Please select your home edition
Edition
Noble Marine 2022 YY - LEADERBOARD

Sun Hung Kai & Co. Around the Island Race 2023 (Hong Kong)

by RHKYC Media 12 Nov 2023 09:06 GMT 29 October 2023
Sun Hung Kai & Co. Around the Island Race 2023 © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

It’s Hong Kong’s biggest annual Celebration of Sail, the Sun Hung Kai & Co. Around the Island Race, which this year took place on Sunday 29 October. 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 yes, 2023 provided the perfect day! This is when the 'I'm-Not-a-Racer' fleet dusts off the other headsail and packs an extra-big picnic hamper in anticipation of a long day on the water, with no stops for lunch. For anyone bringing a boat from Hebe Haven or Shelter Cove, it really is a long day - deliver, race, deliver... start and finish in the dark.

218 boats took part in the 2023 edition of this classic, and Race Officers David Norton and Inge Strompf-Jepsen set two start lines in front of the RHKYC’s Kellett Island Clubhouse, with the line closest to Kellett Island used to start the day boats and the outer line for the cruiser, racer and beach cat divisions. The first of 17 starts in total began at 0830hrs with the Pandoras, PHS Monohulls and Multihull Cruisers setting off in an easterly breeze of 8-10kts, and the fleet was gone and away through Lei Yue Mun without much delay in the harbour.

Once clear of the harbour and past Cape Collinson, the boats were greeted by a fresh breeze and a sizeable swell running along the Sheung Sze Mun Channel, but the breeze was too far south to give rise to the usual massed parade of spinnakers running down to Cape d’Aguilar. However, the kites went up as boats approached the Bluff Head, and everyone was happy to see the sun appear at around noon. With gusts of up to 15kts it was a sight to behold! Indeed, the lighter boats were able to get 'fully launched' and able to surf on the run towards Stanley Gate, and there were a few exciting moments resulting in some retirements due to broaches.

As the easterly breeze gradually weakened blocked by Hong Kong Island, there was a brief park-up off the Cyberport as the wind dropped to about 3kts, and the fleet squeezed through the Cyberport Gate. It wasn’t the notorious ‘Cyberport Hole’ by any means (and if the gate had 100m to seaward, there wouldn’t have been a pause at all). Once the fleet rounded Green Island, however, the breeze increased a little giving the fleet a fast ride back into the harbour to finish the full circumnavigation. Only nine boats failed to finish before the 17.00 cut off.

Taking the ATI overall win for the second year in a row was Noel Chan’s TP52 Rampage 88, followed by Marcel Liedts' Ker 46 Zannekin in second place and Hobie 16 Big Car helmed by Karl Chan in third overall. In the PHS division, Chris Mang’s Valuable was the overall winner, Alfred Lau’s Easy Breezy II took 2nd place and Shenton Drew’s Athena cruised home for an elegant 3rd.

RO David Norton was happy. "We started off with a great forecast and a nice easterly breeze, and it seemed like everyone went very smoothly, down through the Lei Yue Mun gap, on down to Cape D'Aguilar and around the corner. Cyberport was a slowdown, but not a stopper. First finisher (Athena) came home at 13.10, and after that it was a steady stream of boats until about 16.30h. All in all, it was a pretty good Around the Island Race – not a record-breaking year, but almost everyone got around without difficulty.“

www.rhkyc.org.hk photos: www.guynowell.com

Related Articles

The latest kit for summer boating, rain or shine
Our pick of the latest kit Summer's finally here and the season is in full swing. Here's our pick of the latest kit for racing, cruising and enjoying the water, rain or shine. Posted on 19 Jun
Invitation to 2023 World Bay Area Regatta
Foster exchanges about sailing culture within bay areas' sailing community The regatta aims to foster exchanges about sailing culture within the bay areas' sailing community and enhance the sailing skills of participants. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen connections among bay areas worldwide Posted on 2 Dec 2023
Five stars for a 'splashy' launch party!
BPI, WWF, PHINSAF, ORCP and Subic Sailing join hands For a long while the Philippines has been substantially undersold as a yacht racing and cruising destination. It seems to be very appropriate that in an archipelago nation, it should be the Bank of the Philippine Islands that is sponsoring the series Posted on 14 Nov 2023
Andy Dowden RIP. You will be sorely missed.
Long serving member of Thai boating community crosses the bar Sail-World Asia is very sad to report the passing of Andy Dowden, stalwart of the Thai sailing scene. He will be missed by many, and we offer our condolences to his family. Posted on 25 Jul 2023
New Kit for the summer sailing season
Shopping ideas for life on the water Get ready for summer with the latest in sailing kit and accessories Posted on 31 May 2023
Christmas gift inspiration
Christmas gift ideas for the sailors in your life With Christmas just a few weeks away, here are some of our favourite gift ideas for the sailor in your life, from stocking fillers to blow-the-budget. Posted on 5 Dec 2022
Flag Etiquette - Mourning
In case you didn't know As advised by the Royal Yacht Squadron: Ensigns must be flown at half mast when you are onboard your vessel from the announcement of the death of the Sovereign until 08:00 on the day after the funeral of the Sovereign, Posted on 11 Sep 2022
SMG awarded Sole Distribution for ThrustMe in UK
The lightest electric outboard with built in lithium battery SM Group (Europe) Limited ("SMG") are pleased to announce their appointment as sole distributor for the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands for the Norwegian based brand ThrustMe. Posted on 19 May 2022
Images from the Auckland Anniversary Regatta
Images from the Auckland Anniversary Regatta - Classic Yachts passing North Head The Auckland Anniversary Regatta proceeded pretty as planned, much to the surprise of some mainstream media. Only Rawhiti competed in both the Mahurangi Classic Yacht Regatta and the Auckland Anniversary Regatta. Posted on 1 Feb 2022
More images - Mahurangi Classic Yacht Regatta
Second gallery of images from the Mahurangi Classic Yacht Regatta took place on Saturday Second gallery of images from the Mahurangi Classic Yacht Regatta took place on Saturday on Mahurangi Harbour - featuring the "A-Class" division. Posted on 1 Feb 2022