2010 - 11 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship

About the annual AYGP
Points are awarded each sailing season based on the racing class Skippers and Yachts performance over Ten x 5-Star Yachting Events that make up the AY Grand Prix Championship (Malaysia 2, Hong Kong 2, Thailand 4 plus Singapore and the Philippines each with 1 a piece). This system fairly grades the competing Boatowners and Skippers ability to successfully run a full-on racing campaign through Asian waters over the 2010-11 Season.

2010/11 AYGP - Evolution Sails sponsors new Skipper & Yacht of the Year trophy
We proudly announce that Evolution Sails have come onboard as trophy sponsor for the 2010-11 AYGP Championship to be known as the Evolution Sails AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards. We are embarking on a design competition amongst budding artists living in the SE Asian region, for the Evolution Sails AYGP trophy. The finished product is expected to mark a memorable and unique occasion and also must be worthy of displaying in the office back home. We welcome any interest from designers and artists that would like to get involved with the trophy design competition by contacting info@asianyachting.com We will still be presenting the Perpetual AYGP Cup filled with chilled champagne and the Armani Koh Samui blue blazer at the gala Sawadee.com Regatta 2010 Samui season ending prize presentation.

Changes to the 2010-11 AYGP calendar of events

Each year the events on the annual AsianYachting Grand Prix Championships come under close scrutiny and must reflect the high standards expected by the Racing Class boat owners and a fair turnout of top level Racing Teams to compete at the event. This season we will attempt to broarden our scope by incorporating a new high scoring ranking system that scores the best five yachts at each event and the best seven regatta results out of the 10 selected AYGP events are to be counted. As this is the best way to determine the top Skipper and Racing Yacht of the Year in Asian waters, selecting the events each year is of paramount importance. The Biennial 656nm Category 1 Hong Kong to Vietnam Offshore Race returns for the 2010-11 Season in place of the Rolex China Sea Race and all other events on the annual Asian sailing calendar remain the same as last season. Six Senses Phuket Raceweek kicked off the 2010-11 AYGP Championship on 21st - 25th July.

AYGP comes alive
We like to keep our readers up to speed, by generating monthly AYGP Newsletters with all the finer points on the upcoming events, expert analysis, race results plus links to the Progressive Pointscore & Rankings (Below). Goto the latest AYGP Newsletter or the AYGP Update which notify's sailors when the regatta Photo Galleries are posted online after each of the ten selected regatta/races that score points.

2010/11 AYGP - Aug-Sept - Newsletter - Re-igniting the racing class
By AsianYachting Event Media
Every few years the Racing Class competitors at Asian regattas, go through a process of re-inventing themselves and surprisingly come up with even bigger and better solutions. The enjoyment of an all year round racing season, held at some of the finest tropical island resorts in Asia is attracting the attention of International racing teams as a great place to go and compete, especially over the corresponding winter months. Recently this process gained momentum when two high profile boat building companies introduced two new state of the art racing boat designs into the region and found up to four owners, willing to bring a racing crew together to campaign their boat at selected events on the Asian Racing Calendar. After the taste of International success at the Rolex Commodore's Cup in the UK, Nick Burns and Fred Kinmonth, intension is to bring the Mills 40, EFG Bank Mandrake to Hong Kong and join in the local racing scene. Sam Chan has purchased a latter version TP 52 Ffreefire and successfully competed on the 2010 Giraglia Rolex Cup in Europe (See video) before packing her up and shipping to Hong Kong. Read all about it, in the Aug-Sept AYGP Newsletter...

July 2010 AYGP Update - Spectacular start to 2010-11 Season
By AsianYachting Event Media
Throughout SS Phuket Raceweek the overall lead in the IRC Racing class, seesawed between Scott Duncanson's Phuket 8 Quantum Fusion M and Ben Copley's Swan CS 42 Katsu. Coming into the final storm swept day, Copley's Katsu had a two point lead over Duncanson's Quantum Fusion M. The previous day Antony Hastings' Beneteau First 53 F5 Baby Tonga went out determined to put in a good showing in the fresh conditions to hold onto third overall with Ray Waldron's brand new Phuket 8 Surf Patrol improving with every race and nipping on the leaders heels. Final podium placing's were dependant on how many races could be run on the last day. Scott Duncanson managed to keep his Phuket 8 Quantum Fusion M upright and sailed conservatively during the height of the storm to take Race 7 handicap honours. Ben Copley's Katsu took line honours and second place, but Duncanson was closing in fast. The race committee were set up and almost ready to hold Race 8 when the second storm struck and had to abandon proceedings. Copley finally ditched Katsu's bridesmaid role and took home the overall Racing Class trophy. Antony Hastings Baby Tonga did enough in the earlier races to take third spot on the podium. Under the new scoring system the first five boats now score points towards the Evolution Sails AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards. Also goto the SS Raceweek 2010 - AY Photo Gallery is posted at: http://asianyachting.com/photos/photo.htm?PRW10

2010/11 AYGP - July 2010 - Newsletter - Evolution Sails sponsors new Skipper & Yacht of the Year trophy
By AsianYachting Event Media
We proudly announce that Evolution Sails have come onboard as trophy sponsor for the 2010-11 AYGP Championship to be known as the Evolution Sails AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards. They have also signed up for a years worth of Internet advertising in AsianYachting monthly publications and Race Reports. We will still be presenting the Perpetual AYGP Cup filled with chilled champagne and the Armani Koh Samui blue blazer at the gala Sawadee.com Regatta 2010 Samui season ending prize presentation. The new trophy will be the one that the winning skipper can take home with them and display in their trophy cabinet. Winning these awards is considered a very special honour, where skippers and boat owners are rewarded for running a successful racing campaign over 10 regatta's held in SE & E Asian waters each year. As these prestigious awards go way beyond cheap plastic trophy's, we are considering a design competition amongst budding artists living in the SE Asian region, to make it not only a memorable and unique occasion but also worthy of displaying in the office back home. We welcome any interest from designers and artists that would like to get involved with the trophy design competition by contacting info@asianyachting.com Six Senses Phuket Raceweek kicks off the 2010-11 AYGP Championship this week from Wednesday 21st to Sunday 25th July as the elegant Six Senses Evason Resort plays host on the south east coast of Phuket. Goto 2010/11 AYGP - July 2010 - Newsletter

As one season ends, the next one begins
Six Senses Phuket Raceweek (21 to 25 July) is the first regatta in the 2010/2011 AsianYachting Grand Prix Championship, fabulous value ‘earlybird’ discounts on entry fees for boats and crew registration are now open via http://www.phuketraceweek.com/ For those who don’t have a boat in Phuket, there are numerous competitive yachts – from IRC to cruising, monohull and multihull – available to charter, either with skipper or bareboat. As well as competitors engaging in four days of battle on the heavenly waters off Phuket’s south east coast, the high octane and adrenaline pumping racing at the ‘Summer Season’ regatta will be complimented by Jaguar unveiling the All New XJ series and give VIP guests the opportunity to see, drive and enjoy the latest addition to Jaguar’s timeless selection of sports and saloon cars. Check them out at: http://www.phuketraceweek.com and make sure you don't miss out on this season opening gala occasion.

Ray Roberts and Evolution Racing clean up in Samui...
By AsianYachting Event Media
June 5th 2010: Despite almost wiping out the bowsprit on the startboat in the prestart maneuvers and coming close to ending their challenge for the title, Ray Roberts TP52 Evolution Racing went on to finish both races, a mere boat length in front of arch rival Neil Pryde's Welbourn 52 Hi Fi, to claim the trifecta, Sawadee.com Regatta 2010, Samui Racing Class title as well as pick up both the AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards. Talk about close, it does not get much closer than that! Having that little edge going upwind makes all the difference and despite Neil Pryde employing close covering tactics and splitting to either side, when the boats came back together again, it was Evolution Racing that prevailed over Hi Fi. Also after Hi Fi's rating was increased by the IRC during their annual renewal to be the same as Evolution Racing it seems to have demoralized the Hi Fi crew a little.

However they did not have it all their own way as Frank Pong's 76ft Jelik II jumped up to claim a win in Race 9 and the Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth co-owned Mills 51 EFG Mandrake slotted into second place. This result had a few heads turning and some pointscore recalculations to see what could happen on the last race of the regatta. All bets were off when Frank Pong steered Jelik II down the wrong side of the finish boat and failed to correct the mistake. Undeterred the dueling duo carried on gybe for gybe in close quarters right down to the finish line, when Roberts took the advantage and crossed a few seconds in front. Wow! What a race and the spectators gave a sigh of relief as they were held in suspense throughout the thrilling final. Goto AY Race Reports and AYGP Photo Gallery on Facebook of the trophy presentation.

Historical data - previous winners
The AYGP first came together during the 2002-03 season when Peter Ahern and YO! became the inaugural Asian champion skipper and yacht of the year. He then followed it up during the 2003-04 season and Sam Chan's Freefire took out the Yacht of the year with higher points but as he shared the skippers role with his sailing master did not score enough points to become the Skipper of the year. Neil Pryde completed the double during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons with Hi-Fidelity and Hi-Fi Team Pryde respectively. In 2006-07 Frank Pong's Jelik clinched victory as it came down to the last race at the final event at Koh Samui. Ray Roberts DK46 Quantum Racing became the winner of the sixth running over the 2007-08 season after coming close on several occasions. After serious modifications last season Neil Pryde and Hi Fi with a record 20 points have dominated the 2008-09 year to capture the title with two events to run. In 2009-10 Ray Roberts TP52 Evolution Racing claimed the trifecta, by winning the Sawadee.com Regatta 2010, Samui Racing Class title as well as pick up both the 2009-10 AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards.

This season there are ten selected 5-star AY Grand Prix racing class events, so its anybodies guess who will don the tailored Armani Koh Samui Blue Blazer and receive the Perpetual AY Cup traditionally filled with chilled champagne at the magnificent prize giving party on the lawns of the Centara Grand Beach Resort at the Koh Samui Regatta in June 2011.

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