Royal Thai Navy keep eye on young seawolves – Phuket Youth Sailing

PHUKET: Organized by Phuket Youth Sailing Club (PYSC), 28 sailors from Phuket and Sattahip between the ages of 6 and 18 years took part in the inaugural Phuket Youth Week Training Camp & Regatta 2013.

The two-day regatta sponsored by The Sponsorship Experts – PP(SEA)CL and Topper Sail Phuket produced some exciting and close racing across the four divisions.

Eighteen optimist sailors and ten topper sailors joined the racing under the watchful eye of Principle Race Officer, Royal Thai Navy K. Sutee Poonpat.

The undoubted star of the event was Nattapon Yoangngam, who won all three races in the Optimist Division B fleet to secure the title ahead of Sakarin Tongnoon and Akasit Geudtong who finished second and third respectively.

In the Optimist Division A fleet and after six races there was nothing to separate the first two sailors on points, but Tanakorn Mervillder secured overall victory as winner of the last race ahead of Jeeranan Taesakdatam 2nd and Pawat Pongwilai in 3rd place.

With a record number of 10 sailors who entered the regatta we also saw some close racing in the both fleets.

In the Topper Junior fleet and after seven races the first two sailors were on equal points, with Salawutt Kullaatt declared the winner, courtesy of having more first-place finishes putting Nattapong Yoangngam into 2nd place with Cartoon Juladej coming in 3rd place.

Two top sailors from Sattahip joined the Topper Youth Fleet. Again we saw some very close racing and after seven races, there was nothing separating the top two sailors on points. Phuket sailor Teerapong Tohkratoak secured the Topper title as winner of the last race, beating Sattahip sailors Akkarapong Jjunyim and Jarapong Meeyousamsen who were second and third, respectively.

Phuket Youth Sailing Club provides competitive sailing opportunities for youngsters in Phuket and since the program started in 2008, the club has trained young sailors from complete beginners to those competing at national and international level. The sailors have been successful in a number of regattas and even represented Thailand at the Double Star Cup, Qingdao, China last year. The club is open to all youth.

Phuket Youth Week has given 10 new youngsters the opportunity to learn sailing and their first taste of racing. The more experienced sailors have had the opportunity to hone their racing skills and techniques in preparation for the coming season.

For more information contact Katy at phuketyouthsailing@gmail.com or visit Phuket Youth Sailing Club’s website.

Phuket Youth Week Training Camp & Regatta 2013 is proudly sponsored by the Phuket Gazette and PGTV. ‘Phuket Today’, co-produced by PGTV and MCOT World, will be covering this event. Phuket Today, broadcast locally on Phuket Cable, Rawai Cable and KDTV cable networks, nationally on TrueVision 85 and 59, GMMZ and PSI, and internationally to over 100 countries around the region. For full schedule click here.

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