3rd Koh Samui International Regatta - Race Report 2
By Capt. Marty Rijkuris

A good 12 to 18 knot SW breeze stirred up by a unprecedented number of low pressure systems extending across Indonesia up to China and as far west as India. This certainly tested the crews sail handling skills and a number of torn sails, damaged equipment and yachts overshooting the downwind mark affected their final placings during 2 very trying trapezoid courses.

Ray Roberts skippering his former stead Ulumulu bounced back into contention with a 1st place in Race 2 today but a ripped mainsail forced them to sail with a tri-sail in race 3 and ended up with a creditable 3rd in race 3. The parting of the No 2 headsail on Sam Chan's Ffreefire left the way open for Gerry Daughton's Outrageous to fill 2nd spot in Race 2 but turned the table in Race 3 and returned to their winning ways.

Marcel Liedts crew on Hocux Pocux 2 sailed a almost flawless race to lead the fleet around every mark leaving Peter Churchhouse's Moonblue 2 trailing in his wake and Dr Ian Nicolson's 60ft Intrigue of Stornaway in 3rd. The positions where reversed in Race 3 with Moonblue 2 edging out Hocux Pocux 2 at the top of the podium and yesterdays winner Lawana embarrassingly catching all the headsails on the mast mounted radar bracket and requiring a emergency dash to Phuket for sail repairs.

The Thai Naval Academy finished up completing a 1, 2 in both races with Veerasit Puangnak's crew getting the better of Rachit Sanphakaew by a mere 25 seconds. Saranya Makinson's Magic Roundabout took 2 third places but will have to do much better to catch the well sailed Farr 34 MRX's who are looking at a run away win in this class.

In the colorfully named Sportsboat class Jonathon Mahony's Mum 30 Happy Endings easily beat David Bell's Pink Pussycat and Mark Horwards Image Asia Attitude 8 in race 2. Early retirements in race 3 for Happy Endings and Image Asia Attitude 8 left the way open for Pink Pussycat to complete the race alone and add another win to her tally.

Khun Radab displayed a show of speed around the course on his Farrier 9 Cedar Swan trimaran in both races to eclipse Kirati Assakul's 13m Lock Crowther catamaran Sonic and Francesco Brancaccio's Farrier 24 Vivace. Race 3 saw the retirement of most of the front runners leaving the way clear for Martin Peter's Wharram Tiki 30 Nok Talay to surprisingly take 2nd place in race 3.

Racing continues in the fresh breezes with a passage race tomorrow leading into a layday on Thursday when emergency repairs can be conducted.

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