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Optimist Championship opens at
Pattaya
Story and Photos by
Peter Cummins
It was indeed a splendid occasion at the Royal Varuna
Yacht Club’s seaside facilities at South Pattaya last Sunday when some
50 under-16-year-olds gathered for the opening and flag-raising ceremony
of the Eleventh ASEAN Optimist Championship.
Although a low pressure front started to move towards
the Gulf and low clouds scudded around the horizon, the opening went
beautifully, with the six teams immaculately dressed in their national
colours. Teams from the ASEAN region are Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and
Thailand, which as host country, is allowed two teams. Japan is the only
non-ASEAN country to compete. This fact indicates how our northern
neighbour, in just a few years, has risen to being one of the top
countries in Asia to promote yacht racing at all levels - from the tiny
Optimists to the mighty America’s Cup yachts, now struggling for
superiority in the challenge round in New Zealand.
Myanmar
closes in on Malaysia in the team racing event. Photo Peter Cummins
Vice Admiral Sombat Chaiyasap, Secretary-General of the
organizing authority, the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (YRAT),
presided over the ceremony.
YRAT, in fact, has sponsored the 50 Optimist dinghies
being used which are in superb condition, having been newly-imported for
the Thirteenth Asiad last December.
This present championship, which ends today, represents
the fifth time such a prestigious event has come to Thai shores. The first
International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) world championship ever
held in Asia was sailed off Jomtien in November-December, 1979.
Thereafter, the Third Asian Championship in 1992 and the Sixth and Seventh
ASEAN Championships were held off Royal Varuna Yacht Club, South Pattaya
in 1993 and 1994, respectively.
Jaray
Tipsook (L) & Poul Evers say it “like it is”.
Al Chandler, the driving force behind development of the Optimist
fleets in Thailand, pointed out during the opening ceremony that the
organizing committee of the event “encourages all ASEAN countries to
participate in the competition so that our children may improve their
sailing, enjoy our diverse cultures and share the camaraderie that this
Championship offers.”
Mr Chandler also said that each country of ASEAN was
permitted to send one team of five sailors, born in 1984 or later. The
youngest of the almost- 50 children competing, is eight-year-old Thai
sailor Phurich Polpitaksiri and the ‘oldster’ among them is
Myanmar’s Nay Lin Hiet who, at the ripe old age of 15 years, six months
and some days, is just two days older than Japan’s Masahiro Nishimura.
Thai
team manager Jaray Tipsook introduces “the troops”.
There are many little ladies among the contestants from
all countries and they are highly competitive, too!
Poul Evers, long associated with the junior sailing
programmes world-wide, flew in from Denmark to assist the race management
and conduct some training courses during the regatta.
Of course, the “Pattaya Mail” was there in full
force, to record the event for television and the print media.
One huge advantage yachting has over any other outdoor
sport: no matter how hard or for how long it rains, the “pitch” is no
wetter than on a fine day, as these hardy little sailors learned when they
set out in blinding rain last Monday morning for the first event: the team
racing.
The
ASEAN Opti Championship management team.
The organizing committee commended the number of individual sponsors
who came forward to assist the Thai teams with boat charter, expenses and
entry fees. These are Al and Sue Chandler, Peter Feddersen, Dr Somphob
Intaraprasong, Ryoichi Ishii, Christopher J. King, Charn Soponpanich,
Ralph Tye and Harold Vickery, whose ongoing support for Thai junior
sailing has been instrumental in staging this exciting event.
Results
of the One Day Team Racing event:
1. Singapore, 5-0 (defeated
Malaysia, Thai-A, Thai-B, Japan, Myanmar)
2. Japan, 4-1 (defeated Myanmar, Thai-A, Thai-B, Malaysia)
3. Malaysia, 3-2 (defeated Myanmar, Thai-A. Thai-B)
4. Thailand B, 2-3 (defeated Thai-A, Myanmar)
5. Thailand A, 1-4 (defeated Myanmar)
6. Myanmar, 0-5 |
A day in the History of Lao Rugby
by Caroline Cawly & friends
Saturday 19th of June 1999 will go down in Lao’s
history as National Rugby Day. This was the first ever International Rugby
match recognized by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and was
attended by the Minister of Sport. It was played in the National Stadium
by kind permission of the LPDR to an enthusiastic audience. The Pattaya
Panthers and the Bangkok Corsairs took on the arduous task of playing the
Vientiane Buffaloes, considering that they had only a compliment of 9
between them and had one casualty before they even left Bangkok.
Although the majority of the Pattaya Panthers take the
game of rugby quite seriously, this weekend was an exception, as it seems
a breakaway group decided to enjoy every minute of their weekend and take
the rugby in their stride. This faction is better known as the Pattaya
Panthers Party Party (PPPP’s).
Pattaya
Panthers welcome to Laos.
It all started with ‘One Night in Bangkok’ and for
one Belgian player, who will remain nameless, it turned out to be two
nights in Bangkok. An American member of the team treated the weekend as a
mini holiday and from hence forth his boyish antics seemed to take over as
he badgered every member of the team by asking, “Who has the airline
tickets? I wonder who collected the airline tickets?” etc. This broken
record was played until 30 minutes before the flight when he decided to
produce the tickets himself. They say there is a child in each one of us?
As our flights were early on Saturday morning we had to
kill the hours between 8pm Friday and 6.30am Saturday. It went like
this... Wine, Guinness, Beer, Margarita, Tequila Shots, Night Clubs and 15
minutes kip before an alarm call at 5.45am. This is a very important step
in the PPPP’s pre-match preparations; “Get plenty of the old black
stuff (Guinness) inside you to enhance playing performance” ...they say
it’s full of iron and the Lao Rugby Football Union hasn’t declared it
an illegal drug...yet. Unfortunately for one critical player 15 minutes
sleep didn’t seem to be enough. As it was the Belgian’s first time in
Bangkok the trip enthralled him and he had a difficult decision to make,
forget rugby in Lao or continue to party in Bangkok. He chooses the
latter, like any true PPPP member.
Pattaya
Panthers Jeremy Corbel (Australian holiday-maker), Adrian Sparrow and
Chris Ullyat recover from their mud bath.
We flew by Thai Airways to Udon Thani, which is 55km
south of the Vientiane boarder crossing at the Friendship Bridge at Nong
Khai. A Transit Visa can be purchased at the boarder crossing at a cost of
$30 for a maximum stay of 10 days. Our hosts, the Vientiane Buffaloes were
there to meet us at the crossing and the journey on to Vientiane took
about 30 minutes by minibus.
Vientiane is one of the three classic Indochinese
cities (the others being Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Pen) that most
strongly conjure up images of exotic Eurasian settings. Vientiane is
laid-back in atmosphere and in time. About 50 years to be exact. The city
curves along the Mekong River and some French colonial buildings and
Chinese shop houses remain, along with the newer structures built
according the Social Realist school of architecture.
As breakfast was missed by all, so the Vientiane
ex-pats brought us for brunch at a Scandinavian Bakery. There we listened
to wild stories of how the match had been widely publicized in Vientiane
with the National Press and local T.V. attending the afternoon’s game.
The PPPP started shifting and whispering nervously, wondering had they
taken their pre-match preparations seriously enough? But as one PP pointed
out, “it was better to be hungover and play the game than sober and have
second thoughts”.
The more professional and well-seasoned members among
us tried to discuss basic tactics, but a larger problem loomed at hand, we
were now only to 8 players in a game that required 13. If only we could
get that gray matter to work.
An Australian spectator on holiday in Lao was coerced
into joining our team of renegades. At this stage we had eight Pattaya
Panthers, two Bangkok Corsair’s, one unwilling Australian (who was about
to loose his long-term girlfriend over his decision to play) and four
leftovers from the Vientiane Buffaloes. What a sorry lot we were.
One of the Corsairs who seemingly suffers from nerves
prior to important games decided to ‘chuck-up’ a couple of times on
the pitch in front of the Vientiane Team. This, of course, has nothing to
do with the fact that he had a large creamy piece of quiche and a couple
of beers for lunch. He seemingly hasn’t read the book ‘Real Men
Don’t Eat Quiche’ by Feirstein and Lorenz. I myself think it was a
very cleaver tactic from a team who had nothing else too loose and all to
gain. It really showed the Vientiane Buffaloes what stomach churning rugby
they were about to face.
Fortunately the PPPP have a couple of well-seasoned
players in the form of our team captain Malcolm and our chief organizer
Chris Ullyat. They put some semblance on a team ready for the slaughter.
Now for the more serious part of the weekend... the
game. And someone who knows something about rugby and a lot about
pre-match preparations writes the commentary.
Too set the scene, as it was Monsoon season in
Vientiane not only were there angry dark gray clouds hovering overhead,
but the National Pitch was bathing in at least 2 inches of water from
previous rainfalls. As the rugby players trudged through the muck, water
leapt about two feet into the air with each giant stride.
The first quarter got underway with a vengeful and
determined Vientiane side (they were previously beaten by the Pattaya
Panthers) getting straight into the flow of things with their mauling
tactics.
The Pattaya pack contained the Buffaloes early on but
the surging runs made by the opposition forwards began to tell. Wave upon
wave of loose forwards broke into the Panthers line and stout defending
was needed from Gordon of the Corsairs and Charlie to hold out the
runners. The game edged towards half time without a score.
The Pattaya replacements came on and the team was
shuffled around. Into the second half the rain really came down, much to
the delight of the players on the field. With more tough battles in the
front line, Fergal came to the fore with one crunching tackle after
another to deny the Buffaloes, but eventually the Pattaya line broke, as
the Vientiane full-back went down the wing to slide over the opening try.
Pattaya fought back in the mud and rain. The tough
tackling Gordon put his old school friend and Buffalo scrum half in a
desperate search for a dentist as he knocked two front teeth out. But it
was the Buffaloes who found the next breakthrough once again on the wing
where the last tackler slid and missed his man. The Buffaloes now had
their tails up and were soon to be given a very disputable penalty try, as
our tourist Jeremy slid through the mud and took the player out of the
game with a soccer style tackle. Some were to disagree with the decision
with international referee Garfield.
Despite Vientiane playing so well it was left to the
mercurial Chris Ullyat to score the last points of the game as he drove
through 4 tackles on a 30 yard sprint for the line.
But on their first game on Laotian soil it was a
deserved Buffalo win. The Panthers are left thinking what could have been
if not for Bangkok on the Friday night.
The party celebrations after the match were a glitzy
affair, with the PP in full dress-suit attire (specially purchased for the
event). The Lao Organizing Committee had prepared a star studded guest
list and everybody who was anybody was invited. It commenced with a
pre-dinner wine reception held in a cavern wine cellar, where the wine
(imported from France) seemed to flow like water. From there we were
transported by four-wheel drive to the banquet in the Lao Hotel. After a
splendid dinner followed by more wine and beer the formal ceremonies took
place.
Speeches were made by the Lao Minister of Sport, and
were translated into French and then into English. The presentation to the
PP as runners-up was a specially commissioned horn, which now takes up a
prized position in Delaney’s Pub Pattaya (our generous sponsors).
Unfortunately the horn took a little topple on the return flight when it
was being passed from player to player. The base fell on a passenger’s
head and the horn dropped into another passenger’s dinner.... oops, the
PPPP strike again. So all of you who haven’t seen it get on down to the
rugby corner in Delaney’s.
We also took the prestigious honor of ‘Man of the
Match’ in the form of one large Irishman whose tactics include tackling
anybody and everybody regardless of whether they had the ball or not.
There were a few minor injuries but it was worth the risk for the title.
The professionalism and organizational skills of the
Vientiane Rugby Club shone through for the entire weekend, and is a lesson
for all Rugby Clubs inviting guest teams to play on their territory. Not
only did they meet us at the boarder crossing into Lao, but they also
booked and vetted our accommodation, chaperoned us to lunch, organized
transport to and from the National Stadium and wined and dined us like
royalty. What more can you ask for? Another weekend just like this one,
please!
So come and join us at rugby training on Tuesday nights at the
Ambassador Hotel. Ladies Touch Rugby commences at 6pm and Men’s Rugby at
7pm. For further information please contact Kim at Delaney’s Pattaya.
PSC entry takes 1st and 2nd in the Deep
Sea Fishing Tournament
Three boats with fourteen Anglers aboard were entered
in the October by-weekly Pattaya Sports Club Deep Sea Fishing Tournament
held Wednesday October 20. Fishermen were treated to a beautiful day out
on a calm sea with cool sea breezes blowing.
Heinz Albertz, fishing with the PSC entry, landed a
beautiful 15 pound Big Eye Tuna to take first place individual honors for
the day. Johann Reichelt, fishing with the same team, took second place
with a nice 5 pound Red Snapper. The team landed an additional 10 pounds
of smaller fish to make a total weight for the day 30 pounds; enough to
take the sponsors trophy. Also fishing on the PSC team were Carl Engel,
Angela Engel, Frank Collins and Pla Choeijiam. This team was fishing on
Captain Mot’s boat.
Heinz
Albertz, fishing with the PSC, landed a beautiful 15 pound Big Eye Tuna to
take first place in the October by-weekly Pattaya Sports Club Deep Sea
Fishing Tournament held Wednesday October 20.
Middy Campbell, captain of the SGP fishing team, landed
a 24 pound Ray for the Special Category top prize. Other members of the
team were Carl Stuckless, Brian Clayton, Terry Sylvester and Sue Stuckless.
The SGP team also landed some smaller fish weighing in at 8 pounds. The
SGP team fished off Captain Dang’s boat.
The Bull Ring Bar team captain Brian Lebouf landed a
nice 4 pound Queen Fish but was not quite enough to place in the running.
Included on the Bull Ring team were Jan Andersen and Jim Randell. The Bull
Ring team had a total of 13 pounds of fish. They were fishing on Captain
Jong’s boat.
The next PSC Deep-Sea Fishing Tournament is scheduled
for Sunday November 7, 1999, so come join the fun.
To enter please contact Carl Engel PSC fishing chairman at phone
410-228, fax 426-121, or e-mail [email protected], or drop by Caf้
Atlantis on Soi 15 in South Pattaya, the SGP Caf้ or the Bull Ring
Bar on Soi Yodsak in North Pattaya to register for the tournament and talk
about the one that got away.
Ferrari’s reinstatement - the real
reason?
Following the sensational disqualification of both
Ferrari’s (Eddie Irvine 1st place and Michael Schumacher in 2nd) after
the Malaysian Grand Prix two weeks ago came the even more sensational
reinstatement of both the drivers and the Ferrari’s Team points.
This means that as the Formula 1 circus gears up for
the finale this weekend in Japan, either Irvine or Hakkinen (McLaren
Mercedes) will come away as World Champion. A wonderful finish to a very
incident packed Formula 1 year.
The Ferrari case was upheld by the international judges
in the Court of Appeal as they successfully showed that the scrutineers
did not measure the bodywork correctly, and in addition, their measuring
equipment was not sufficiently accurate to measure the tolerances allowed
in the first place.
Will
it be Irvine on the podium again?
So, the presumed finger pointers, McLaren Mercedes,
have returned suitably chastised to their lair, the Championship and
Constructors title still undecided. Their “friends” in the courtroom,
the Stewart Team, likewise cast down, having lost 1.5 million pounds with
the demotion of their drivers. The Williams Team, “supporters” of
Ferrari, go back to being within striking distance of Stewart and Bernie
Ecclestone gets the dream promotional package to end the series.
Unfortunately, the name may be Motor “Sport”, but
the actions of the teams have shown it to be a long way removed from that
concept.
The race will be run at 2.00 p.m. local time in Japan. That should be
the equivalent of noon in Pattaya with the lead up commencing at 11 a.m.
The big screen in Delaney’s Pub on 2nd Road is a good place to view the
World Championship shoot-out!
Golfers Love The King
Eastern Star Golf Course Ban Chang cordially invites
all golfers to celebrate the auspicious occasion of The King’s 72nd
birthday by participating in a charity golf event entitled Golfers Love
The King.
The event takes place on Sunday 28th November 1999.
Proceeds of the event will be presented to various
projects initiated and supported by His Majesty the King.
Your donation of Baht 1,499 is inclusive of green fee,
a gift package consisting of a certificate of allegiance, a specially
designed golf shirt and a cap as a memento and a French food voucher for
the Club House Restaurant.
For non-golfers, a donation of Baht 1,000 will receive
a gift package consisting of a certificate of allegiance, a specially
designed golf shirt and a cap as a memento.
For more information please call (038) 630-411-6 fax
(038) 630-417-8, contact Khun Nonglak, Malinee, Pattanee, or Siriporn.
Please make reservations and bookings from now until October 31,1999.
Café Kronborg finishes 2nd round on top
Pattaya Sports Club Darts League
Following previous form, Mick’s Place and Kronborg
both won on the second to last night of the second round, while Thistle
challenged Pleasure Dome for the third spot. The result of this match was
the second draw of the season, leaving Pleasure Dome and Thistle as they
were before, third and fourth respectively. Song of Mick’s joined the
list of 180 achievers in a match which saw some solid pegging in the later
matches, especially in the doubles from Mick’s. Standings: Mick’s
Place 16, Kronborg 15, Pleasure Dome 8, Thistle 7, Londoner 6 and Kennel
Dogs 2.
The last game of the second round saw the two leaders
play each other. Kronborg won the match, helped out by a 180 thrown by
Boo, thus taking the lead (17) from Mick’s Place (16). Pleasure Dome
(10) defeated Londoner (6) while Kennel Dogs (4) beat Thistle (7) for no
change in the order of the last four.
The season resumes on the 1st of November following a night off to
enjoy the Drawn Pairs for Pattaya Sports Club members held at the Cafe
Kronborg on 25 October. For more info, contact PSC Darts Chairman Len
Banfield, Phone 420-432
International leader board at PGS outing
PSC Pattaya golf Society from the Bunker
The Bunker boys went to the delightful Natural Park
Resort on Tuesday, 19 October to play a Stableford competition. A large
field once again turned out. With the wet conditions there were no golf
carts allowed and the scores were respectively low.
However, a truly international field competed: in
Division 2, Icelandic Jens Gunnarsson won with 34 points. Belgian Remy
came second, whilst England’s Brian and Bill finished joint third.
In Division 1, Sweden’s Andres Karlsson scored 34
points for the win. American John Kendall was second and Lancashire Lad
Wilf Latham was third. Wilf would like to thank Richard for improving his
short game.
Wilf won a nearest the pin, as did Jens, Bruce and
Welshman George Meigh.
It must be added that when asked for his score, Wilf
replied 96, which appeared a record Stableford score. However, Wilf and
his playing partner Paul Butler were playing medal, and when informed he
had been playing the wrong game, Wilf was heard to say, “EE BYE GUM”.
Kendall snatches victory on count back
PSC TAGGS... golf from the hare House
Wednesday, October 20 - Phoenix Golf and
Country Club (Bogey)
1st: John Kendall, All Square
2nd: Murray Kerr, All Square
3rd: Peder Christiansson, All Square
On Wednesday, October 20, the gentlemen from the Hare
House each participated in a match against the course at Phoenix. Playing
the popular bogey format, a small field of fifteen golfers had a go at
this wide open layout, but no one was able to beat the rough and the wind
which remain as Phoenix’s best defenses.
Three golfers finished the day “All Square”, with
John Kendall winning the Knotted Putter Trophy on count back. Se๑or
Kendall is part of the large ex-pat community in Costa Rica and is long
overdue to be back there and reunited with his lady. The problem is with
the torrential rains, flooding, and devastating mud slides that have wiped
out the golf courses in Costa Rica. John is still licensed to practice law
in California and apparently has not lost any of his ability to be a
silver tonged devil. He emails his girlfriend in Costa Rica with pleas for
understanding and tries to bolster his closing arguments with as many
appearances on the Pattaya Mail sports page as possible. “See honey, all
I do over here in Thailand is play golf”.
Also finishing at “All Square” and taking second
place in the count back was Canadian Murray Kerr. “Muffy”, playing off
twelve, shot a fine round of 84 off the sticks and continues the good form
he showed in winning Stan’s Birthday Scramble last week. He has also
been popping up on the TAGGS leader board lately, and it just a matter of
time before he capture’s his first major.
Third spot went to Danish sandwich gourmet Peder Christiansson. This
was Peder’s first appearance on the podium at the Hare House, but we
suspect it will not be his last. Peder shot a gross 79 off his seven
handicap to finish at “All Square” with John Kendall and Murray Kerr.
John won first place with a back nine of Plus One. Murray finish the back
nine even with the course. And Peder played the back in Down One.
Congratulations Dr. Doom and the Hare
House
It’s the top of the third in Game 1 of the World
Series, the premier event in “America’s pastime” - baseball. There
is an estimated television audience of well over 6 million viewers
throught the world. Chuck Knoblauch of the NY Yankees is at the plate with
one out, a runner in scoring position at second, and the score tied at
zero. Greg Maddux is on the mound for the Atlanta Braves. Runs in this
series will be hard to come by given the quality of the two team’s
pitching staffs. If the Yankees can take the lead, it will be big.
Game announcer Gary Miller, during what is the first
tense moment of the series, turns to his partner and says, “Kenny, we
got a question from Thailand. Dr. Doom and all the boys at the Hare
House...”
Kenny interrupts him, “That sounds like a fun
place.”
Gary continues, “I think we ought to go there. They
wanted an update on what will happened with the DH in the American
League...”
Kenny gives his reply as Knoblauch flies out. Two down,
Scott Brosius is still on second. The second best hitter in the American
League, Derrick Jeter comes to the plate.
Gary Miller says, with as much excitement as he ever
shows, “Can we get a trip to visit the boys at the Hare House?
H-A-R-E,” he elucidates.
Kenny replies, “Where? In Thailand?”
Gary answers, “Pattaya, Thailand. Thanks for the
email. That just sounds like our kind of place.”
Congratulations to Dr. Doom and the Hare House.
Although you were already world famous, now you have proof.
Steve and the crew at the Hare House have a videotape of this “World
(Series) Famous” moment, so anyone who would like to share in this fun
can stop on by and have a look. Who knows, maybe in a week or two, Gary
and Kenny might turn up.
Copyright 1999 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by Boonsiri
Suansuk |
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