30th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta: Kids, kiteboards, 100+ boats expected

From left: Radab Kanjanavanit, Thai Sailor and Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee member; Santi Kanchanabandhu, Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee; Kevin Whitcraft, President of Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee; Pramookpisitt Achariyachai, President of Kata Group Resorts Thailand; Tom Whitcraft, Commodore of Royal Varuna Yacht Club. 30th Anniversary Phuket King’s Cup Regatta launch and press conference in Bangkok.

Billed as “Asia’s most prestigious regatta”, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta has certainly stood the test of time. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, the regatta is showing no sign of aging as a 100+ keelboat and multihull fleet and a growing dinghy fleet prepare to sail off Phuket’s Kata Beach from 3 – 10 December.

Organisers expect more than 190 international yachts in total, as well as over 1,500 sailors and participants from more than 30 countries to compete across a range of classes including the new CRX Kiteboard Class, which will is expected to see 30 riders from around Asia compete in Chalong Bay.

Kevin Whitcraft, President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee, together with an extremely dedicated team of organizers, officiators, supporters and volunteers, have successfully evolved a race that began back in 1987 into what is now recognized as the 2016 Asia Boating Awards – Best Asian Regatta. They are not alone; many of the competing teams believe in the regatta as being the very top Asian prize in sailing, the “one to win”, and is the reason they come back year after year.

Kevin explains, “The PKCR was inaugurated in 1987 to mark the 60th birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand. The event has been held every year since. The theme chosen for the 30th Anniversary’s milestone event is “Heritage of Passion,” a marque designed to honor the successful history of competitive sailing in Thailand, and its bright future to which the regatta makes a massive contribution.”

This year’s fleet is expected to race across a diverse range of classes, including IRC Racing, Sportsboat, Premier, Modern Classic, Charter Classes (Bareboat and Open Charter), Multihull Classes (Racing Multihull, One Design divisions, Open/ Cruising Multihull, Performance/ Beach Catamaran), Spirit of Classic Class, Cruising Class, as well as a provision in the Notice of Race for One-Design Class racing.

Classic, Premier, Open Charter, Bareboat Charter, Cruising, Firefly 850 Sports, Multihulls Racing and Multihulls Cruising. The International Dinghy Classes will see junior sailors competing in Optimist, Laser Radial, Laser 4.7 and Laser Standard over four days.

“Throughout the three decades of the regatta, fleets have of course changed, and now with so much interest in sailing and yacht racing among Thailand’s juniors, the regatta committee installed the Phuket Dinghy Series which has inspired youths in Southern Thailand from many sailing clubs in Phuket, Phang Nga, Songkhla, and as far as Chonburi, to take up sailing since its introduction in 2010. There is great hunger and motivation especially among young sailors here for competing at world championships,” added Whitcraft.

“We are proud of our new wave of young Thai sailors. Bam Kamolwan Chanyim (KC Laser winner 2012), was the first female Thai sailor to join the Olympics in Rio, together with Keerati Bualong, KC Laser winner 2015. Early this year, our 2014 and 2015 Optimist winner Nattapong (Max) Yuang-ngam was crowned at the Rooster International Topper 4.2 World Championships 2016 in Northern Ireland. We are also pleased to note that for next year, Thailand will be a host of the IODA Optimist World Championship and the Royal Varuna Yacht Club Thailand was awarded to be a venue for this prestigious event.”

Sponsors of the 2016 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta include Principal Host Sponsor Kata Group, and Strategic Partners: The Government Lottery Office (GLO), Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Co-Sponsors: Central Pattana, PTT, Siam Winery & Montclair and Haadthip PCL. Media Partners include Phuket Gazette, PGTV, Prestige, True 4 you, Madame Figaro, Luxury Society Asia, YachtStyle, SEA Yachting, The Greater Phuket Phuket, The Guide Phuket, RL Magazine, One Coast, and Phuket Marine Guide.

For more information, visit www.kingscup.com.