Nations' Cup 2025 - England secures a hat-trick win!
by Vivian Ngan 6 May 2025 11:40 BST
4 May 2025
The Nations' Cup was held on Sunday 4 May, marking the 15th anniversary of one of the Club's most fun and colourful events. 67 boats dressed up and swapped their usual crews for ad hoc combinations of sailors, gathering at Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club for a day-long pursuit race.
38 boats represented Hong Kong, China, with England having the second largest team with seven entries, followed by three entries from Italy. Also sailing for their nation/region were teams from Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mainland China, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Scotland, Sweden, and the United States.
As always on this yearly special occasion, sailors formed teams with crews from the same nation/region to compete for glory. Even before the official race — which was sailed just outside the Kellett Island clubhouse — the hardstand and pontoon transformed into a lively party space, with sailors showcasing their impressive outfits.
A group of local Hong Kong sailors created the theme "Hong Kong Athletes", dressing in outfits representing five sports disciplines — swimming, fencing, cycling, snooker, and karate — to celebrate Hong Kong's excellent athletic results in conjunction with the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park.
Another theme was cartoons and movies, with the popularity of the Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 reflected by three Hong Kong teams dressed as characters from Ne Zha. Club Commodore and crew dressed as characters from the Hong Kong film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, which features the old Kowloon Walled City.
Sailors also showcased their national pride: a group of Belgian sailors on board a J/80 and two Etchells dressed as characters from the comic The Smurfs, while a group of American sailors dressed as superheroes, trying to use their powers to sail for their country.
Boats were divided into six starts based on their ratings, with the two PHS divisions starting first. With summer winds already affecting Hong Kong waters, sailors were greeted by a fair southerly breeze at the start. Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen initially planned a course departing from the Club start line, passing Lei Yue Mun, rounding Junk Bay Mark, returning to harbour, and rounding both Shau Kei Wan and Hung Hom.
However, as the southerly breeze could not funnel through the harbour, RO Inge Strompf-Jepsen moved the start line to Hung Hom for better wind conditions. Once sailors reached North Point, they faced 12kts of easterly breeze, pushing them out of the harbour. As the afternoon sun appeared, it turned out to be a beautiful day for sailing.
In the end, Nick Southward's Admiralty Harbour Whiskey Jack, representing England, won the ATI division overall, securing England's fourth Nations' Cup victory — earning them the most coveted bragging rights, with their flag displayed over the Main Bar until next year's event. Second place went to Hong Kong, China, with the Philippines finishing third. Johnson Yuen's Zoe, representing Hong Kong, China, also reclaimed first in the PHS division for the second consecutive year.
Adding to the fun during the prize-giving ceremony, the Race Management team invited teams to showcase their outfits. The crowd voted for the best-dressed crew award based on applause. The winning team was Belgium's The Smurfs.