5th
Top of The Gulf Regatta 2009
AY Pre-Race Report
Ready
to rock and roll...
30 April 09: As the street protestors in Thailand seem
to be the only news on mainstream media these days, it is yet again left
to the sailing fraternity to reassure the rest of the world, that Thailand's
popular tropical resort cities are open for business and operating normally.
Despite issuing International travel warnings, life away from the main
streets of Bangkok goes on as per usual. Chairman of the TOG Organizing
Committee, William J. Gasson.was singularly up-beat about this year’s
event, the fifth such.to be contested of Ocean Marina Yacht Club. “TOG
continues to attract sailors and guests, numbering more than 500 Thai
and International sailors, with entries from all around Asia, including
Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore”. Bill also
confirmed that
”Pattaya remains a popular destination and one of Asia’s best
sailing venues"
The
stage is set and nothing can stop Thailand’s only all-class regatta
which incorporates three trophies including the prestigious HM The King
- Royal Sponsored ‘Platu Coronation Cup’, ‘TOG Regatta
Trophy’ as well as the ‘Optimist National Championship’
for junior sailors from going ahead. It is also the second event on the
annual Raimon Land One Design PLATU Championship which is the biggest
One Design fleet regularly racing in Asia that produces exceptionally
close and exciting racing in warm waters and good winds. There will be
nine classes over the four days of racing, including IRC Keelboats, Cruising,
Sports Boat, Platu, Ocean Multihull, Beach Catamaran, Dinghies, Optimist
and the King's designed Super Mod. Racing will be held on three different
courses, some as close as 500m from the Ocean Marina breakwater (Spectators
welcome), and each will have its own race management team.
This
year the TOTGR became the 8th event on the 2008-09
AsianYachting Grand Prix Championships.as organisers hoped
to attract the top racing class yachts to the historic home of sailing
in the Gulf of Thailand waters,.where many champions (Including HM the
King) have successfully raced. Local media have dubbed the AYGP as 'The
sailing equivalent to Formula 1', were the annual Champion Skipper and
Yacht of the Year are crowned. By winning the President's Cup and scoring
podium places at all major regattas included in the AYGP Championship
this season Neil Pryde and his Welbourne 52 Hi Fi have rapped
up the 2008-09 Skipper and Yacht of the Year award with two regattas left
to run. However this will not deter the IRC Racing Classes from going
out and making a good fight of it and perhaps we will see some new faces
on the podium blocks. CYCA Commodore Matt Allen's Beneteau 44.7 Ichi
Ban has arrived and having won every Asian regatta they have entered
could be penciled in as favourite in the mixed company of IRC boats contesting
here. Eight skippers and yachts have scored points so far in the Championships,
that fairly grades competing boat owners ability to successfully run a
racing campaign in Asian waters each season. Check out the scores at:
http://asianyachting.com/news/AYGP08-09.htm
Some
skipers have had trouble with there yachts delivery across the South China
Sea, this time of the year but are undeterred and more than ever determined
to race in one way or other. A turn for the books sees Aussie Ray Roberts
and reigning AYGP Champion chartering a Platu 25 to take on 14 other highly
competitive racing teams for the hotly contested Coronation Cup. Hope
he has chosen some agile and fit crew members as the Platu can be a real
handful especially in a breeze. Last year's winner, Scott Duncanson is
returning on the Raimon Land sponsored The Lofts Southshore and
as they are proving very hard to beat and cleaned up most of the RL One
Design PLATU Championship events held so far, will be firmly starting
as favorites. Some of the Singapore, Malaysian, Japanese, Australian and
Thai teams are the best of the best from those nations and not likely
to let Scott, ferret away the title without a fight.
The
recent influx of Vietnamese built Corsair trimarans will see a healthy
Ocean Multihull class take to the water. If the breeze is in, these boats
will be the fastest and can easily be identified as the ones with all
the spray flying off the bows as they sail along on a knife edge or two.
Despite all these nifty lightweight trimarans showing a turn of speed,
Kirati Assakul's heavier displacement catamaran Sonic is not
only Ocean Marina's flagship but also won the title last year, by consistently
taking podium places and wearing down the opposition during events they
enter. Radab Kanjanavanit's Cedar Swan will be one to watch as
they have won all of the major regattas in Thailand at least once and
if conditions suite will be knocking on the door for further success.
Off
the beach catamarans
and a wide range of dinghies account for many of the 300+ boats on the
water over the four day event, which also includes His Majesty the King's
own design the Super Moth, which is a stepping stone class for many Thai
sailors prior to competing in the Olympics and regional games. The region's
top Optimist racers will be competing in fleets of over 100 boats for
the National Championships.
Teen-age 'Terror' 2008 champion Noppakao Poonpat won both the overall,
Thai and the female class, so there is expected to be a major fight back
by the boys to defend their honour in 2009.
Principal sponsors,
supporting Raimon Land, are host Club the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, the
Bank of Ayudhya and PTT Exploration. This year's regatta is also supported
by Thai Airways, Gulf Charters, Seat Boats, Grampian Foods, Singha Beer,
QBE Insurance, Nivea, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Buzzcats Thailand and
Corsair Yachts. Media partners are Asia Boating, The Nation, SEA Yachting
and AsianYachting
with valuable support from the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, Pattaya
City, The Royal Thai Navy and Royal Varuna Yacht Club.
More TOTGR
2009 news and results can be found at: http://www.topofthegulfregatta.com
TOTGR
09 Photo Gallery: http://www.asianyachting.com/photos/photo.htm?TOTGR09
Race
Report 4 & Summary: http://asianyachting.com/news/TOTGR09/4.htm
Race Report 3: http://asianyachting.com/news/TOTGR09/3.htm
Race Report 2: http://asianyachting.com/news/TOTGR09/2.htm
Race Report 1: http://asianyachting.com/news/TOTGR09/1.htm
April Press Release: http://asianyachting.com/news/TOTGR09/PR.htm
AY
Race Reports are proudly sponsored by the following advertisers.
AsianYachting
Ventures Sdn. Bhd.
(Co. No. 627106-T)
A 308 PD Perdana Condo Resort, Jln Pantai, 71050, Pt Dickson, Malaysia
Tel: 6 06 6477701 Email: info@asianyachting.com
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