A strong line-up of sailors from around Asia and beyond are to compete at the 2013 Samui Regatta. Photo by Event Media.

The line-up of boats for the 2013 Samui Regatta, which is set to take place May 25th to June 1st off Chaweng Beach on the tropical Island of Samui, is looking strong with a mix of top international racers and regional regatta veterans set to compete. Organised by Regattas Asia, a leading regatta and marine-based sporting event management company in Asia, Samui Regatta is celebrating its 12th year.

Familiar faces on the Asian regatta scene Frank Pong (HKG) and Geoff Hill (HKG) will be leading the charge with the two largest boats in the fleet – Jelik (75ft) and Antipodes (72ft), respectively. Battling it out with them in IRC Zero will be Sam Chan’s TP52 Freefire (HKG), a team from the Royal Malaysian Navy sailing their DK47 Uranus and the Aquila Reichel Pugh 45 Katsu (AUS) skippered by owner Ben Copley.

In the ever-growing 40-foot fleet, the top contenders are converging at Samui Regatta to battle it out for the glory in this the final event of the prestigious 2012/13 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship. Competing in IRC One, EFG Bank Mandrake (HKG), skippered by Nick Burns is back to defend their title on the well campaigned Mills 40. After loosing the title on the last day of last year’s regatta, Bill Bremner and crew on Foxy Lady VI (SIN/CAN) are back to make ammends and will be up against Walawala 2 (SIN), WindSikher (SIN), Rikki Tikki Tavi (SIN), Elektra (HKG), Siren (HKG), El Coyote (AUS) and Dynamite (AUS).

“It’s great to see such a competitive fleet of boats lining up for the Samui Regatta. Indeed, across all the classes there are some very evenly matched boats and crews and I’m sure all will enjoy the five days of racing we have planned for them,” said Simon James, Race Director.

Having lost out on the IRC Two title by a single point last year, Lennart Fahlgren is back with Amanda (SWE) and will be racing against Souay 1 (CAN), Moon Shadow (THA), local favourite Royal Thai Navy 1, and Rolex Sydney Hobart veteran Matt Allen on his Adams 10 Ichiban (AUS). With victories at the Phuket King’s Cup and Top of the Gulf regattas in the the last 12 months, Ichiban looks the one to beat.

A battle of the SunOdyssey’s is set for the Charter class with the SunOdyssey 43 DS Paprika II (THA) up against two SunOdyssey 409 2.10 – The Waugh Ship (Ti-Punch) (AUS), skippered by Barry Waugh and Andaman Sea Pilot (THA), skippered by local regatta veteran Andy Dowden.

With last years winner of the Multihull class Fantasia unable to defend their title this year, a new winner is set to be crowned from a line-up of some of the region’s best multihull sailors. Largest in the class is the Crowther 42 Sonic (THA), skippered by Kirati Assakul who will be up against the well-travelled Corsair 38 Miss Saigon (GBR), skippered by David Liddell, Radab Kanjanavanit and his all-Thai crew on Cedar Swan (THA), and locally-built Crazy Horse (THA), skippered by Kunta.

If the winds are blowing, one to watch out for in the Multihulls is Henry Kaye’s Seacart 26 Sweet Chariot (THA), which favours the strong winds Samui Regatta is famed for.

“Samui Regatta has become well known for its top quality racing and professional on-water race management, and again this year the ISAF International Race Officer Ross Chisholm will be calling the shots on-the-water,” commented James.

The Regatta is equally well known for its onshore social scene and the beachfront Regatta Tavern which becomes the focal point early evening as the sailors come ashore. The five days of racing is combined with six nights of parties, including the offsite Beach Republic Party – a mid-week highlight – and the closing Gala Dinner and presentations hosted by Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui under the stars – a fitting finale to the ‘Tropical Island Regatta’.

The 2013 Samui Regatta is organised by leading regatta services provider, Regattas Asia, with strong support from Samui businesses and staff.

For more information, visit www.samuiregatta.com.

IMG Media, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, has signed a long-term partnership with the Alpari World Match Racing Tour to increase global viewing of the leading professional sailing series.

The engagement will see IMG Media distribute a series of highlights programmes from each event, as well as a daily video news release (VNR) to all forms of media, including digital, throughout the series which begins with the first event in Langenargen, Germany, from May 15-20.

Sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with ‘Special Event’ status, the series awards over US$1.5 million in prize money with points awarded at each event culminating in the crowning of the “ISAF Match Racing World Champion”. The prize fund includes a US$500,000 overall Tour Bonus for the top teams in the Championship.

James Pleasance, Executive Director of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour commented, “This is a very exciting partnership for us. IMG is a global player in television programming and has a solid track record in distributing some of the best known sporting events all over the world. The Tour is a growing series and to have the expertise and resource of IMG behind us will be a great asset for us.”

Melissa Payne, Director of Event Coordination IMG Media, said: “Match racing is fast, competitive and highly strategic with in-shore racing engaging and exciting sailing fans of all ages . The Alpari World Match Racing Tour is ideally suited to all forms of media and we are confident with our expertise and worldwide network that we will be able to increase exposure and drive awareness of the Tour and its events globally.”

Eight tour card holders will be competing against one another on the 2013 season for the ISAF Match Racing World Cahmpionship . The skippers include four time World Champion British skipper Ian Williams (GAC Pindar), Swedish favourites Björn Hansen (Hansen Sailing Team) and Johnie Berntsson (Stena Sailing Team), Phil Robertson (WAKA Racing) and Adam Minoprio (Team Alpari FX) from New Zealand, Australian skipper Keith Swinton (Black Swan Racing), Pierre-Antoine Morvan (Vannes Agglo Sailing Team) from France and the youngest skipper Taylor Canfield (USone Sailing Team) from the US Virgin Islands.

The World Match Racing Tour was formed as an annual circuit in 2000 and has grown in stature with Alpari signing a five-year title sponsorship agreement last year. The Tour has featured some of the world’s greatest sailors including multiple Olympic medallist Sir Ben Ainslie, Russell Coutts, Peter Gilmour, Magnus Holmberg and Jamie Spithill, skipper of the Oracle America’s Cup team.

For more information, visit www.wmrt.com.

1010 4G Match Racing International 2013 – William Tiller (NZL) and the Full Metal Jacket Racing team, winners. Photo by RHKYC/ Guy Nowell.

After three days and 76 matches, the 2013 1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta came to an end in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour with young Kiwi skipper, William Tiller, declared the winner.

Having battled with the elements all weekend, Race Officer Inge Strompf Jepsen was on the water early as she searched for the best location to run the final five flights of the round robin stage. Heavy showers earlier in the morning had robbed the harbour of all breeze, but finding a 4kt easterly at Hung Hom and expecting it to build, Strompf-Jepsen laid her course and sent flight 18 away on time in 5 kts of breeze.

1010 4G Match Racing International 2013, Day 3 – Phil Robertson (NZL), 2nd place. Photo by RHKYC/ Guy Nowell.

1010 4G Match Racing International 2013, Day 3 – 1010 on parade. Photo by RHKYC/ Guy Nowell.

The first match of the day featured an upset, with Laurence Mead beating David Gilmour, however flight 20 featured the match everyone was looking forward to – Robertson and Williams had a fairly subdued start, and it was Williams who rounded the windward mark in the lead, only for Robertson to overtake him on the downwind leg. Robertson held the lead until close to the finish, when a less-than-slick gybe allowed Williams to get ahead. Robertson looked to have lost it, until the final seconds when he caught a puff and surged forward to cross the line only an inch ahead of Williams.

Flight 22 featured Williams v Tiller, which would decide 2nd and 3rd places in the round robin, together with Gilmour v Robertson. While Tiller turned in a fine performance to give Williams his second loss of the competition, against the run of form, Gilmour bested Robertson, but it wasn’t enough to offset the 0.5 penalty he had picked up for a collision on the first day and Maximillian Soh clinched the fourth spot in the semi-finals, along with Robertson, Tiller and Williams.

The first flight of the semifinals produced some of the most visually exciting match racing seen all weekend. Williams went through around 20 gybes trying to force Tiller into an error and give him a second penalty, which he would have to take on the spot. While the tactic was unsuccessful, Tiller was still carrying a penalty and it finished 1-0 to Williams. Soh finished comfortably ahead of Robertson on the water in their first flight.

In the second flight of the semis, Williams picked up penalty for port/ starboard, which he cleared at the first windward rounding, but close to the end of the second downwind leg, Tiller put in the better gybe and picked up a puff to cross the line inches ahead of his rival. Robertson built up a comfortable lead over Soh from the start of their match, and finished a couple of boat lengths ahead to make it 1-1.

1010 4G Match Racing International 2013, Day 3 – Ian Williams (GBR), 3rd place. Photo by RHKYC/ Guy Nowell.

1010 4G Match Racing International 2013, Day 3 – Maximilian Soh (SGP), 4th place. Photo by RHKYC/ Guy Nowell.

1010 4G Match Racing International 2013, Day 3 – David Gilmour (AUS). Photo by RHKYC/ Guy Nowell.

In the first decider, Williams had the better start, but Tiller caught him on the first downwind leg and managed to stay ahead to win by 5 boat lengths. In the second decider, Soh picked up a penalty in the start sequence and never recovered, with Robertson finishing over half a leg ahead of the Singaporean.

In the first flight of the Petit Final, with the breeze holding well at 4.5 to 6kts, Williams was in control from the start and finished 5 lengths ahead of Soh. In the all-Kiwi Final, Tiller edged ahead of Robertson on the first downwind leg, and managed to stay in control for the rest of the race.

With impeccable timing, RO Inge Strompf-Jepsen shoehorned the last match of the day into the schedule, just before the wind died to 2kts. In the petit final, Williams finished a boat length ahead of Soh to finish third, and William Tiller recorded his second straight win over former skipper Phil Robertson to place his name on the silverware.

Full results and placings are at www.rhkyc.org.hk/intlresults.aspx.

1010 4G Match Racing International 2013 – William Tiller (NZL) and the Full Metal Jacket Racing team, winners. Photo by RHKYC/ Guy Nowell.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 2. Photo by RKYC/ Koko Mueller.

Day 2 of the 1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta saw Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen start flight 8 on time just off Hung Hom, however the wind dropped away just as the three matches were completed. After waiting for thirty minutes a decision had to be made to move the course outside the harbour in the hope for more wind.

With 7 to 8kts in Junk Bay, racing was underway quickly and the flights started to fly by. The race committee was kept on their toes with two 90 degree wind shifts during the afternoon. With the tide ebbing all afternoon and running across the course, this gave an extra dimension to the racing.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 2. Photo by RKYC/ Koko Mueller.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 2. Photo by RKYC/ Koko Mueller.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 2. Photo by RKYC/ Koko Mueller.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 2. Photo by RKYC/ Koko Mueller.

The start sequence for flight 17 got underway but with another 90 degree wind shift the postponement flag made another appearance. The delay was short and the final flight of the day got re-started within minutes with the breeze filling in to a maximum of 10kts. With the light fading there was no choice but to finish on flight 17.

Five flights are remaining in the round-robin competition and will continue on Sunday morning. We are all looking forward to 10kts of wind in front of Kellett Island for the final day of racing… nothing wrong with being optimistic!

Provisional results up to flight 17 are available at http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/intlresults.aspx.

For more information, visit www.rhkyc.org.hk.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 2. Photo by RKYC/ Koko Mueller.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 1. Photo by Lindsay Lyons.

A minute’s silence was observed ahead of this morning’s daily briefing in memory of Andrew “Bart” Simpson who tragically lost his life during training on San Francisco Bay ahead of this summer’s America’s Cup. As crews readied their boats for the 1O1O 4G International Match Racing Regatta, black backstay flags were added as a mark of respect before the boats made their way out into Victoria Harbour for the first races of the round robin element.

With all the weather forecasting tools at her disposal, Race Officer, Inge Strompf-Jepsen elected to move away from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Kellett Island base in order to benefit from the steady 5 to 6kt easterly available in the area to the east of Hung Hom.

1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta – Day 1. Photo by Lindsay Lyons.

The first five flights featured fifteen matches – in effect a ‘mini’ round robin for skippers Williams, Gilmour, Jakobsen, Park, Backe and Lui. Lui had a great start, edging out Gilmour in his first match, however as the overseas skippers got to grips with Hong Kong harbour sailing, their experience started to show and spectators were treated to something of a start tactics masterclass.

One of the most competitive matches was Williams/ Gilmour, with Gilmour incurring a 0.5 point damage penalty for a clash close to the windward mark. At the end of flight 5, the scores stood at;
Williams 5-0
Backe 3-2
Gilmour 3-2 (Pen -0.5)
Park 2-3
Jakobsen 1-4
Lui 1-4

Flight six featured a complete changeover of skippers, allowing the other half of the draw to get some time on the water. The breeze was swinging southwards and softening and by the time flight six was finished, sailors were eyeing up a storm approaching from the west, but there was just enough puff left to run flight seven. At 1500hrs, the RO was forced to display the AP due to reduced visibility, lightning, heavy rain and a lack of wind.

Displaying the L Flag, Strompf-Jepsen roamed the harbour, trying to find some breeze to get the racing underway again, but finally admitted defeat and raised AP over H, allowing the bedraggled competitors to return to the clubhouse.

At the post-race debriefing, it was confirmed that the scheduled start for Saturday’s racing would be 0930hrs, with a continuation of the round robin. Current scores for the second tranche are;
Robertson 2-0
Tiller 2-0
Soh 1-1
Ericsson 1-1
Seah 0-2
Mead 0-2

For more information, visit www.rhkyc.org.hk.

Opening hours for the 2014 Phuket International Boat Show will extend further into the evening.

The dates have been set for the 2014 Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX), ‘Asia’s favourite boat show’, and will be held 9th to 12th January at Royal Phuket Marina.

After two years holding the event in March, PIMEX returns to its previous timing of January.

“Following feedback from the 10th anniversary show earlier this year, we have decided to return to the popular January slot after two years of being held in March,” said Andy Dowden, Show Director.

“The unseasonable heat during this year’s show was one of the factors for moving the date back to January, and the show’s opening times are planned to be adjusted to carry through to the evening.”

The leading consumer boat show in Asia, PIMEX has grown to become one of the most important events in the marine calendar, hotly anticipated by marine and lifestyle businesses from around Asia and the world each year.

PIMEX plays a central role in Thailand and Asia’s marine industry as a meeting place and a sales and marketing platform for marine leisure businesses. The show continues to generate sales and through a global marketing campaign raise awareness of Phuket, Thailand and beyond to an audience worldwide.

The gateway to marine leisure and boating in the region, the Andaman Triangle, consisting of Phang Nga and Krabi with Phuket at is centre, is often referred to as the Monaco of the East and has become the playground of the wealthy.

The annual marine and lifestyle event, which is an integral part of Phuket’s calendar and a key event on the Asian boat show circuit, will benefit from the many international visitors and villa owners spending the Christmas and New Year holidays on the Island.

“The January period is peak season on Phuket, and it is a time when luxury villa owners are often in residence, enjoying the Christmas and New Year holidays,” commented Dowden, adding “PIMEX will showcase the unique luxury and marine lifestyle that Phuket Island has to offer to an international audience of High Net Worth Individuals.”

On display at PIMEX 2014 will be a stunning array of yachts and equipment, luxury cars and goods, and some of the finest properties on the Island, set against a backdrop of marina-side cocktail parties and VIP functions held over four days from 9th to 12th January.

For more details, visit www.phuketboatshow.com.

Hong Kong 10 to 12 May 2013, the 1O1O 4G Match Racing International Regatta is organised by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) and has attracted a clutch of top match racers from around the world including four times and current world champion Ian Williams.

Four visiting skippers will be joined by Hong Kong’s top four match racing teams, based on last weekend’s 1O1O 4G Match Racing Hong Kong Nationals, in which Peter Backe (SWE) triumphed over Seah Chin Yew (HKG) 3-2 to life the silverware, They are joined by 3rd placed Laurence Mead (GBR) and Lui Kam (HKG).

Match racing is a brutal one-on-one sailing contest where the rules aren’t used to keep boats apart, instead being used to try and inflict a penalty turn on the opposition. Winning margins are slim and the skills required include a keen knowledge of the racing rules, lightning fast reflexes and nerves of steel as the leader fights with attack after attack from the boat behind. The regatta will pit competitors against each other in a double round robin format, with the top four teams progressing to the knockout stages. The semi-finals will serve to produce the two teams which will contest the grand final.

COMPETITORS (World Ranking as of December 2012)
1. Ian Williams (1) GBR
2. Phil Robertson (4) NZL
3. William Tiller (7) NZL
4. David Gilmour (27) AUS
5. Morten Jakobsen (100) THA
6. Maximilian Soh (107) SIN
7. Jon Eriksson (196) FIN
8. Gunwoo Park (395) KOR
9. Peter Backe (225) SWE
10. Chin Yew Seah (250) HKG
11. Laurence Mead (628) GBR
12. Lui Kam HKG HKG

OFFICIALS
Chief International Umpire Marianne Middelthon (NOR)
International Umpire Paco Quiñonero (ESP)
International Umpire Masaaki Tanaka (JPN)
Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen (HKG)

For more information, visit www.rhkyc.org.hk.

Black Betty and crew on their way to winning the Coronation Cup at the 2013 Top of the Gulf Regatta. Photo by MarineScene.asia.

Four days of great sailing in the Gulf of Thailand came to a close today with the final day of the 2013 Top of the Gulf Regatta producing some top sailing. Held at Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Pattaya, Thailand, the ninth edition has been one of the best yet.

More than 250 boats and 500+ sailors of over 30 nationalities competed for class bragging rights and the prestigious Coronation Cup for the one-design Platu class winners.

The Platu class finished their series today with two races, while for others a single race brought down the curtain on a successful Regatta. PRO Dennis Thompson set Windward/Leewards for all.

With a large contingent of Australian sailors taking part across fleet, and a growing number of Singapore entries, both Australia and Singapore were big winners this year.

Competing for the prestigious Coronation Cup were four Australian boats in the 16-strong class, with two Aussie crews and one from Hong Kong battling it out at the top on the final day.

Defending champions Easy Tiger IV, skippered by Chris Way, had a slow start to the 10-race campaign this week but managed to score a bullet in Race 8 to raise their hopes. However, it was not enough and they missed out on the podium placing fourth overall.

It was the two Australian entries Black Betty, skippered by Gary McNally, and Problem Child, skippered by Brian McMaster, that battled down to the wire. Quality racing across the entire one-design fleet with clean hoists and drops, and tight roundings today, made for a fitting finale to what has been a spectacular series.

In the end it was the consistency and four first place finishes by Black Betty (19) that made the difference, with them being crowned 2013 Coronation Cup champions at the final prize-giving and Gala Dinner at Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

A 1,2 on the final day was not enough to secure the title for Problem Child (22), but they were a worthy runner-up and Andrew Moore’s Tigrana (25) placed third.

In IRC Racing 2, it was Rolex Sydney Hobart regular Matt Allen and his crew on Ichiban (6), who scored six firsts from seven races to be the clear class winner, beating local favourites Royal Thai Navy 1 (11), skippered by Cpl. Wiwat Poonpat, who finished second overall. Dean Rheault’s Souy 1 (20) finished third.

Singapore Management University had three teams racing in the Regatta this year – two in the Platu class and one in IRC Racing 3 – and it was Hi Jinks (6), skippered by Peiquan Chung in the latter that finished the Regatta undefeated and were crowned class champion. Second place went to the all -Thai team on Sansiri Ooh la la (15), skippered by Patinyakorn Buranrom, and third to Tai Two (19), skippered by Sadunori Osada.

In IRC Racing 1 it was another Singapore boat Foxy Lady (8), skippered by Bill Bremner, that placed second on the last day which was enough to secure the overall class win. Thai team Wan Marang (11), skippered by Kevin Whitcraft, finished second and David Ross’ KukuKERchu (15) were third.

David Liddell’s Miss Saigon (8) were back to their winning ways today in the Ocean Multihulls class with a first in the last race to place first overall. Despite a late surge Sonic (11), skippered by Kirati Assakul couldn’t make up ground on Miss Saigon and settled for second overall with Scott Galle’s Black Swan (14) in third.

Final prizes were awarded at a marina-side Gala Dinner hosted by Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

For more information, visit www.topofthegulfregatta.com.

Top of the Gulf Regatta 2013 – Music Edit by Go Yachting

Stunning racing conditions at the 2013 Thailand Optimist National Championships. Photo by Guy Nowell.

The 2013 Thailand Optimist National Championships presented by Sansiri came to a close today with a fitting last race grandstand finale. Held over three days at Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Pattaya, Thailand, 128 Thai and international youngsters lined up this year in what was a record fleet, with sailors from Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Thailand taking part.

Thirty-eight years old, the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (YRAT) started Junior Sailing, a programme to encourage and train young Thai sailors and send them to compete in international sailing events in 1976 and followed that in the same year with what was then called the Optimist Thailand Championship Cup.

Known today as the Thailand Optimist National Championships, they are as competitive and as desired as ever, with many leading Thai juniors, international teams and world champions competing for the title.

The Championships are the second oldest annual sailing event in Thailand and continue to develop youth talent and introduce more Thai youngsters to the sport of sailing. The proof of this was seen on the water over the last three days with some close racing in challenging conditions and an exceptionally high level of sailing.

Going into the last race of the last day, the title was within Thai youngster Suthon Yampinid’s grasp. Having placed in the top five throughout, it was his to loose, and loose it he did with a ninth in the penultimate race and a tenth in the final race, dropping him to third overall and missing out on second place by a single one point.

Having only sailed one race on Day 2 due to a storm followed by fickle winds, there three races on the alst day, making the series a total of seven, proved critical to the overall positioning.

Despite Pongsapat Pumyam placing 27th in the penultimate race, which he could drop from his scoresheet, the 14-year old Thai junior had been finishing high in the standings throughout. He went on to finish the series in style with a first place in the last race to take the overall title and be crowned 2013 Thailand Optimist National Champion.

Second place went to Thai girl Kamonchanok Klahan, who was also top placed girl. Third overall went to Suthon Yampinid.

Second for the girls was Sutida Poonpat, relative of 2010 World Optimist Champion Noppakao Poonpat, who is another future Thai sailing talent. Third girls overall went to Praewa Kangkla.

For more information, visit www.topofthegulfregatta.com.

Thailand Optimist National Championships – Music Edit by Go Yachting

Foxy Lady leading off the line on Day 3 of the 2013 Top of the Gulf Regatta. Photo by MarineScene.asia.

Pongsapat Pumyam winner of Thailand Optimist National Championships presented by Sansiri
Damrongsak and Sakda Vongtim winners of Open Beach Multihull class 

Day Three at the Top of the Gulf Regatta 2013 (TOG Regatta) saw classic Gulf of Thailand conditions with steady breeze, good seas and some excellent racing across all the classes in the 250+ fleet of boats.

On the keelboat and multihull courses a series of Windward/Leewards were in order, two for all classes except the Platus who enjoyed three.

In IRC Racing 1, Bill Bremner’s Foxy Lady was the clear winner with two bullets, stretching a four point lead over the class going into the final day. Wan Marang, skippered by Kevin Whitcraft and KukukKERchu, skippered by David Ross, traded places with a 2,3 and 3,2 respectively.

Matt Allen’s Ichiban, despite being OCS in Race 2 today, finished with two bullets while Royal Thai Navy 1, skippered by Cpl. Wiwat Poonpat placed second in both races. Adding the drop race, Allen sits on five points and looks unbeatable with one day to go.

The Singapore Management University crew on Hi Jinks remain unbeaten after two more wins today and appear to have an unassailable lead. The all Thai crew on Sansiri Ooh la la, skippered by Patinyakorn Buranrom, made a slow start in the series but two seconds today move them up to second overall and five points clear of Japanese entry Tai Two.

In the one-design Platu class improvements in the mid-fleet saw some place changes, and after dismasting yesterday Rod Berteaux’s Platu 122 was back on the startline mixing it up. At the top of the standings, Black Betty, skippered by Gary McNally scored 1,1,3 and has a seven point lead going into the final day and one hand on the Coronation Cup.

Problem Child, skippered by Brian McMaster, had a sub-par day on-the-water with a 7,6,4 and now is tied for second overall with Andrew Moore’s Tigrana.

A notable performance in the Platu class today were from Easy Tiger Racing, defending Coronation Cup champions, who placed 4,8 in the first two races and scored their first bullet of the series in the final race of the day.

David Liddell’s Miss Saigon scored two Line Honours today but could not translate into handicap wins, loosing out to Sonic, skippered by Keerati Assakul, who’s late surge has moved them upto second overall just two points behind Miss Saigon. Two thirds today for Black Swan, skippered by Scott Galle, leaves them third overall.

The dinghy and beach catamaran fleets, a spectacular sight and large part of what makes the TOG Regatta so special, finished their three-day series today, and after a storm and fickle winds yesterday causing havoc amongst the fleet, things were back to normal with three races across all classes.

A record 128 Thai and international youngsters lined up in the 2013 Thailand Optimist National Championships presented by Sansiri. Started in 1976, the Thailand Optimist National Championships is the second oldest annual sailing event in Thailand and continues to develop youth talent and introduce more Thai youngsters to the sport of sailing. The proof of this was see on the water over the last three days with some close racing in challenging conditions and an exceptionally high level of sailing.

The title was in Suthon Yampinid’s grasp going into the last race of the series. Having placed consistently high throughout, it was his to loose, and loose it he did with a tenth in the final race, dropping him to third overall, missing out on second by one point.

After seven races, it was 14-year old Pongsapat Pumyam who finished the series in style with a first place to take the overall title and be crowned 2013 Thailand Optimist National Champion. Second place went to Thai girl Kamonchanok Klahan, who was also top female.

The strong winds on Day 2 left damage in its wake with a depleted fleet making the startline on the final day in the Formula 18 and Open Beach Multihull classes. In Formula 18 Pom Green/ Apple, sailing the new Olympic Nacra 17, dropped their final race score (a second place) to finish with an undefeated scoresheet. Michael Scantlebury/ David Harris placed second overall with Morten Jakobsen/ Florten Herson in third.

There were no surprises on the final day of racing in the Open Beach Multihull class – three more bullets meant Damrongsak/ Sakda Vongtim were undefeated over the eight race series, followed by Grahame Southwick/ Khaipho second overall, and Teerapong Watiboonruang/ Passuree Sompalasin third.

An uncharacteristic ninth place finish for Keerati Bualong in the last single-handed monohull dinghy class race yesterday, was a mere blip on his scoresheet. Three more bullets today saw him easilly win the class with Natthawut Paenyaem in second eight points behind, and Supakon Pongwichean third.

Threatening to make the podium in the double-handed monohull dinghy class was 2010 World Optimist Champion, Noppakao Poonpat, and sailing partner Panida Suksomporn. However a 7,3,7 today put pay to that. The class honours went to Sittisart Ponpun/ Peerapol Wisaka with three wins on the final day. Totsapon Mahawichean/ Chaichanamwut Deenak finished second and Malaysian team Mohd Faizal Norizan/ Ahmad Shukri Abd. Azi were third.

Racing for keelboats and multihulls in the Top of the Gulf Regatta finishes tomorrow at Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

For more information, visit www.topofthegulfregatta.com.