Aussies, Thais dominate Samui Regatta

KOH SAMUI: Ray Roberts, the top Asian sailor for 2008, Matt Allen, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and Andrew Short, also from the Sydney club, have won the top prizes in the International Racing Class (IRC)1, IRC 2 and Cruising Classes, respectively, in the 7th Samui International Yacht Regatta.

Roberts, a regular racer in Phuket and Thailand, and his team Quantum Racing won the King’s Cup Regatta in 2005. He placed second in the class last year.

In this year’s Samui Regatta, held from June 1 to 7, Radab Kanjanavanit and Kipsan Beck did Thai sailors proud by winning top honors in the Sports Boats and the Multihull classes.

Cedar Swan is well known in Phuket for racing in the annual King’s Cup Regatta more than any other boat.

The Samui regatta closed on Saturday, having attracted some 300 sailors from more than 10 countries. The last day saw good sailing conditions with 10- to 12-knot northwesterly winds, after some days of variable and light winds that on one day forced the race to be abandoned.

Final results

Racing Class (IRC 1)

1. Ray Roberts, Quantum Racing (10 points); 2. Neil Pryde, Hi Fi (14); 3. Bill Bremner, Foxy Lady IV (15); 4. Chris Meads, Full Metal Jacket (21); 5. Andrew Taylor/Joachim Isler, Ambush (22); 6. Frank Pong, Jelik (23); 7. Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth, Fortis Mandrake (27); 8. Sam Chan, Ffreefire 52 (27).

IRC 2

1. Matt Allen, Ichiban (5); 2. Jeff Davidson, Panic (9); 3. Jonathan Mahony, Happy Endings (18); 4. Ben Copley, Katsu (18); 5. Anthony Hastings, Baby Tonga (26); 6. Marcel Leidts, Blauwvoet (26); 7. Graham Lind, Sumatra (34); 8. Pascal Leray, Breakaway (36); 9. Gary Baguley, El Coyote (43); 10. David Bell, Magic Roundabout (43).

Sports Boats

1. Kipsan Beck, Pornstar (5); 2. Yachting Siam, Ice Bucket (10); 3. Mick Grover, Moon Shadow (13); 4. Dirk Sanders, Thai Raver 20).

Cruising

1. Andrew Short, Constanza (5); 2. John Stall, Princess Sharda (10); 3. Gulf Charters, Big Blue (16).

Multihulls

1. Radab Kanjanayanit, Cedar Swan (9); 2. David Wales, The Sting (10); 3. Toby O’Connell, Dhevatara Frog (12); 4. Henry Kaye, Sea Horse Interiors (Pagatoon) (15); 5. Peter Dyer, SEA Property (24); 6. Kirati Assakul, Bandara Sonic (25); 7. Richard Simpson, Dingo (33), 8. Samui Ocean Yachting, Crazy Horse (39).