3rd Koh Samui International Regatta - AY Race Report 1
By Capt. Marty Rijkurisn:

Despite suffering a similar fate to yesterdays Monaco GP which saw several mechanical breakdowns considerably deplete the fleet numbers the remaining entrants had an exciting days racing. Course 7, a 19 nm race to Ko Phangan rounding Koh Kong Rin and back was chosen for the first day that favored the big boats with long waterlines as it turned into 2 x 9 mile reaching legs in 10 to 15 knots of westerly tradewinds. Sam Chan's 21m Ffreefire this time skippered by Russ Parker streaked away after the start leaving the fleet in their wake to score a resounding line and handicap honours victory. Troy Yaw's Ulumulu skippered by Aussie Ray Roberts managed to fill 2nd spot with Gerry Daughton's Outrageous following closely in 3rd place.

The large heavy weight racer/cruiser class saw a close tussle develop between 2 Warwick designs and two X-Yachts. Eventually it was Suwan Poopoksakul's 15m Lawana by less than a minute to Marcel Liedts 18m Hocux Pocux 2 and Dr Ian Nicolson's 60ft Intrigue of Stornaway.

The Thai Navy came to the fore again taking 1st and 3rd place in the biggest class competing here. David Liedts La Samudra ended up filling 2nd place splitting the Naval Academies Veerasit Puangnak and Rachit Sanphakaew.

In the Sportsboat class David Bell's Pink Pussycat slipped into 1st place by a little over a minute from Jonathon Mahony's Happy Endings and Mark Horward's Phuket 8 Image Asia Attitude 8 finished up a distant 3rd.

Kirati Assakul's 13m Lock Crowther catamaran Sonic from Ocean Marina in Pattaya made the most of the fresh conditions to score her first win over Radab Kanjanavanit's Cedar Swan and Francesco Brancaccio's Farrier 24 Vivace.

Racing continues tomorrow around 2 trapezoid courses to be laid around 3 miles offshore which should favour some of the unplaced yachts from today's first race.

Results and more news will be available from http://www.samuiregatta.com