Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Spring Regatta - Day 1
by RHKYC Media 19 May 2018 10:46 BST
19-20 May 2018
Hong Kong put on her best dress today delivering stunning weather for Day 1 of one of the oldest sailing regattas in Hong Kong; the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Spring Regatta.
Today, under an incredible blue sky and soaring temperatures, sailors were thankful for a little more breeze then forecasted. A cannon was fired, signalling the start of the first race, by Mr Ronnie Wong, Honorary Secretary General of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China.
88 boats turned out for racing from the three Big Boat divisions and eight one-design classes including J/80s, Sportsboats, Etchells, Impalas, Flying Fifteens, Dragons, Ruffians and Pandoras. The start was located in Kowloon Bay with nine starts getting away. Due to an extremely strong ebbing tide and a light breeze of around 5 to 7kts, Race Officer Barry Truhol kept racers inside the harbour.
Racing saw competitors beating westwards down the harbour, rounding a mark off North Point and then hoisting their kites and heading back up to Kowloon Bay - a tactical race with competitors seeking the low current patches whilst trying to keep in maximum breeze. The windward leeward course saw a spreader mark at the bottom rounding; keeping the fleets separated in the busy conditions. The heavy current played havoc with competitors at the top mark in max current and low breeze.
The final day of the Spring Regatta will take place tomorrow with two races sailed by all classes followed by the prizegiving with the President of the Hong Kong Sailing Federation, Tong Shing officiating.