Black Baza leads 2016/17 AsianYachting Grand Prix championship

Black Baza on its way to victory in the Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race 2015. Photo by RHKYC/ Xaume Olleros.

By winning all eight IRC Class 3 races at the Raja Muda Regatta, David Fuller makes a grand entrance into 6th place on the AYGP Skipper Rankings and lifts the chartered Beneteau 44.7 Fujin up into 3rd place, in the Yacht Rankings. Six IRC Class 1 race wins, for Sarab Singh’s Welbourn 52 Windsikher II launches their 2016-17 racing campaign into 8th overall, after contesting only one event. Second and third places for Fred Kinmonth/Nick Burns GTS 43 Mandrake II and Anthony Root/Steve Manning’s Ker Custom 42 Black Baza respectively, brings Mandrake II to within 1.5 points of the present leader Black Baza. Both yachts have contested three regattas and have left the door open for others to score better, at coming events.

Clocking in with five wins, Chris Mitchell’s Naut 40 Lady Bubbly makes a gigantic leap up the AYGP Rankings, coming from 41st place, to 3rd overall, after contesting two events in the Cruising Class. Despite three low scoring performances, in the Premier Cruising Class, Hong Kong’s Adrian Bell’s Azuree 46 Outlaw, are making their debut in SE Asian waters and have scored enough, to take over 5th spot.

With the Phuket King’s Cup looming next week, it gives Thai based skippers and yachts, an opportunity to improve their rankings. Top scoring regional boats, Alan Carwadine’s Stealth 11.8 Asia Catamarans Hurricane and John Newnham’s Twin Sharks, competed with distinction, at the season opening Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek in the Multihull Classes. With another good performance, they are expected to come within striking distance, of the leaders.

Competition is stiff in the respective racing classes and overall results will have a bearing, on regatta participation and AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year scoring, for the rest of the season.

Organisers are urging competitors to secure an entry at the Royal Langkawi International Regatta (Jan 9th – 14th) and Neptune Regatta (Jan 28th – Feb 4th) to appropriately ring in the New Year!

For more information, visit www.asianyachting.com/AYGP/2016-17.htm.

By AY MultiMedia