5th Top of The Gulf Regatta 2009
AY Race Report 3

Time to post some good results..
03 May 09: Being the penultimate day of racing it is of paramount importance that good results for the final races count towards the overall score. These mid series scores can either make or break ones chances of winning a medal. Most of the classes went off and enjoyed an island passage race that consisted of a long run / reach down to the islands, then two windward beats to get back to the finish. Ten to fifteen knots fanned them along and Phil from Gulf Charters summed it up as "It does not get much better than this". Unfortunately for Peter Dywer the day was ruined when the mast on his Firefly 820 Sea Property came tumbling down, especially after taking over the overall lead in the Ocean Multihull Class yesterday. After suffering the same fate yesterday David Wales C750S The Sting was back on the water today after making some quick repairs overnight.

There is no holding back on Matt Allen's Beneteau 44.7 Ichi Ban and his Aussie rockstar crew from the CYCA. Five wins out of five races means they have all but rapped up the Racing Class title and added further silverware to the very large trophy cabinet in Sydney. Consistently scoring second places Pascal Leray's Jarkan 38 Breakaway has secured second overall and is the best of the local boats by far. Third place today for Gary Baguely's Holman & Pye El Coyote lifts them to third overall displacing Espen Sanderberg's Phuket 8 Vino to fourth overall.

A battle royal has developed between Ray Roberts Wikki Quantum Racing and Scott Duncanson's reigning TOTG champion The Ferret. Both have traded first and second places in today's two races. Windward / leeward courses had the boats closing on the Jomtien Beach shoreline. Several big shifts in the uncharacteristic North East breeze saw boats recording big gains and losses as they choose to approach either from the sea or along the coast. The racing remains very close and getting a good start in clear air and working the shifts upwind are of paramount importance in the fourteen One Design fleet. The rest of the fleet have chopped and changed places during each race and a mid fleet scramble is on for the remaining top places. Two fourth places for Khun Aek's Naiad has them holding onto third overall but the pressure is on from Singapore's Max Soh sailing Magic Dragon six up, who trail Naiad by only one point.

The long passage race has produced a new set of podium places in the Ocean Multihull class. Henry Kaye's C28R Zenith tops the score sheet with Kirati Assakul Sonic excelling in the fresh breeze and long legs to claim second spot. Bob Garner's C750S Blade Runner IV filled third spot after a slow start to the regatta. Although Peter Dywer's Sea Property dropped the mast they still hold the overall lead as today's race becomes there drop race. As it is apparently repairable they will be back on the water tomorrow and hope to hold onto the lead. Radab Kanjanavanit may have something to say about that as his F9-A Cedar Swan has closed into one point despite scoring fourth place today. Victory today for Henry Kaye's C28R Zenith sees them advance to third overall so it really comes down to the results of tomorrows final races to determine the overall podium places.

In the IRC Racing 2 Class, Leif Ho's RS Elite OD Carrena has held an upper hand all regatta. By adding another win to their tally they have stretched out a commanding lead going into the final races. After running mid fleet all regatta Nigel Hopkins Lightwave 48 Celere suddenly jumped up into second today, to a healthy round of applause. Damrongsak Pongwichlen's Farr MRX Thai Navy 1 holds onto second overall after scoring third place today. Fifth place for David Bell's Jeanneau 35 OD Magic Roundabout becomes his drop race and they still hold onto third overall. They will have to keep an eye on John Higham's RS Elite OD Prosecco who are one point away from taking third place away from them.

Two wins today for Singapore's Renfred Tay skippering Amanda has virtually rapped up the IRC Cruising Class. Clean starts, good speed and pointing ten degrees higher than the opposition has rewarded them thus far. Tetsuro Ogino's Sun Magic 44 Missy is the only one that has come close to toppling Amanda but may have to settle on second overall. Third place for Fredrik Anderson's Oceanis 46.1 Constanza keeps them in third overall.

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
Pre-Race Report: http://asianyachting.com/news/TOTGR09/0.htm
April Press Release: http://asianyachting.com/news/TOTGR09/PR.htm

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