Story and photos by Peter Cummins

Australians Peter and Juliet Bates, formerly domiciled in Thailand and now in Shanghai, led an Aussie rout of the Premier Fleet in the Hobie National Championships of Thailand, last weekend, narrowly beating another top team, Thailand-based Aussies David and Susan Race, with a REAL Aussie from Queensland, Hobie Cat Australasia chief, Steve Fields, equal on points with Race, third on the count-back. With the closeness of the finishes, one could say that when David won, Peter was ‘baiting’ him, for the catch at the next round!

Hobie Cat Nationals of Thailand 2003: a little congested on the start line.

In the “Silver” Division - and there were several “gray -hounds” of the Gulf in this fleet, able to match hair colour with the white-caps when the northerly crept over the 14-knot mark home-towner Ben Chandler, as was the case in the Premier Division, just edged out Hong Kong’s Dennis Wong, and Thailand’s Khun Arun and Suwan Popooksakul who, equal on points, finished third and fourth, respectively, on a count-back.

Sponsored by Hobie Cat Australasia and Blue Wave Water Sports Company, the Hobie Cat Nationals of Thailand, represented the biggest fleet of Hobie Cat 16s ever seen off the waters of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, last weekend - and it was certainly the closest, most exciting sailing seen for an eon.

First Thai team and second overall: Susan and David Race pose with the Race Management Committee.

With a determined effort by the Baguleys, Gary and son Adrian and a lot of help from Antony Chapman and Royal Varuna Sailing Secretary Dick van den Heuvel, an erstwhile derelict fleet of more than 30 Hobie Cat 16s, were ‘extracted’ (dentist-style) from the Varuna racks and ‘attacked’ with hundreds of kilos of glue, plied with new shrouds and fittings, and la voila, they were ready and willing to serve their new masters for the duration of the weekend.

Some 80 participants descended onto Varuna Beach and, it is a great tribute to Baguley and son, that only one craft was forced to retire: Whose? Antony Chapman’s: one of the principal forces behind ‘resurrecting’ the Hobie Fleet.

From near and far they came - Australia, Belgium, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, the Philippines, UK, and the USA - to join in and compete with a large contingent of Thai participants, including many of the above nationalities who sailed as Thais.

Superb race management by Dick van den Heuvel, David Wales and their cohorts, saw maximum advantage of the weather conditions: heavy cloud cover and light-to-moderate north-easterlies on the first day, followed by clear skies, stronger north-easterlies, with big westerly shifts on the Sunday. Ideal conditions which gave everyone the agile, the light-weights, the sluggish, the heavies and, even, the buffoons, a chance of the honours.

With good judgment, Dick set excellent courses, which allowed the top four - even up to the top eight - in each division to finish within seconds of each other and all races complete within his allocated time-frame.

The prime focus was on the two Premier Class leaders, Peter Bates and David Race, with their wives as their respective crews. There were only seconds between these two former national champions of Thailand, with Peter just down from a convincing triumph in the recently-held Asian Hobie Cat Asian Classic in Hong Kong.

“Luckily I had that event as a ‘warm-up’”, said Peter after the racing was over. “There is not a lot of Hobie Cat sailing in Shanghai,” he added, with his usual under-statement.

So too, for David who, although based in Thailand, has very little chance to sail and compete, his work schedule is so busy.

Thus, it was down to a battle between the Aussie Amazons and the Tassie Titans, with Peter and Juliet scraping in.

Furthermore, it was a clean championship, with a few minor skirmishes, which never reached the ears of the protest committee. Even the tanker, which loomed over the southern horizon, on a collision course with the start of the fifth race, promptly honoured the time-honoured sea-lore “steam gives way to sail” and veered towards Koh Larn on port side.

This highly-successful championship has ushered in a new era of yacht racing, marine development and an upsurge of activity in Thailand’s marine infrastructure sector. Spurred on by the “almost certainty” that the erstwhile punitive tax which was crippling the industry, will shortly be abolished, the opening of Thailand’s first-ever international boat show, the Phuket International Marine Expo 2003, in Phuket from 7 - 10 December and the upcoming seventeenth sailing of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta all bode well.

Furthermore, the hugely successful annual Koh Samui International Regatta and with regular keel-boat racing in the Northern Gulf off the Ocean Marina, added to Royal Varuna Yacht Club’s vigorous racing programmes, yacht racing and the related marine infrastructure are heading for an exponential surge. It is no wonder that the good folks at the Tourism Authority of Thailand are smiling!

Results, Thailand Hobie Cat Nationals 2003

Premier Class, first 10 only (POINTS, best five of six races):

1. Peter Bates (China, 8); 2. David Race (Thailand, 10); 3. Steve Fields (Aus, 10); 4. Damrongsak Wongtim (Tha, 24); 5. Mark Haswell (Philippines, 26); 6. Marcus Forster (Tha 26); 7. Tong Shing (Hong Kong, 34); 8. Simon Medd (Thailand, 38); 9. Bob Gardham (Oman, 42); 10. Jouke Postma (Thailand, 49).

Silver Fleet, first 10 only (Points, best five of six races):

1. Ben Chandler (Tha, 11); 2. Dennis Wong (Hong Kong, 13); 3. Khun Arun (Tha, 20); 4. Suwan Popooksakul (Tha, 20); 5. Alberto Cassio (Tha, 26); 6. Simon Carey (Tha, 34); 7. Jan de Bruin (Tha, 36); 8. Frank Teeewen (Tha, 37); 9. Aaron Frankel (Tha, 38); 10. Philipp Schenkers (Tha, 44).

Dirk, Pattaya Mail Oldies captain

When the Pattaya Mail Oldies arrived at the fields of the International Tournament in Bangkok we were introduced to what softball must be all about.

Pattaya Mail Oldies scored 7 runs against a defense that could compete with the best.

We saw teams do synchronized warm ups and stretch exercises while we were looking for a table and chairs to put our bags and trying to find out where the food and drink stalls were.

Our first game was against a team out of Taiwan. By the time we started the game we knew already we wouldn’t stand a chance, as the Taiwanese players started to pull out the most high tech equipment available on the modern softball market. After that they even started to pull out the best hitting any Pattaya player has ever seen. When finally Pattaya got to bat I must admit we did our utmost best as we managed to score 7 runs against a defense that could compete with the best. I will save you the trouble of telling you the final score but we lost a lot against our well deserved and hard fought for 7 runs.

Pattaya Mail Oldies team.

Our second game was set just one hour after our first game which didn’t give us any time to get over our first loss. It was against a team called Korean Heat. Well, the only thing I can say about the game is that the Korean team was really hot and we were not even in the game.

But anyway that first day of the tournament was a big experience for us. As we were now officially enrolled into the losers bracket we received the news that our next game would be on Saturday at 8 a.m. Now how can they ever expect a team from Pattaya to start playing at 8 a.m. while we would be aiming to achieve the unofficial trophy of most active team off the field at night? (The news wasn’t official yet but the Pattaya team had a high chance of getting that one.)

So, as expected, that morning we kind of lost half of the team, and the other half that was there was just there in body and not with the heart and for sure not with the head. Needless to say we also lost our third and last game with a big run differential.

I think, though, as a team we learned a lot during the tournament, made lots of new friends and met some old friends from years ago. As a captain of the team, I set out a goal for next year to set down a competitive Pattaya team and will go for it, as we now know what it takes to set down a real softball team.

I again would like to thank personally our sponsors: the Shark Club and the Dollhouse for providing us with shirts and of course the Pattaya Mail as for without them this adventure would have never taken place.

So again a big thank you to them and to the players who did commit and went through a lot to make this a fun experience. Thanks Alan, Tom, Don, Phil, Darel, Donny, Scott, Gil, Nigel, Sir John, Erik, Joe, Howard and Travis.

Brendan Richards

Bev Ewens visiting from the UK, much to his own disbelief took out this year’s trophy in the Can-Am Invitational Golf Tournament with a net 68.

Kerry Matisin (left), organizing committee chairman, presents Bev Ewens with the spoils of victory.

Now in its 23rd year, the Can-Am Invitational has become one of the landmark events on Thailand’s golf calendar, with participants flying in from all over the world to take part in this event.

The traditional stomping grounds at the Siam Country Club was the venue with over 200 golfers teeing off in two shotgun starts - one at 6.30 a.m. and another at noon.

Les Walsh (left) won the Flight A as well as playing a major part in organizing the event.

Those teeing off in the morning, noting the wet yet quick greens, destroyed many players hopes of taking a shot at the trophy, while those teeing off at midday were decidedly festive, some consuming a little too much of the amber refreshments.

The special scoring system used at the Can-Am ensured that players had a fair shot at winning one of the many great prizes provided by event sponsors.

Noi Jenvithida played well with 83 off the stick to win the Ladies Low Gross trophy.

The awards presentation back at the Dusit Resort with cocktails at 7 p.m. golfers and guests filled the Chaba pool area of the Dusit while everyone dug into the all-you-can-eat-and-drink barbecue buffet while reminiscing of how good or badly they faired on the course with two large video screens providing footage from the day’s event before moving onto the prize giving ceremony and lucky draw.

First up were the technical prizes followed by the division winners.

In flight D, David Gibbs won first place on count back defeating Niwat Konchatthai in second, also on countback defeating Charles Batchelor in third spot each sporting a net 70 points.

The C flight was more decided as Les Herbert won the division with a net 69 defeating Lance Brunsvold with 70 and Johan Gustavasson with 71.

Ian Warwick, took out Flight B winning on countback with a net 70 as Allen Carney came in second with 70 points, while Ross Leabourn finished in third with a net 71.

Hardcore golfer and a tournament organizer Les Walsh took out top spot in Flight A with 71 points. Don Hood came in at second spot winning on countback over Christian Palmgreen in third, both with a net 72.

The ladies Low Gross for the Day was Noi Jenvithida with 83 off the stick while the ‘ghost’ of Bjarne Nielsen had a Gross 69. Bjarne’s doppelganger stepped in to play due to a heavy night before; then again, in Pattaya all things are probable.

The lucky prize draw and an auction took place before handing the winning trophy. A large number of prizes were donated by numerous sponsors including a weekend spa package at Chiva Som and lunch or dinner cruise for 35 people on the Seraph, a 100 year old Danish schooner, kindly donated by Gulf charters. A surprised Larry Willet suddenly found himself wondering whom he was going to party with on the cruise.

With much anticipation as to who would win this year’s Can-Am, Bev Ewens, on a visit to Pattaya for a friends wedding, was announced this year’s champion.

“I don’t believe it,” were Bev’s first words. Needless to say, too much partying ensued following the announcement.

All said and done for another year, the evening ended with a spectacular fireworks display lighting up the skies for the entire city to witness.

Events like these don’t just happen and is the invaluable support of all the sponsors and the dedicated organizing committee planning for over 6 months to ensure this huge event on the golfing calendar runs like clockwork. Great job to all those involved and with net proceeds being donated to the Pattaya Orphanage makes this event well worth playing in. Count me in next year.

Story and photo by Peter Cummins

Nautically speaking, this year’s seventeenth sailing of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is tacking into favourable winds.

“Pasaya” in full flight: watch out this year!

Although sponsorship has not been as prolific as usual - understandably so, with the world itself reeling on its axis - nevertheless, entries for this year’s event are pouring in. Co-founder of the Regatta in 1987, Chris King who has returned as President of this year’s organizing committee, pointed out that upwards of 70 - 80 yachts can be expected on the starting line. As Chris pointed out, “It is great to see the Royal Phuket Marina involved again this year as the major sponsor: a Phuket-based marine company supporting the Regatta makes an ideal marriage of the Regatta and the Phuket marine infrastructure”.

Gulu Lalvani, Chairman of the Royal Phuket Marina Resort and Spa, flying in from his London base last week, noted that “when Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak announced to the media that the Thai Government was going to scrap import duty on boats, I reviewed our plans for the Marina and, of course, decided to support the King’s Cup for the second successive year”.

So, although the entry list will not be a record, what makes this year’s Regatta outstanding are two major developments, certain to improve the standing of Phuket specifically - and Thailand, generally - as centres of marine excellence.

The first is that the Royal Thai Government, after much cajoling, particularly from the newly-formed Marine Alliance of Thailand (MAT) and with the co-operation of the Ministry which stands to gain most from this new ‘windfall,’ - Tourism and Sports - has finally decided to remove the prohibitive tax which was crippling the Kingdom’s development of yachting, cruising and the marine leisure sector. Now, with the promise of zero tax, to rival neighbouring Malaysia, which had been cashing in on the enormous cross-border differences for years, yachts, power boats and those dependent upon the huge marine infra-structure, will stay - and return to - Phuket where the seas and cruising areas are vastly superior to Malaysia’s waterways.

It is rumoured that large flotillas are already on the sea, heading to Phuket from Langkawi.

The second big event, to open just after the King’s Cup is the first-ever Phuket International Marine Expo 2003 (PIMEX), to be held from the seventh to the 10th of December at the Phuket Boat Lagoon. According to one of the principal organizers, Grenville Fordham, Managing Director of Image Asia, who is also a major supporter of the Regatta, PIMEX is a most timely exhibition and is fully booked with, at press time, more than 72 international exhibitors displaying upwards of 80 craft, marine-related artifacts and other items.

What amazing timing!

The Regatta itself is scheduled to be held over HM the King’s seventy-sixth Birthday Week, opening on Sunday, November 30, and sailed through Saturday, December 6, with Thursday a lay day, finishing the day after the Royal anniversary.

The inaugural Regatta was initiated in 1987, as a fifth-cycle, sixtieth birthday celebration for HM the King who is the Regatta Royal Patron and each year graciously bestows the handsome permanent trophy on the winners in each class.

As usual, too, Mom Tri’s Boathouse will hold the annual tribute to HM the King, with a beautiful candle-lit ceremony in front of the Boathouse, on Kata Beach, the occasion co-ordinated with nation-wide tributes to His Majesty to toast our beloved Monarch on his birthday.

Like any human endeavour, the Regatta has adapted and evolved to adjust to changing situations, life-styles and classes of yachts participating. For example, last year, the start went back to Koh Phi Phi and a recent sailing started from Krabi.

This time, however, all racing will take place out off the Regatta host hotel, the Kata Beach Resort and, under the direction of Sunsail’s Simon James, all the action will be around Phuket.

An experienced veteran of yacht racing and cruising, Simon has designed courses to suit all craft, from the fastest racing yachts to the slowest live-aboard cruisers and classics.

This year sees the return of John McLennan as Principal Race Officer. After a continuous seven-year period in the hot seat, New Zealander McLennan had to drop out of last year’s event due to illness. He returns in 2003 with renewed enthusiasm.

Perennial Regattarian, International Judge Aussie Mark Pryke, will again be Chairman of the International Jury, which a Regatta of this standing requires, lending his substantial and proven knowledge and experience of the yacht racing rules and sea-lore generally, ensuring all competitors of a fair and un-biased hearing in the event of any disputes.

Mark will be fully supported, as in the past, by Rear Admiral Prasart Sribhadung (Thailand), Howard Elliot (Australia), Katuya Hashiba (Japan) and Britain’s Brian Willis.

Outstanding - and, consistent - entries this year, will include John Wardill’s “Australian Maid,” Filipino Ray Ordoveza’s “Clariden-Karakoa”, Singaporeans George and Melissa Olivet’s “Big Buzzard,” Viroj Nualkhair’s all-Thai crewed “Octopussy” and Radab Kanjanavanit’s “Cedar Swan” - potential winners all. The two Royal Thai Navy Farr MRX’s (which took home several prizes in 2002), Neil Pryde’s “Hi Fidelity”, Peter Ahern’s “Yo”!, Ray Roberts’ “Hollywood Boulevard”, Keith Moore’s “Pla Loma lV” and Tony Lough’s multi-hull “Fine Pitch”.

This writer, however, is placing his bets on comparative new-comer, Schle Wood-Thanan’s “Pasaya” - the sleek, fast Farr F.40, built and fitted out at the DK Composites Yard in Malaysia. One of the influences in making this statement is that “Pasaya” will be skippered by Andrew Bienz and a few of the world champion America’s Cup team from Switzerland who sailed Alinghi”. Furthermore, Andrew is not a novice to winning Asian regattas, either.

A lot of interest will also be focused on the new Phuket-built sports boat, “The Phuket Sports Eight” which could well be pitted against the best of the Royal Thai Navy fleet of Farr Platus out of Sattahip.

See you in Phuket for the 17th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta.