Perfect conditions for King's Cup

Great day for Spain reports Andrew Owen from Phuket

It was an exceptional day’s sailing at the Phuket King’s Cup today, the second event on the season’s Omega Asian Yachting Circuit. Winds blasted across the course all day from between 15 and 17 knots. The sun shone down with only an occasional cloud dashing for the horizon. With small white caps dotting the clean blue waters of the Andaman Sea it was the perfect setting for some dramatic yacht racing.

As the competitors went out to the start line Neil Pryde and his Hi Fidelity crew from Hong Kong were feeling exuberant. The long jury deliberations of yesterday had seen Hi Fidelity emerge on top, winning Race Four and so taking the boat five points clear of the rest of the field. Not only were Hi Fidelity moved up into top spot in the race, their main rivals Yo! and Clariden Karakoa were given a penalty that left them languishing in 11th and 12th position. Disaster for Yo! and Clariden Karakoa - but jubilation to Hi Fidelity… all this would add spice to the startlines today. Plis Play also benefited and in Race Four she finished in second place and lay second overall too.

At the start line the winds were a little gusty and flukey. Moments before the start there was a wind shift that left some boats struggling to get over the line but the start by Plis Play was immaculate, finding clear air and charging off down the track. As Hans Weimar from Plis Play put it “we had the perfect start and once we were on the course we were unstoppable. Our crew worked superbly together and I feel we sailed very well today. The conditions were tricky - there were actually a few holes out there and you had to read the wind. Of course the conditions favoured our big boat a little today but our team should take good credit”.

On board Clariden Karakoa they were a little frustrated. By the time they hit the first windward mark there was a hole in the wind and where Plis Play had powered round in a smooth gybe, the boats under 50ft in length slowed. This was decisive and Plis Play powered on to her first bullet of the Cup. Behind in second was Clariden Karakoa while and Stella Minter Ellison while Hi Fidelity had her own worst race finishing poorly in sixth.



Vincente Garcia, skipper of Plis Play


The second race saw a few more tactics at the startline. Fresh in the minds of many sailors were both the bold tactics and the long hours spent in jury rooms yesterday. And sure enough Clariden Karakoa could be seen engaging Hi Fidelity at the start, preventing the Hong Kong yacht from following her favoured course. And there too was Yo! tacking in front of her Hong Kong rival.

But all eyes turned again to Plis Play as she got another immaculate start and charged off down the course. Even Ray Roberts in his own Farr 52 Hollywood Boulevard could not keep pace with this superb Spanish team. She again powered home to an impressive win, this time followed by Yo! and Clariden Karakoa. Completing a miserable day for Hi Fidelity she came sixth again and suddenly her lead was gone.

Going into the final day and with one race left to run it is still close. Plis Play must be favourite to win but still in touch are Hi Fidelity and Clariden Karakoa who are three and five points adrift respectively. Hi Fidelity is hoping for lighter winds in which she feels she can compete against the Spaniards, but Plis Play’s worst result so far is a fourth place so she can’t be expected to trip up. The safe money is on Plis Play but as with all great sporting events, it’s not over till it’s over.

Across the other divisions Australia Maid (Thailand) leads in the Amex Premier Cruising, La Sumudra in IRC1, Royal Thai Navy 2 (Thailand) in IRC2, Simba in IRC3, Gladys Guttenburg in Ocean Rover, Long White Cloud in Classic and Lattitude 8 Cyrene in Ocean Multihulls.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the final day of this year’s Phuket King’s Cup and all the winners of all the divisions will be known by 5pm when the King’s Representative will arrive to present prizes.