Leader of the pack was Ocean Marina’s Kirati Assakul (Nim) who helmed his gigantic catamaran, “Bandara Sonic” into first place in the Multihull Racing Class, one of the four divisions in the regatta. Radab Kanchanavanit, sailing “KT-ZIMCO Cedar Swan”, who suffered gear failure eliminating him from the winner’s circle, finished fourth in this class
Jean Rheault, “Souay1” and Peter Herning, “Kirifiki”, sailing out of the Ocean Marina, as well, finished second and third respectively in the IRC 2/Cruising Class, while former Royal Varuna YC Commodore, Kevin Whitcraft, “Won Ma Rang”, was sixth in the IRC One.
This year’s sailing of the 2011 Samui Sawadee.com Regatta took place at the tropical island resort from 30 May through 04 June. Raced in the beautiful waters surrounding Samui, the Regatta base for the 10th successive year was the Centara Grand Beach Resort, located at the heart of the action, Samui’s Chaweng Beach.
Like many major events that attract top global brands, the regatta has evolved over the past decade into a festival-long maritime week. Although centered around exciting yacht-racing action, sailing the regatta week has developed into a leading life-style event: fashion, fine dining, music festivals, exotic parties and luxury property events, add to what has become a strategic choice for many of Asia’s marketing professionals looking for brand promotion via the marine sector.
Martin Heiniger, the General Manager of the Centara Resort, basically spoke for all the supporters, noting that the Centara Group has been the administrative centre for the event since 2001 and Martin sees the strategic relationship between the resort and the regatta’s organizing team. As an organization that wants its hotel properties to be recognized as some of the best in the world, Martin pointed out that “association with the regatta fits perfectly with our other marketing tactics”.
“Won Ma Rang” skippered by Kevin Whitcraft speeds downwind on Day 3 of the Koh Samui Regatta 2011.
Not only do occupation rates surge during the week, Martin added, “but the majority of the hundreds of participants, supporters and regatta organizers are able to experience our resort’s – and the island’s other venues and facilities - first hand, with many often returning”, Martin concluded.
Bangkok- based entrepreneur Callum Laing took over management of the Regatta in 2008, focusing on these extra-sailing activities noted above.
“For us as organizers”, said Callum during regatta week, “the event is about what we can provide to all who come to benefit from the brilliant maritime and social milieu abounding during regatta week.”
The regatta fleet under full sail.
To further their aims, Callum pointed out that many co-sponsors fly in guests to experience all that the regatta has to offer, for it (the regatta) is positioned just at the right level to be appeal to lifestyles, F&B, travel and entertainment.
“We know that we have rationalized a sponsorship model that works for many organizations”, he concluded.
“Evolution Racing” heads for the first marker buoy.
Bill Gasson, the original joint-founder of Thailand’s great regattas – the Phuket King’s Cup, the Koh Samui event and the recently-held Top of the Gulf - looks very positively on the sailing scene in Thailand, especially among the juniors. He sees a “sailing triangle” in the Northern Gulf: Koh Samui, Hua Hin and Jomtien-Pattaya and, with his recent experience with the Optimist fleet at the Ocean Marina, anticipates that many of these juniors will graduate to fill the more senior ranks in future.
Samui’s own Optimist fleet, spurred on by John Stall – co-founder of the Samui regatta with Bill - and Frankie Brancaccio managed a great Optimist “side-show” for the Samui juniors. Although not racing in the regatta proper, the Samui children had their own event.
With a Thai teenager, Sattahip girl Noppakao Poonpat, as the first-ever Optimist World Champion, enthusiasm among the Samui juniors is high, raised further by a Samui coastal race for the juniors last month and their participation in the recently-held Top of the Gulf Regatta.
One of the features of the racing, was a clash – not of the Titans – but of the Commodores, as former Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Matt Allan and former Commodore of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, Kevin Whitcraft, had, could one say, a slight entanglement on the starting line. The latter was disqualified at the subsequent protest hearing and the former was obliged to head for shore, with some gear damage, missing two starts.
“Bandara Sonic” (left) helmed by Ocean Marina’s Kirati Assakul (Nim) tacks alongside “Cedar Swan” (center of picture) in the multihull race.
However, the real “Clash of the Titans” continued in the Racing Class, where erstwhile leader, UAR’s “Team Premier”, helmed by Johannes Waimer, held on to a narrow lead, from a determined Neil Pryde, the Hong Kong-based New Zealander who closed in, to finally win the Racing Class, with Johannes just scant points behind.
On the mid-Regatta ‘Lay Day’ many forsook the gulf for their golf, at the Santiburi Golf Club, while the International School of Samui and an army of volunteers, embarked on a beach clean-up. It was, indeed, a fine example of civic responsibility that could well be emulated at numerous resorts around the Kingdom which are suffering from environmental degradation and pollution.
The Optimist fleet heads for home.
The last day of the Sawadee.com Regatta Samui had a classic tropical island ambience, a 10-12 knot south-westerly, smooth seas and a great air of excitement. Hong Kong New Zealander Neil Pryde, who had relentlessly pursued the erstwhile leader of the Racing Class, Johannes Waimer during the week, had his reward when, winning the last three races of the 10 sailed, he brought his Welbourn 52 “Hi Fi” into first place on 13 points. UAE-registered Transpac 52, “Team Premier” had to settle into second place (18).
Hong Kong Transpac 52 “Freefire”, skippered by Sam Chan (26), was third, one point clear of 2010 regatta champion, Aussie Ray Roberts, with Hong Kong Frank Pong’s Reichel Pugh maxi “Jelik ll (Boracay)”, fifth on 46 points.
“Elektra” from Hong Kong won the IRC 1 class. (Photo/Duncan Worthington)
Ray Roberts had his consolation by being awarded the Asian Yachting’s Grand Prix as the Sailor of the Year, 2011-2012, with AY’s Captain Marty presenting the elegant, embroidered jacket and, of course, the permanent trophy filled with champagne.
Thirty craft, from some nine countries and divided into four classes sailed off Samui’s Chaweng Beach for the past week, and, mostly, it was a typical “tropical island” scenario: clear skies, light south-westerlies, and close, exciting racing, often squeezed into gaps between heavy rain-squalls and periods of calm.
With the Ocean Marina as a Regatta sponsor, it was appropriate that Ocean Marina (Pattaya-Jomtien) sailor, Kirati Assakul (Bandara Sonic), piloting his Crowther 42 Trimaran, the heaviest craft out there, easily won the Multihull Class on 10 points, seven points clear of Phuket sailor Henry Kaye’s “Pagatoon”, with local Samui entry Kunta’s “Team Zazen” (18), Radab Kanjanavanit’s “KY-ZIMCO Cedar Swan” (19) and Saa Pangawan (“Kindred Spirit”, 24), third to fifth, respectively.
Beach clean-up Samui Regatta style.
Greg Coops’ Singapore X-372, “Abraxas”, finishing with a string of first placings, dominated the IRC 2/Cruising Class, on seven points, four clear of Jean Rheault’s Thai-registered “Souay 1”, with Eastern Seaboard sailor Peter Herning’s Bavaria 42, “Kirafiki” (15), third.
Controversy still haunted the IRC 1 Class, with Aussie Matt Allen (“Ichi Ban”, 15), moving to the front, followed by Hong Kong’s Marcel Liedts (“Elektra”, 20), Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth (“EFG Bank Mandrake”, 25), Rick Pointon’s “Jing Jing” (34), fourth, Simon Powell (“Sell Side Dream” (52) fifth, and Kevin Whitcraft’s (“Won Ma Rang” 57), finishing in that order. However, it was not “clear sailing”, to use an old cliché, and the International Jury relegated Matt to second, the lead going to Marcel. But, that’s yacht racing!
At a post-regatta gathering a number of the main supporters, namely Bangkok Airways, Web Sawadee, Centara Grand Beach Resort, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Renaissance Koh Samui, met with the media corps and the Chairman of the Sawadee .com Regatta Organizing Committee, Callum Laing, to discuss the regatta’s future. Callum envisioned “a new decade of sailing …and the more interest created and brands involved will add to the ways that we can give back to Samui and the community…in the next decade”.
And so the curtain rang down on the Sawadee.com Regatta 2011, even as a fleet of enthusiastic Optimist sailors battled off Chaweng Beach. Their very presence bodes well for the next decade of yacht racing at the tropical island.
