Ocean Marina Yacht Club to host 10th anniversary Top of the Gulf Regatta

Ocean Marina Yacht Club, home of the Top of the Gulf Regatta, is South East Asia's largest marina © Ocean Marina Yacht Club

Ocean Marina Yacht Club, South East Asia's largest marina, is ready to host the 10th anniversary Top of the Gulf Regatta from 1st to 5th May 2014. Located on Jomtien Beach, Pattaya, in the Gulf of Thailand, Ocean Marina Yacht Club is the hub of sailing in the region and home of the award-winning Top of the Gulf Regatta since its inception in 2005.

Ocean Marina Yacht Club has long promoted sailing in the Gulf of Thailand and surrounds, hosting regular club regattas, youth sailing programmes, national and regional championships.

"Ocean Marina Yacht Club is the perfect venue for a multi-class regatta such as Top of the Gulf," said Mr. William Gasson, Chairman of the Organising Committee.

"The marina has played an important role in the development of sailing in the region and has been instrumental in making Top of the Gulf Regatta the largest sailing event of its kind in Asia today."

In recognition of the Regatta's success and cementing its position on the international sailing calendar, Top of the Gulf Regatta was recently voted 'Asian Regatta of the Year' at the 2014 Asian Marine & Boating Awards.

"We're honoured to have won this award. There's no doubt that having such a great venue and unwavering support from Ocean Marina has played a huge part in the Regatta's success," added Gasson.

Staking its claim as the largest marina in South East Asia, Ocean Marina have undergone an ambitious expansion plan increasing the number of berths from 200 in mid-2011 to 330 today, with ongoing development to increase the dry storage area as well as adding another 48 berths by July 2014.

According to Mrs. Supatra Angkavinijwong, Deputy Managing Director of Ocean Property Co., Ltd., Ocean Marina Yacht Club has grown over the years in tandem with the industry's growth. "We have seen a trend in recent years of more Thais buying yachts. This, together with growth in the number of visiting yachts from overseas, has seen the Gulf of Thailand become a key yachting hub in South East Asia, and our current expansion is in response to this demand and in anticipation of further growth."

As sailing in the region grows and the 2014 Top of the Gulf Regatta opens its doors, Ocean Marina Yacht Club is full having welcomed an influx of international boats coming to race in the Regatta from Japan, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and elsewhere in Thailand.

Top of the Gulf Regatta expects to welcome a near record fleet of 250 boats and over 600 sailors from more than 30 countries this year. Twelve classes of boats, including the Coronation Cup and Thailand Optimist National Championships will race over four days off Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

New for this year is the incorporation of the RS:One Asian Championships. Being held in Thailand for the first time, over 30 national team sailors from Asian countries will be competing for the Asian crown.

The 10th anniversary Top of the Gulf Regatta will take place at Ocean Marina Yacht Club from 1st to 5th May 2014, Jomtien Beach, Pattaya, Thailand.

For more information, visit www.topofthegulfregatta.com