Taiwan Strait Race at Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club - Day 1

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Taiwan Strait Race starts © Koko Mueller / RHKYC

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Taiwan Strait Race starts © Koko Mueller / RHKYC

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Taiwan Strait Race starts © Koko Mueller / RHKYC

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s Taiwan Strait Race, a 350nm Category One Offshore Race across the South China Sea from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, got off to a clean start earlier today in ideal conditions.

Race Officer and RHKYC Sailing Manager Alex Johnston said “It was a nice clean start seeing Surf Dude first across the line followed by Orient Express, both on starboard. Tipsy Frenz came in on port from the outer distance mark and last across was Polar Star III. The boats then tacked onto a port tack and are now heading out into the South China Sea towards Taiwan.”

It very was breezy at the start line for this time of year: “it was between 15 and 20 knots and then sometimes it was dropping off down to 12 or 13 knots but predominantly a strong easterly of 20 knots; a good wind to get them away” he added.

With the true wind gusting up to 25 knots offshore, the sea will start to build quickly once the boats get out of Hong Kong waters. Johnston adds: “the forecast for the next couple of days is easterly 5 to 6 and then on Sunday backing more to the north east so it should help them as they get closer towards Kaohsiung. It will certainly be an interesting first night. “

The Taiwan Strait Race 2012 is organised and conducted by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) with assistance and support from Kaohsiung Sailing Association (KSA) and the Chinese Taipei Sailing Association (CTSA).

The list of entries is as follows:

The progress of the boats can be watched via Yellowbrick tracking at www.rhkyc.org.hk/tsr2012tracking.aspx