Audi China Coast Regatta at Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club - Overall
by RHKYC 12 Oct 2014 17:51 BST
10-12 October 2014
The wind gods resumed normal service this morning with a 10-12kt north easterly across the Lamma patch, allowing RO Inge Strompf-Jepsen to set a three lap 1.3nm windward leeward for the Racer 0 boats and a two lap 1nm course for all other divisions.
After an extremely close race, using both sides of the course, the first boat to cross the line was Signal 8, only five seconds ahead of Island Fling, however it was Elektra which corrected out to first in Racer 1. In Racer 2, Mojito took the gun with Whiskey Jack taking the IRC honours, and Jelik took another bullet for Racer 0, but had to settle for third on IRC behind OneSails Racing and Team Beau Geste.
In IRC Cruiser, Goddess finally got the better of Lady Butterfly to take first, and in HKPN, DEAII recorded their second win of the regatta, ahead of Darling.
Strompf-Jepsen wasted no time in getting the final islands course underway, setting Racer 0 and IRC Premier a 20nm course to TCS1, TCS2, Beaufort Island and Stanley gate before finishing at Round Island. Racer 1 and 2 enjoyed a 16nm course to TCS2 and the Cruiser fleets were set an 11nm race to Beaufort, Stanley Gate and Round Island.
With the breeze holding steady at 10-12kts, the RO elected not to shorten course but, having set up a finish at Round Island, a massive wind shift from the west hit, creating a hole at Stanley Gate. The committee boat could only watch as Jelik stalled and then slowly picked up speed to finish with a bullet, followed closely by Team Beau Geste and OneSails Racing. Ray Roberts sealed his third China Coast Regatta title with another win on handicap.
As the fleets meandered their way into the finish, Island Fling claimed a bullet, but Elektra corrected out to a win on IRC, with EFG Mandrake 2 in second. RHKYC Rear Commodore sailing, Anthony Day, emerged victorious for the series on EFG Mandrake 2 with 13 points after discard. Three boats tied on 16 points, with Elektra placing ahead of Island Fling on count back and EFG Bank Mandrake 3 placing fourth.
In Racer 2, Mojito took yet another gun and another win on IRC to seal the regatta, ahead of Whiskey Jack and Dexter II and in Cruiser division, China Cup No.9 finally took the gun, but had to cede both the race and divisional victory to Lady Butterfly. Kiasu steadily improved throughout the regatta to take the bullet and first on corrected time in the final race, to finish second overall behind the consistent DEA II.
At a packed prizegiving back at RHKYC Kellett Island, prizes were presented by Reinhold Carl of Audi and Javier Olavarria of Blue Harbour Vodka before the sailors were invited to wind down at the post-regatta party.
www.rhkyc.org.hk/chinacoastraceweek.aspx