San Fernando Race 2011 - Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club daily Race Reports & Photo Images

San Fernando Race 2011
Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

FreeFire takes Line Honours & Red Kite II Handicap win
23 April 2011: In the early hours of this morning, after nearly 62 hours of racing, Sam Chan’s TP52, FreeFire crossed the finish line in San Fernando to take Line Honours in the 2011 San Fernando Race, organised by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and run under the auspices of RORC. Having faced the full range of South China Sea racing conditions, skipper Ian Walker of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing was happy with the team’s performance; “it was a race of two halves, upwind and very lumpy to start with, which was tough on the crew as I had them on the rail all the time. The second half was sailed in much easier conditions and overall the race was a very productive and useful experience for ADOR.” FreeFire was under constant pressure, giving time to Geoff Hill’s TP52 Strewth, which was never more than 10nm behind. Strewth finished 75 minutes after FreeFire, and 50 minutes adrift on corrected time, with Hill enthusing that “It was classic ‘San Fernando Race’, ideal for the TP52’s apart from parking up for six hours. The first night was very bumpy with confused seas and blowing 20-25 knots, but last night was great offshore sailing, spinnaker reaching under a red moon. The boat performed really well, we’re using this as a qualifier for the ‘Hobart.” As the TP52 crews unwind in San Fernando, the rest of the fleet is making good progress, however only Anthony Root’s Archambault 35, Red Kite II, looks to have a realistic shot of taking IRC Overall from FreeFire’s grasp. As Red Kite II finished well before the 2156hrs cut off time they have repeated their 2009 achievement of 1st IRC Overall.

Provisional results at: http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/sanfernandorace/results2011.htm

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San Fernando Race 2011
Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

FreeFire and Strewth pick up speed after a slow day on the water
22 April 2011: A frustrating day for the 2011 San Fernando fleet, with very little wind on offer, exacerbated by a 180 degree wind shift midday. Dr Y K Szeto’s Cutting Edge had the best 10 hours, covering 38nm, while FreeFire and Strewth continue to lead the fleet, both progressing 27nm in 10 hours. The evening breeze has just kicked in to offer some relief and, if it holds, Line Honours could be decided as early as 0230hrs on Saturday 23 April. Trying to predict which competitor is ‘doing the business’ on corrected time is well nigh impossible, as the race will be decided by whether or not boats get caught out by the “Luzon hole” over the next 24 hours.

EFG Bank Mandrake and Red Kite II have worked hard all day to keep moving, and now seem to have caught some breeze, while Moonblue 2 and Xena in IRC Premier Cruising are on the move again. Akuna and Vega are marshalling the fleet, while a number of boats have made a dramatic gybe back towards the rhum line in an effort to improve boat speed. Trilogy HK has retired (citing lack of wind and lack of time) and is heading back to Hong Kong, while Soko appears to be motoring.

All the competitors are fitted with a Yellowbrick tracking device, and race fans can watch the action unfold online at http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/sanfernandorace/tracking.htm

All the 2010-11 AY News, Views and Race Reports can be found Here...

San Fernando Race 2011
Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

FreeFire hangs on to lead
21 April 2011: Xena, Strewth and EFG Mandrake are currently the boats giving FreeFire a run for her money in the 2011 San Fernando Race, but, run under the auspices of RORC, this 480nm Category 1 Offshore has proved time and time again that the race is won or lost in the final 20nm. With conditions in the South China Sea softening to 12knots, Sam Chan’s TP52 FreeFire has maintained her on-the-water lead in and is hanging on to the (slight) chance of an IRC victory on corrected time. It seems unlikely that there will be any new race records set this year. Xena has now dropped down to the rhum line, and only Sunshine is persisting with a northerly course, while Redeye continues to perform well following “route 1”. Trilogy HK is around 26nm shy of the rear of the fleet, representing HKPN, but could easily catch up if the front-runners park up off Luzon.

All the competitors are fitted with a Yellowbrick tracking device, and race fans can watch the action unfold online at http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/sanfernandorace/tracking.htm

All the 2010-11 AY News, Views and Race Reports can be found Here...

San Fernando Race 2011
Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

RHKYC - San Fernando Race gets underway
20 April 2011 Organised by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and run under the auspices of RORC, the 480nm Category 1 San Fernando Race started in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour today. RHKYC was delighted to welcome Hong Kong Director of Marine, Roger Tupper, on board the committee boat to fire the 1220hrs start gun in front of RHKYC’s Kellett Island Clubhouse, sending the fleet on their way to San Fernando in the Philippines. EFG Mandrake was quick off the line, making the most of her on-board Harbour knowledge, however by Lei Yue Mun gap, the Mills 40 had been overhauled by TP52’s FreeFire and Strewth from the IRC racing division, and Moonblue 2 and Xena from IRC Premier Cruising. The 10 to 12 knot due easterly that had been recorded earlier in the day by Race Officer Jimmy Farquhar, quickly built into a 20 knot breeze, and an hour after the start, the fleet had cleared Lei Yue Mun Gap, and was heading out into open water. As of 1800hrs this evening, FreeFire was holding a narrow lead over Strewth, with 60nm already covered. 30nm back Trilogy HK was keeping guard at the back of the fleet. A rough first night beckons, with a forecast of force 5 to 6, but with visibility at 8km, it should be a spectacular night’s sailing. All the competitors are fitted with a Yellowbrick tracking device, and race fans can watch the action unfold online at http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/sanfernandorace/tracking.htm

All the 2010-11 AY News, Views and Race Reports can be found Here...

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San Fernando Race 2011
Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club raises over HK$500,000 for the San Fernando Race Foundation
16th April 2011. Since 1987, the San Fernando Foundation has supported the Full Gospel Faith orphanage in San Fernando and on 15th April, 83 people enjoyed the wit and extraction ability of star auctioneer Fred Kinmonth to raise over HK$500,000 for the San Fernando Race Foundation, the charitable side of the biennial San Fernando Race. “Through the generosity of those involved in the race, the home is able to look after the living and education needs of 32 youngsters to give them a step up the ladder where they would otherwise have been on the street, in what is a very poor part of the Philippines” said Colin Dawson, a Director of the foundation. Following the dinner and auction Mike Legge and his big band Stray Katz generously entertained the guests until late into the night.

The race from Hong Kong to San Fernando in the Philippines is a 480 mile Category One offshore classic in its 34th year. This year it has attracted 20 yachts with a variety of crew including stars from the Volvo Ocean Race. The increasing number of yachts joining the race shows that, despite increasing regulation, there are more yachties looking to enter what has become a legendary yacht race in the region. The race starts / started (for those press not releasing before Wednesday) on 20th April from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in the heart of Hong Kong’s harbour.

All the 2010-11 AY News, Views and Race Reports can be found Here...

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