King's special birthday

A report from day two of the King's Cup in Thailand

Today, 5 December is the date of His Majesty the King of Thailand's 79th Birthday, this year is the Diamond Jubilee of his accession to the Thai Throne in 1946 and it is the 20th Phuket Kings Cup. This morning there was a historic celebration at the Phuket King's Cup, a magnificent spectacle as more than 100 yachts staged a Sail Past.

From a tiny Shaw 6 metre sports boat to Frank Pong's magnificent maxi Jelik, a Reichel Pugh 25-metre sloop, yachts flying burgees from opposite ends of the world, from the Antipodes, across Europe, Asia to North America sailed past the bedecked Royal Thai Navy frigate. The Royal Thai Navy crew lined the deck, resplendent in white uniforms, as the passing flotilla 'Chai Yo'd' from their own decks, raising caps in salute.

While the King's Birthday celebration has been a regular part of the Phuket Kings Cup event over the last two decades, this is the first ever Sail Past and it was a cherished moment for the sailing community. As Thai sailor Radab Kanjanavanit commented, "the Sail Past really gave me goosebumps".

Back to business then for the 101 boat fleet and it was a 'tough day in the office' for the race officers.

On the windward-leeward course in the Thai Beverage series sailed by the Racing, 1 and 2, Sports boats, IRC 1 and Firefly 850s, the north northeasterly was at five-six knots but swung right to north east and then softened. There were patches of glass. The second race provided similar difficulties, but the third race for the Racing fleet settled in at eight-nine knots.

In the Racing Division 1, Race 2, Toby O'Connell's DK46 Dhevatara Drumstickwas first from Neil Pryde's Farr 52 Hi Fi and Paul Winkelmann's TP 52 Island Fling.

In Race 3 Island Fling was fast off the line and crossed the fleet on port tack but Nick Burns' Mandrake beat her and Hi Fi. In Race 4 Dhevatara Drumstick again took the honours from Island Fling and Hi Fi.

Drumstick tactician Steve McConaghy was smiling when he came ashore: "We had a good day. Yesterday was always going to be a big boat race, as the wind died away, but today we all sailed in the same conditions. Very similar to the light weather conditions of last year, when we won."

In Racing Division 2, Race 2, Peter Dyer's Madam Butterfly took top podium placing, with Niels Dgenkolf's Phoenix second. Jonathan Mahoney's Happy Endings, was on the podium for a second day, placing third. Happy Endings did one better in Race 3 and placed first, with Madam Butterfly second and Jeff Davidson's Panic in third.

IRC 1, Race 2 was won by Rhythm Stick, an X-442 owned by Ryuji Nakata, from the Swan 55 of Andy Pape, Big A. Valdemar Bandolowski's Di Hard, a Frers 41 was third today. Rhythm Stick also won IRC Race 3 with Jaray Tipsuk's Octopussy in second and Peter Wintle's Sita third.

In Coutts Premier Division, Geoff Hill's Lyons 49 Strewth had a brilliant start and she took the honours from Andrew Richards' Warwick Moon Blue. Frangipani Girl, a Swan 53 owned by David Ross, finished third. Strewth was again triumphant in Race 3, this time with Nico Cortiever's Nix and Andrew Richards' Moon Blue filling the minor placings.

In the Firefly 850 Sport Division, Marc Cudennec's Chi Machine continued her winning form to take today's race from Andrew Marshall's Pink Lady, with Roger Kingdon's Moto Inzi third. In Race 3 Chi Machine again took the top spot, from Moto Inzi and this time Bill Phelps' Twin Sharks.

In the competitive Sports Boats Division, Race 2, Kenichi Takahashi's Motornet again performed well to win from Shuji Hagihara's Just and Ket Manghlaseranee's Platu. In Race 3 Motornet continued on her winning way, with Phil Wardrop's Vino and Scott Duncanson's G4S Somtam Express in third.

Today was the Mom Tri's Boathouse Race for the Multihull 1 and IRC 1 and Sunsail One Design fleet, which sailed a 15 mile course, while the Multihull 2, Bareboats, Ocean Rover and Classic fleet sailed an 11 mile course.

While the start breeze was more than six knots, the fleet parked for a while near the first mark as the wind went from north east round to west north west and lightened off to four-five knots, with patches of glass. Out in the distance, it seemed a storm might be building off Karon Beach and when new pressure came in up to ten knots, the back of the fleet languished for some time. The last leg was meant to be a shy reach but ended up as a square run in seven-ten knots of breeze.

In IRC 2 Race 2, Rob Taylor's Minx was first, from Peter Forbes' Next Page and Lt Peera Sagultem's Royal Thai Navy 1.

Ocean Rover Division Race 2, Geoff Wilson's Calypso JJ won from Simon Piff's Rainbow Dream and Roy Ellad's Festina Lente.

The in Multihull Racing Division, Tim Milner's Seekronghuk, won on corrected handicap from Philip Day's The Sting, with Radab Kanjanavanit's Cedar Swan third.

In the Performance Multihull Division Race 2, Liam Nichols' Gone with the Wind won from Chris Runnegar's Raimon Land Chameleon and Alfred Poulsen's Ambre.

In the Bareboat Charter Division Race 2, Masakido Kato's Amadues took the honours today from Maddern and Blankly's Bintang with Naoki Wada's Fidgi third.

In the Classic Division Race 2, Brendon Baumeister's Argo won from Mathew Harsley's Jubilaeum.

Tonight there will be a candle light ceremony on Kata Beach, with sailors and the Phuket community in attendance, part of the national celebration which will be televised nationwide.

Tomorrow's Kata Group Andaman Sea race is scheduled to be the longest passage race of this week's regatta, provided favourable sailing conditions hold for the long haul. However there is a possibility that the conditions may in fact be very light.In contrast, the typhoon currently off Vietnam may influence the regatta later in the week.

This year's Phuket King's Cup Regatta will be sailed over five days, in the first week of December to coincide with His Majesty the King's birthday on December 5.

The principal sponsor of the Regatta is Raimon Land PLC, who are joined by Kata Group, TMB Bank Pcl, Chivas Brothers (UK), Royal Phuket Marina, Thai Beverages PLC, Thai Airways International PLC, Mom Tri's Boathouse, Coutts Bank, Sunsail, Phuket Magazine, The Nation, Phuket Gazette and a host of local businesses which support the event.