Please select your home edition
Edition
Melges 2023 - Melges 15 LEADERBOARD

Sun Hung Kai & Co. Hong Kong Race Week 2023 - Day 3

by Vivian Ngan 18 Feb 12:53 GMT 14-19 February 2023

"Where is the wind?" was the question of the morning. Weather conditions were a complete contrast to the previous day with nearly no wind when sailors first arrived at Middle Island this morning.

However instead of waiting around, the race management team sent sailors out instead of waiting on the hardstand. Finally racing got under way in lighter conditions, testing the sailors' ability in all-round conditions.

Race Officer Brenda Davies at the Po Toi area commented "The wind god was kind today" as the ILCA class had some very close racing on a much calmer sea with an average 7 to 8 kts north easterly breeze.

The ILCA 4 class comprises 16 local sailors and 10 Mainland China sailors from Vanhang Sailing Academy and Whisper of Wind Sailing Club, 4 Singaporeans, 2 Thai sailors and one each from Chinese Taipei, Macau (China) and Switzerland. The leader of the fleet as at the end of Day 3 is Singaporean top sailor Isaac Goh who is sailing strong and leading 7 points ahead of fellow Singaporean sailor, Josiah Tan.

Among the 18 entries in ILCA 6, we have 5 Mainland Chinese entries and the sailor to watch is Zhaohiu Ding from Vanhang Sailing Academy who is now sitting in 1st place overall followed closely by Hong Kong sailors Peter Jessop and Patrick Feng. Also in the fleet are sailors from Singapore, Chinese Taipei and Belgium.

In the 29er fleet, competing in the first ever 29er Asian Championship, Cameron Law and Christopher Lam who performed better in lighter conditions, took 2 bullets today, however they are still 3 points behind their rivals Emily Polson and Tiffany Mak.

There was almost no wind in the area of Stanley Bay which was designated as the racetrack for the Optimists this morning so the race management team moved to the fleet to Tai Tam area where they were rewarded with 7-9kts of breeze allowing race management to set windward/leeward courses for the Optimist, 2.4mR and RS Feva classes at the beginning of the day.

The Optimist Main fleet got 4 races in today and Emmanouil Anastasios Vomvylas of Greece still has a firm grip on the first overall with massive lead of 17 points ahead of Zihan Liu from Hong Kong. For Optimist Intermediate fleet, they had 3 races and Ethan Kiu from Aberdeen Boat Club, Hong Kong is still hanging on to 1st place.

There are seven entries in 2.4 mR class - among them six para sailors from Sailability Hong Kong including Sylvia Leung making her debut in her first Hong Kong Race Week. "I have participated in several local regattas, but here at southern side, we have different racing conditions compared to our home base in Shelter Cove. It's more physically challenging to attend four days of racing plus a practice race, but we learn more in a week long regatta."

Yuen Wai Foo had been racing in Hong Kong Race Week since the first edition in 2015. Foo mentioned as Race Week was on hiatus due to Covid restrictions for a few years, affecting training, he's treasuring this opportunity to sail in this international to equip himself for strong sailing conditions in future overseas regattas. At the end of the day, he was leading the fleet after taking 5 bullets and is currently 2 points ahead of Virgile Bertrand.

Sailability Hong Kong has also sent their wonderful new flagship Mohan, a 40' sailing yacht, to bring a lot more of their sailors out to the race area to watch their top sailors race each other in the 2.4mR class. This is the first time they are able to welcome more than just the competing Sailability sailors, each of whom has some form of disability. Everyone shares the hope that this will be inspirational to a wider group of sailors.

www.hongkongraceweek.com

Related Articles

Lipton Trophy in Hong Kong
What a perfect day to go racing! The second constituent event of the Top Dog Trophy Series 2023-2024, the Lipton Trophy, took place on 4 November in ideal conditions with an average of 8 to 10kts of easterly wind bestowed upon Victoria Harbour. Posted on 6 Nov
Sun Hung Kai & Co. Hong Kong Race Week entry opens
Incorporating the 2024 29er Asian Championship The Sailing Federation of Hong Kong, China in conjunction with co-organiser the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and the International 29er Association, are pleased to announce the 8th edition of Hong Kong's premier international regatta. Posted on 4 Nov
Sun Hung Kai & Co. Around the Island Race 2023
Hong Kong's biggest annual celebration of sail The racecourse is a 26nm clockwise circumnavigation of Hong Kong Island and in ideal conditions, boats race all the way around Hong Kong Island and finish back where they started. And yesterday was the perfect day! Posted on 30 Oct
Volvo China Coast Regatta 2023 – Wrap up
Weather conditions and courses tested the ability of all skippers and crew The Volvo China Coast Regatta was held over the weekend of 13 to 15 October where both weather conditions & courses tested the ability of all skippers and crew. Posted on 17 Oct
Volvo China Coast Regatta 2023 overall
What a great finish! The north easterly monsoon finally arrived bringing the most ideal sailing conditions Hong Kong could offer for the final day of the Volvo China Coast Regatta. The Race Management team saw 8 to 10kts of breeze at the race area South East of Lamma Island. Posted on 15 Oct
Volvo China Coast Regatta 2023 day 2
Sunshine and blue sky again for the fleet We had sun and blue sky again for Day 2 of Volvo China Coast Regatta. There were changes to who was on the start line as to compare to yesterday; as the PHS division joined in the racing whilst the two boats in IRC Premier excused themselves from racing. Posted on 14 Oct
Volvo China Coast Regatta 2023 day 1
A sensational day for the 28 boats The Volvo China Coast Regatta made a sensational beginning today, as 28 boats turned up for the first day of the Club's 2023-2024 sailing season's Big Boat event. Posted on 13 Oct
Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup overall
Third time is truly the charm for San Diego Yacht Club Needing simply to not shoot themselves in the foot to ensure victory in the Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup, the San Diego Yacht Club dominated the windy final race to stamp their authority on the eighth edition of the world's premiere Corinthian regatta. Posted on 16 Sep
Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup Day 3
Steady and never slow, San Diego Yacht Club assumes the lead On a taxing day where the wind shifts were as much as 40 degrees with lanes of pressure next to little-to-no wind, the San Diego Yacht Club, led by helmsman Tyler Sinks, moved into the overall lead on the penultimate day of the Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup Posted on 15 Sep
Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup Day 2
Youth serves up a win for Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club The underdogs continue to give the established teams a run for their money at the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, the premiere international regatta for Corinthian sailors. Posted on 13 Sep