Volvo China Coast Regatta - Day 2
by Koko Mueller, RHKYC 23 Oct 2016 11:52 BST
22-24 October 2016
With limited breeze in the vicinity of Middle Island, the AP was raised on shore at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Middle Island Clubhouse at 0740hrs. Shortly after, Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen and the race management team went in search of wind. After a few hours of building breeze, the committee was relieved when the wind settled at 6+ knots and the AP was removed on shore at 1131hrs.
With the given wind conditions and direction, it was decided that any island course would turn into a reaching race. Therefore race management decided it would be best to hold a windward/leeward race for all classes. The committee boat anchored south-east of Lamma Island, and all divisions were sent on Course Q2 with an axis of 075 degrees.
IRC Racer 0 was the first start at 1256hrs in 5 to 6kts of breeze. IRC Racer 0, 1 and IRC Premier Cruising were sent on a three-lap windward/leeward course with 1.5nm legs towards the Beaufort Gap. The first boat to finish in IRC Racer 0 was Seng Huang Lee's 100ft super maxi finished at 14hr 10min 10sec, but Sam Chan's TP52 FreeFire took the win with a corrected time of 2h06m17s.
IRC Racer 1 started at 1302hrs with the Ker 40 Signal 8 (Hannings/Jacobs/Kendall/McWilliam/Pender) first to round the leeward mark quickly followed by Ker Custom 42 Black Baza (Steve Manning/Anthony Root) then GTS 43 Mandrake III (Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth). After three laps, Mandrake III prevailed on handicap by 1 minute and 42 seconds.
Mandrake III co owner Nick Burns quotes "Great race today, Inge came up with an excellent solution to run one windward/leeward off Lamma vs trying to do an island course, I would have been happy to do another windward/leeward today if the wind had remained steady!"
IRC Premier Cruising started at 1308hrs with Beneteau 50 Lighthorse Shawn Kang rounding the leeward mark a good 4 minutes before Warwick Custom Moonblue 2 Peter Churchouse. Keeping up their lead Lighthorse took line honours and their division win.
IRC Racer 2, 3 and HKPN divisions were sent on a shorter 7.5nm course with 1.25nm legs. The IRC Racer 2 and 3 planned start was at 1314hrs but at about a minute to the gun, a fishing boat more concerned with bringing in their nets drove directly through fleet. The AP was raised while the boats scattered and once the fishing boat was clear, the sequence was restarted and the race set off at 1322hrs. At one point there was quite a pile up at the first rounding of the leeward mark but once that was all cleared up Seawolf William Liu IRC Racer 2 and Dexter II Lowell Chan IRC Racer 3 took the wins in their respective divisions.
HKPN started at 1328hrs but with weakening breeze their race was shortened at the top mark on their final windward leg. Kiasu was the first boat to finish in their division and also won on HKPN handicap.
Tomorrow will be the final day of racing with the warning signal at 1025hrs with the race committee hoping to get in a windward leeward followed by an islands race before heading to Kellett Island for the Volvo China Coast Regatta Gala Prize Giving Dinner.
Provisional results to date are available online at www.rhkyc.org.hk/VCCR16ProvisionalResults.aspx
Volvo China Coast Regatta website: www.chinacoastregatta.com
Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race website: www.hkhainanrace.com