Asian sportsboats

A report from the first races of the Asian International Sportsboat Champioship

Practice Race

Competing in the Asian International Sportsboat Champioship regatta are an amazing array of boats from winged Shaw 7ms to more convential J/80s to canting 30 footers and Multiple Trapeze boats. The practice race on Sunday was through Victoria Harbour with a beat up to Lai Yumuen, followed by a shy trapeze reach across to D’Aigullar, where the kites were hosted with many of them hitting 20+ knots. Custard Truck led the fleet with Ambush (Hick 31) and another Shaw 6.50 turbo close behind, who were on fire until they nearly missed a rounding a Chesterman bouy. Hardening up for a shy two sail screaming reach to the finish off Middle Island. The results showed how closely fought the SBR fleet are, with Jeff Brown taking victory in his J/80, second was a B32 Wild at Heart and third was the local fleets chairman Steve Bourne on Magic 25 Merlin.

Race 1

Starting in a northeasterly 18 knot breeze with big short swell, the first race started without incident. Merlin got off to the best start with Jeff Brown on the J/80 also right on the line. It took the whole beat for the Shaw 7m Custard Truck to pull in to the lead before the top mark. On the first reach out to the wing mark, Ambush Hick 31 performed a humungous broach, allowing three Magics through including Heath Townsend having borrowed Shenanigans only a day earlier. In this form he managed to get ahead of Merlin on the next beat and held that to the finish, to beat Merlin in to second place with Vitra (who are providing beer on the dock) taking a hard fought third place) again showing how well the SBR rating is working. The top 6 boats were within 1.30 minutes.

Race 2

For the second race the wind had died to around 15 knots where the race became much more competitive. The new leaders in the Magic fleet were Whats the Story, who recovered from a second row start, to be third boat round the windward mark. Closely followed by Catch. The second reach was much shier than the first, with some spectacular wipe outs. With the conditions slightly lighter the more convential SB3s and J/80s dominated with the J/80s getting a first and second and Vitra helmed by current J/24 European Champion Ian Southworth.