuable time returning as the leaders continued on in the fresh breeze.

Each day saw superb conditions for sailing, the best ever in the event’s 10 year history with wind speeds consistently clocking 25 knots at their peak. After scoring a record seven straight wins to convincingly beat the best that Asian racing can muster Ray Ordoveza’s Filipino yacht Clariden Karakoa was crowned champion of the 10th Singapore Straits Regatta.

Ray Ordoveza explains “we really need wind speeds of over 13 knots if we are to beat the likes of Hollywood Boulevard and Hi Fidelity. The hull, the sails – everything – is built with this kind of wind in mind. So yes, we are fortunate to have had the right conditions – but my crew have been exceptional and we have not put a foot wrong”. A somewhat unusual second place in the final race of the regatta did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm as he collected the Singapore Straits Regatta Trophy and a limited edition Omega Seamaster Watch

Fred Kinmonth's Stella Minter Ellison from Hong Kong took second and in third Aussie Ray Roberts on Hollywood Boulevard.

The other divisions at the Singapore Straits Regatta saw Balancing Act, skippered by John Ramsden from Singapore winning Racing Division B which is aptly named as the boat precariously heals over most the time and goes to windward like a submarine whilst showing some incredible bursts of speed off the wind.

Daisy, skippered by UK’s Steven Walker finished first in Category E.

After sweeping all before him Filipino skipper Ray Ordoveza added 'We are very proud winners of this great regatta and it is even more precious to us as we have successfully defended our Title here against the best of Asian sailing. We’ve measured ourselves against the best and we have come out on top. Credit should go to our crew who have worked very hard and as a team. Sailing is a wonderful sport that combines so many skills, not least an ability to work together towards a single goal. We can return to the Philippines very proud of what we have done here in Singapore.'

At the close of the third event on the Omega Asian Yachting Circuit a look at the Championship Table shows that Australia’s Hollywood Boulevard remains at the top after her third place here. But now joining her is Hong Kong’s Stella Minter Ellison. The top of the table is still very close as the yachts will next head to the final event the China Sea Race from Hong Kong to the Philippines in April. After a quick calculation and discarding the worst result shows that Clariden Karakoa is in prime position, just ahead of Hollywood Boulevard. But very little separates the top four boats and any one of them could be raising the trophy in April

More info and results can be found on the website: http://www.straitsregatta.com

Guy Nowell reports that the Raja Muda Int Regatta, Kings Cup and SSR 2004 photos can be browsed online and searchable by boat name. Full resolution prints can be ordered directly from his website by going to: http://www.guynowell.com

 The current standings after five ***** five star events on the 2003/04 AsianYachting Grand Prix Rankings can be browsed at: http://asianyachting.com/news/Rankings0304.htm

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