Neil Pryde's Hi-Fi Team Pryde are the 2005- 06 AY Grand Prix Champions
The 2005/06 Season came to a conclusion with the Koh Samui Regatta. After winning the China Coast Regatta, Raja Muda, Singapore Straits and second place at the King's Cup, Neil Pryde and his Farr 52 Hi-Fi Team Pryde earned enough points to lift the 2005- 06 AY Grand Prix Skipper and Yacht Champions for the second year in succession. Neil was not present to receive this prestigious award but a special presentation and champagne ceremony will be held at a latter date. This did not deter us from sharing the champagne around with the Koh Samui winners at the magnificent prize giving party on the lawns of the Central Samui Resort to celebrate the end of the season. To see how your favourite team has scored through out the season goto: http://asianyachting.com/news/AYGP05-06.htm

5th Koh Samui International Regatta
After four attempts at winning this regatta Frank Pong's 75ft Jelik has finally come to the fore. This Tropical Island Regatta has had it all. Anything from 40 knots to dead flat calms, rain and scorching sunshine but is still voted by competitors as one of the most enjoyable on the Asian calendar. A strong contingent of Hong Kong and Singapore yachts were joined by Thai based racers from Phuket, Pattaya and Samui that enjoy nothing more than some friendly rivalry amongst themselves. AY Race Reports here...

Platu Coronation Cup Winners Report...
Winning skipper Marty Kaye gives a blow by blow account on each race as seen from his Platu 102 Pom Rak Khun (I Love You) during their recent Coronation Cup victory over the biggest one design fleet to ever assemble in Asian waters. Sailors can get a good insight into how skippers and crews approach their racing and the strategy they use, while executing their racing skills over a full blown regatta. Winners Report here...

Top of the Gulf Regatta 2006
Despite an overnight disqualification and only managing a fourth and second place in the final races, David Lindahl's four earlier wins on the Swan 42 La Samudra was enough to sail away with the overall Class 1 Keelboat victory. In the Coronation Cup a ding dong battle resulted with Marty Kaye's Pom Rak Khun edging out Scott Duncanson's Lee Marine in a last race decider. For the second successive year, Benjamas Poonpat took on and convincingly beat over 70 other contestants to be crowned the Optimist National Champion. More results on AY Race Reports here...

President's Cup - Final day showdown
Local yachts Ray Ordoveza's Karakoa helmed by Steve Benjaman and Judes Echauz's Centennial by Jamie Wilmot staged a final showdown on Subic bay. Centennial came out the victor winning their fourth President's Cup after the crew hiked their little hearts out. Karakoa ended up second overall and Frank Pong's Reichel/Pugh 75 ft Jelik climbed up into third place AY Race Reports here...

China Sea Race - Mandrake's magical victory
Although Boracay took line honours by 50 minutes from Jelik in the battle of the 70 footers it was the smaller 51ft Burns / Kinmonth owned Mandrake that finished about eight hours latter to race away with the handicap honours. After a long wait for other yachts to finish Boracay, helmed this time by the UK’s Peter Morton managed to hold onto second place by a mere one minute and two seconds from the Anthony Day/ R Killip owned Siren. Race Reports here...

Asian Yachtmasters Exam in Philippines
Ervin Celoso the skipper of Andres Soriano's magnificent Swan 80 Maligaya has chosen to join a growing elite band of qualified and certified Asian Yachtmasters operating in the region. A four-day examination was conducted in the Philippines where Ervin and his three crew passed with flying colours and some of the rock-star crews I have sailed with over the years could certainly take a leaf out of their book. Goto Full Report...

Breaking AsianYachting News
At the action packed Monsoon Cup 2006 (Nov 29 - Dec 3) Press Conference, Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Said, announced that her department has approved plans to establish sailing and watersports academies on Palau Duyong - Terengannu and the east coast states of Pahang and Johore plus Sarawak and Sabah as they face out into the increasing popular South China Sea. Promoting sporting activities including keelboat racing and addressing recreational boating issues is featuring prominently in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi's 9th development plans. Complete Report here...

The 2005-06 AY Grand Prix Championship
Ray Roberts adds a further 3 points by winning the RLIR but still trails Neil Pryde by 5 pts in the AY GP Skipper of the Year awards. Robert Knight's DK 46 Drumstick climbs up in the Boat of the Year rankings after the RLIR to close in on Hi Fi Team Pryde. The RMN Zurah skippered by Malik Sulaiman and Thomas Blixt's V60 Ericsson enter the rankings for the first time. Follow your favourite teams progressive tally or rankings here...

Centennial claims Manila to Boracay Race
Frank Pong's racing sled, Boracay, missed the race record by 3 minutes and Judes Echauz Standard Insurance Centennial went on to take out IRC-A division. IRC-B to Jun Avecilla's new Selma Star and PY went to Sam Chan's Freefire on her swansong race. Go to MYC summary

RLIR 06 Ulumulu - Quantum Racing victory
Ray Roberts Ulumulu - Quantum Racing Team won the class with a day to spare but went out full of confidence to cap off a good four days racing. The Royal Malaysian Navy's Zuhrah skippered by Malik Sulaiman steadily improved their crew work and boat speed throughout the series and won the final race on handicap. High fives all around. Thomas Blixt's V60 Ericsson took line honours although there boat is better suited to heavier winds and had to settle on 3rd place overall. Goto AY Race Reports here...

Singapore Straits Regatta - Viva la Neil Pryde
Although Neil Pryde's Hi Fi Team Pryde did not have it all their own way this time around they managed to defend the title. Nick Burns Mandrake continues to play the bridesmaid role and need to improve their crew work if they expect to overtake the indomitable Team Pryde at future events. Bill Bremner steered Team F5/Foxy Lady into third overall and nudged Robert Knight's DK46 Drumstick back to fourth despite them scoring two wins in the series. AY Race Reports here

The 2005-06 AY Grand Prix Championship is well underway with defending 2004/05 Champion Neil Pryde's Farr 52 OD Hi Fi Team Pryde taking over where he left off at the top of the leader board. The Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth owned Farr/Mills 50 Mandrake is within striking distance. Ray Roberts enters the Skipper rankings with a win at the King's Cup and Robert Knight's DK 46 Drumstick climbs up in the Boat of the Year rankings with five more regatta's to go. Follow your favourite teams progressive tally or rankings at: http://asianyachting.com/news/AYGP05-06.htm

King's Cup 2005 - Ray Roberts to the fore...
Although Ray Roberts on the DK46 Drumstick Quantum Racing won the title yesterday he was back on the water today and drove home his advantage by taking out the final race as well. The last day is historically the major sponsors day and Raimon Land lived up to their reputation by hosting the biggest and best party after the royal presentation ceremony. AY Race Reports here...

The art of going fast... the Frank Pong way
As big boat racing is a relatively new concept in Asia and the opportunity arose to go aboard Frank Pong's all carbon 76ft Boracay for the Kata Group Race to Ko Racha, AsianYachting decided to see what it takes to race on one of the largest boats in the fleet. AY Race Reports here...

Swedish Match Tour - Monsoon Cup 2005
Aussie Peter Gilmour and his Pizza-La Sailing Team win the inaugural Monsoon Cup 2-1 from Russell Coutts in a thrilling final. Gilmour also becomes a favourite Aussie son of Terengganu and Malaysia for his role in organising the event. You could not have written a better script.
Goto AY Race Reports Monsoon Cup 05

16th RMSIR - It's Neil Pryde's Team again!
The overnight rain lifted and a pleasant 5 to 8 knot breeze allowed stand in Race Officer John Ferguson to fire off two races in succession for the Racing and Cruising classes and complete the program for the Premier and Classic Classes. Neil Pryde's crew on Hi-Fi Team Pryde put in another two superb performances to rap up the Racing class for the second year in succession. AY Regatta Coverage page Here...

Ffree Fire smashes Hainan Race record
Recording speeds in excess of 24 kts on the 356nm Biennial Hainan Island Race to China, Sam Chan's 2003/04 AY Boat of the Year, ULDB sled Ffree Fire, originally designed for long passage racing, took out the daily double of Line and Handicap honours, as well as set a new time of 29hrs 25min 08secs, eclipsing his previous record run in 2000 by 20 mins.

Were up and running...
The 2005-06 AYGP Championship officially kicked off with the RHKYC - China Coast Race Week 2005. Defending 04-05 Champion Neil Pryde started the season where he left off by winning the five-star China Coast Regatta IRC A class with a race to spare on the new Hi Fi Team Pryde Farr 52 OD racing machine. Familiar suspects on Robert Knight's DK 46 Drumstick got the better of Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth owned Farr/Mills 50 Mandrake this time around. Browse past AYGP Championship winners at: 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 or follow the 2005-06 seasons progressive results tally or rankings.

ISAF International Judging Clinic & Seminar
Thirty six participants from nine countries attended the newly structured ISAF International Judging Clinic and Seminar organised by the Yacht Racing Assoc of Thailand (YRAT) and held at the Royal Thai Navy's - Samudhara Kila Aquatic Sports Centre in Chonburi. AY Report and Class of 2005 photos here

2005-06 AsianYachting Calendar OUT NOW!
Wow! 25 Major sailing events and still counting...
Anything from individual Passage Races from Hong Kong to the Philippines or Vietnam, Cruising Rally's through Indonesia and Andaman Islands (India) plus a string of International standard Regatta's extending from Phuket in SW Thailand, sweeping across the Kra Peninsular and the South China Sea through to Hong Kong (China), come together each year, to form the 2005-06 Calendar and the beginnings of the 2006-07 Season See our Press Report

Sail Indonesia 2005 - On the way!
Has now become the second largest yachting event in the Asian region --- right behind the King's Cup in Thailand. Sixty nine yachts joined the rally in Darwin Aust. to sail together on a voyage of discovery. First stop, Kupang W. Timor, the whole town turned out to greet and treat the yachties to the first of four cultural experiences arranged by the Yayasan Cinta Bahari Indonesia in cooperation with the Dinas Pariwisata (tourist board). Full report with photos of this unique event Go here

YO! Team's Valencia TOUR
By winning the 2005 BMW - Royal Langkawi Int. Regatta earlier this year, Peter Ahern's entire Yo! Team were lucky enough to receive a fully sponsored trip to Valencia to visit the BMW Oracle America's Cup base and an afternoon of match racing on the teams training yachts. Now back home and settling into reality, Lesley Chapman gives a detailed account of a truly wonderful trip with photos of the extraordinary experience. Go Here...

8th Western Circuit Sailing Regatta
Twenty nine yachts lined up in four classes to contest the 8th WCSR 05 conducted by Raffles Marina in Singapore. Jonathan Mahony's crew on Happy Endings showed they could walk the walk, winning both the final races by the proverbial mile and claim the overall IRC trophy. AY Race Reports here...

Evason Phuket Race Week 2005
In IRC 1 John Vause's Ruby Tuesday came into today's final race with an insurmountable points lead and choose not to race as he did not want to repeat his King's Cup 2004 episode. In Ruby Tuesday's absence David Lindhal's La Samudra rebounded after a bad day yesterday by winning today's race to regain 2nd spot overall. Scott Duncanson's crew on Securicor Somtam Express put in another superb performance of keeping the Phuket 8 upright and despite being way out in front of the monohull fleet ended up 2nd on the day and in 3rd place overall. AY Race Reports here

Phuket - AY Post Tsunami Report
Allot has been said and done since life in SE Asia was shockingly disrupted by the 26th Dec, Boxing Day Tsunami waves. When the outside media moved on, not much reporting has gone on after the worldwide outpouring of US$$billions being pledged for relief funding to aid the poor and suffering victims, other than a mix up of endless replays on TV of the horrific waves for the first time in history, rolling ashore on Phuket's west coast, just over 7 months ago. Goto the Post Tsunami AY Website Edition

Quantum Naga Cup 2005
Scott Duncanson's Securicor Somtam Express crew did not have it all their own way this time, as they had to climb back through the fleet from a fouled spinnaker launch in race 5 and Keith Moore's Pla Loma led the way home on the final race that had a small passing rain storm. No problems here though, as in the warm tropics, they were dry by the time they reached the leeward mark. AY Race Reports here

Forming marine industry associations in SE Asia
Malaysian Tourism Minister Datuk Dr Leo Michael Toyad is now promoting the region as a new playground for cruise liners, yachting and sailing pursuits. Forming a Malaysian Marine Tourism Co-Ordination Center and Council is also being proposed. An attempt to list all the Marine Industry players in Malaysia and Brunei can be found at: http://asianyachting.com/news/MMIAlistings.htm

The AY Photo Library has been upgraded with images of the 2005 Borneo Cup, 2003/04, 2004/05 AY Grand Prix Champions party in Koh Samui with selected shots taken during the season here... and News & Views

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