Sawadee.com Regatta 2009, Samui
AY Race Report 4

History in the making, around Samui...
05 June 09: Despite some skeptics making dire predictions about holding the round the island race, the race organisers decided to go ahead anyway. The slower boats in the Premier and Multihull classes took the option of starting early and the bulk of the fleet got away at the scheduled 10:00am starting sequence. The Sportsboats and the Bareboat Charter classes were sent on the northerly course between Samui and Koh Pangan and back. Unfortunately the 20 knots of wind that we experienced over the first few days of racing has deserted us and racing got underway in 8 to 10 knots, with the hope that more is on the way. By the time the yachts passed between Ko Katen and the Southern end of Samui the breeze turned into a few zephyrs on the water and the yachts were observed ghosting haplessly up the West coast. Gray clouds built up over the mainland and around 1500hrs the storm descended on Samui, which gave the yachts a little reprieve but unfortunately was short lived. The leading yachts made it around to the North coast and PRO Ross Chisholm made the call to shorten the Multihull's at Hin Kong Noi on the North West tip of Samui.

To make matters worse a strong North Westerly current made it difficult for the remaining classes to reach the shortened course mark laid off Ko Kong Ok. As the Sportsboats and Bareboat Charter classes failed to reach the shortened finish line within the time limit the recorded times taken at the previous mark were used to calculate their results. As the Racing Class were within stones throw of the shortened finish line, PRO Ross Chisholm announced on the radio that the race was being abandoned for them and the Premier Cruisers. This has given cause for consternation as apparently there was still an hour and a half to run before the cut off time and some skippers were busy filling out protest forms when they finally arrived back at the beach.

In the IRC/Sportsboat class Jeff Davison's Mumm 30 Panic was awarded first place after times were taken back at the previous rounding mark. Ken Eyears Oracle 32 Waka Tere ended up in second place and Mick Grover's Elliot 7 Moonshadow jumped up into third place. This result advances Panic to hold a two point lead in the overall stakes with one race day remaining. Ken Eyears has lodged a protest as the crew of Waka Tere dispute the finishing times.

In the Bareboat Charter Class the irrepressible Aussie's led by Andrew Short's Oceanis 461 Constanza added a further win to their tally, putting them in an unbeatable position for overall victory. Recovering from two retirements Howard Blowes Sunsail 43 Milliebella made up for it with second place. Third place for Hong Kong's Chin Yew Seah on the Sunsail 39 Bussakorn gives them a solid second place overall.

Although the Fergus Wilmer/Henry Kaye's Seacart 30 Thor was the first to breast the shortened finish line, it was Radab Kanjanavanit's F9-A Cedar Swan that came out on top after handicaps were applied. Second place for Peter Dyer's Firefly 850 SEA Property has them tied on ten points for second overall with Cedar Swan going into the final day. After two retirements Kirati Assahul's Crowther 43 Bandara Sonic came good with a third place. By finishing fourth today the Fergus Wilmer/Henry Kaye's Seacart 30 Thor has lost ground in the pointscore and holds a slim one point lead from the tied SEA Property and Cedar Swan. Which makes this class still open for the taking.

The lack of wind may have turned the first ever race around the island into a bit of a farce but full marks must go to the race committee for attempting it and perhaps they will have better luck next time. As the boats were late arriving back at the beach it was left up to the media team to make a concentrated effort to finish the margarita's and food at the Tavern Bar. Other highlights today included free shoulder and back massages by Magnolia's Spa on the beach. Yes you got it right the media are doing it really tough here but still have time to enjoy some of the pleasures that tropical islands offer.

Tomorrow is the final day of racing and weather permitting the Race Director Simon James has stated that they will attempt to conduct two races to make up for today's disappointment.

Interactive Sawadee.com Regatta website at: http://www.samuiregatta.com/

Online 2009 Sawadee.com Regatta Samui - AY Race Reports with photos can be accessed from:
Race Report 5 & Summary: http://asianyachting.com/news/Samui09/5.htm
Race Report 3: http://asianyachting.com/news/Samui09/3.htm
Race Report 2: http://asianyachting.com/news/Samui09/2.htm
Race Report 1: http://asianyachting.com/news/Samui09/1.htm
Pre-Race Report: http://asianyachting.com/news/Samui09/0.htm

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