Ferret outruns Fox in Pattaya regatta

PHUKET: Local sailor Scott Duncanson and his crew on The Ferret left it until the last two races on the final day of racing to win the 2010 Platu Coronation Cup at the Top of the Gulf (TOTG) Regatta held off Jomtien Beach, near Pattaya, April 30 to May 4.

The Ferret was one point behind main rival Rolf Heemskerk’s The Fox going into the final day of racing yesterday.

In the first of the two races on the final day, an over-eager start by The Ferret saw the boat called back to the start after it had jumped the gun. However, Duncanson’s crew returned to cross the start line again and then gave chase to the fleet of 12, making good headway and finishing right behind The Fox to claim second place.

In the second race of the day, and the last race of the championship, The Ferret showed her class and dominated the course, sailing comfortably to victory. The win secured the one vital point necessary for Duncanson and his crew to take top honors in the Coronation Cup.

Today is Coronation Day in Thailand, and is a public holiday.

Fellow Phuket sailor, Henry Kaye, who has raced in more King’s Cup Regattas than any other sailor, stormed to victory in the Multihull class on his boat Thor. Bob Garner on Blade Runner V placed second in the class, while Kirati Assakul’s Sonic placed third.

The big guns battling it out in IRC1 saw Ray Roberts and his Evolution Racing crew earn their first victory in the TOTG Regatta racing class, but only just. Team Evolution scored their top position overall in the class on corrected time in the final race of the regatta.

Second place went to Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban with Robert van Paridon’s Tantrum placing third.

The victory saw Roberts amass enough points to become Skipper of the Year in the 2009-10 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship, though bestowing the title ‘Yacht of the Year’ will have to wait until the results come in for the next main regatta on the circuit, the Sawadee.com Regatta Samui 2010, now named “The Tropical Island Regatta”, on May 31-June 5.

Ray Waldron’s Phuket 8 Vino placed second overall in the Sportsboat class, unable to outsail Kipsan Beck on Porn Star, which scored seven wins in a row to win the title.