19 to San Fernando

Royal Hong Kong YC classic offshore race sets sail on 9 April

The 19 entrants in the 2009 RHKYC San Fernando Race (SFR) are in the final throes of preparations for a Victoria Harbour start on 8 April, with Category 1 scrutineering of the boats well underway.

The entry list features a healthy selection of old hands and China Sea virgins, with the largest boat in the fleet, Peter Churchouse’s Warwick 64 Moonblue 2 claiming over 20 years’ SFR experience against the smallest entrant, brand new Archambault 35, Red Kite II. Undaunted, Anthony Root claims that “the boat’s ‘basic’ comfort will certainly motivate us to do a fast crossing” but acknowledges that the Luzon ‘holes’ might spoil his momentum.

Geoff Hill’s TP52 Strewth is back in offshore action after losing her keel on last year’s Rolex China Sea Race, ready to chase down the race record of 49 hours 55 minutes and 12 seconds set in 2001, while Peter Forsythe has just taken delivery of an X55, Xena and looks forward to seeing what she is capable of in the Premier Cruising Division.

Marcel Liedts will offer a dark horse in the shape of Beneteau First 50, Blauwvoet, enjoying her first offshore outing, while Guy Badgery has admitted that lone multihull Long Reef will be racing against herself and the existing multihull record, but looking forward to arriving in San Fernando before the party.

The location of the fleet is once again being monitored with Purplefinder tracking by Pole Star Space Applications, with Inmarsat D+ hardware supplied by SkyWave, allowing armchair fans to follow the fleet’s progress 24/7.

While being a serious offshore race, there is an element of fun such as prizes for the biggest fish caught and the boat raising most money for The San Fernando Race Foundation

The charity element of the race receives high priority, with proceeds from several fund-raising events, including tonight’s Charity Dinner at Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, going to the House of Loving Faithfulness, a local home for underprivileged children in San Fernando.

The first San Fernando Race was inaugurated in 1977, and it has reached the 16th edition this year. This Category 1 Offshore Race of 480 miles is organised by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club under the auspices of the Royal Ocean Racing Club.