“In 2008, Phuket Raceweek had 44 boats on the water, the wind was kind to us – and we were away!” said Image Asia’s MD, Grenville Fordham. “With breathtaking racing, a stunning set of courses just offshore from Rawai and around the local islands, the best race management and an unrivalled onshore party scene, we just knew we’d break the ‘magic 50’ in 2009,” he added.

Then came the global melt-down... and it seemed people had other, more serious things to focus on. In back down to 33 boats, nevertheless Raceweek attracted the best fleet yet, including top Asia-Pacific racing yachtsmen, Neil Pryde's custom Welbourn 52 Hi-Fi and Ray Roberts on DK46 Evolution Racing, both here to check out the ‘new’ first event on the 2009 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship – and to notch up a few early points on the championship scoreboard.

“This year, Raceweek looks set to break the 40-boat barrier again – something of a miracle given the political mayhem Thailand’s been suffering for the past several months – with the best all-round fleet of fast IRC classes and multihull yachts we’ve seen yet, albeit minus last year’s two ‘rock stars’,” said Fordham.

Especially encouraging for Phuket’s beleaguered tourism industry, is the number of ‘out of town’ participants that increases each year – both with boats coming from different waters and crew and sponsors’ guests flying in from... well, all over the world. 2010 is the third year that Six Senses Phuket Raceweek will be televised, going out to 140 million households across Europe, UK, Asia, USA, Australia and New Zealand as the first feature on the Hot Water program on major sporting channels. “We’re still the only regatta in the region that has this guaranteed international TV exposure,” said local media guru Fordham whose Image Asia continues to break through new boundaries to gain their share of main stream multimedia coverage around the globe.

Riots and mayhem are not the best environment in which to find sponsors, yet many of Phuket Raceweek's loyal partners have remained on board this year, and some new faces have joined the sponsorship line-up. Fordham added, "We believe that it’s better to keep sponsors than to scratch around for new ones every year, so we work hard to make sure our sponsors get the results they’re looking for – which means understanding their objectives, so that their input adds value for all involved and work together to achieve them.

2010 sees Six Senses return as Title Sponsor, with Jaguar Cars and TAT returning as Co-sponsors. Da Vinci have upped the ante from Island Supporter to Co-sponsor, while QBE have returned after a couple of years absence, also as Co-sponsor. Amongst Media Partners, Official Suppliers and Island Partners, most are returning for at least a second year.

SHIRLEY ROBERTSON Six Senses ambassador
Invited by Six Senses, double Olympic Gold Medal winner and one of the world’s leading sailors, Shirley Robertson, will be at Evason Phuket in celebration and support of Six Senses Phuket Raceweek. Speaking about Six Senses’ Title Sponsorship, John Phillipson, the resort group’s Managing Director of Thailand said, “Six Senses is thrilled to be sponsoring Phuket Raceweek for the seventh consecutive year. With Bangkok’s troubles earlier in the year, this is a great way to say that Thailand is once again an outstanding place of peace, culture and natural beauty. Shirley will be available for press interviews about her outstanding racing career and discussions with VIP guests.

DA VINCI LAUNCH
The latest Andaman Cabriolet, Da Vinci, sister ship to last year’s Six Senses Phuket Raceweek Multihull Class winner, Niña, flew over the trees and into the water at Chalong Bay. Launched just seven days before racing in the SEA Property Multihull Championship and Phuket Raceweek, builders Composite Catamarans maintain the tradition established last year of getting new boats in the water – JUST in time to compete. They had a ding dong battle with Henry Kaye's Seacart 30 Thor during the SEA Property Multihull Championship last weekend and missed out on the overall racing class title by only four minutes on the deciding last race. The official launching at the Royal Phuket Marina yesterday, saw Thai Buddhist monks leading off with the blessing ceremony before the champagne celebrations and fireworks. So this is what the rich and famous get up to in Phuket? Our humble editor was assured that it's not like this every day!

New launching to threaten the Multihull racing class
Aussie multihull designer Alan Carwadine has flopped off the Andaman Cabriolet hull and deck moulds to come up with his latest creation the Stealth 12.5 Sidewinder in a long line of successful racing multihull's that he is famous for. Apparently she is a few feet longer than the original Andaman Cabriolet Niña and all up only weighs in at a little over 3 tons. While Niña and the newly launched Da Vinci have the same size mast and sails, the all new Stealth 12.5 Sidewinder mast is 10 feet higher and bigger sails will generate a lot more all round power. Shortly after launching they came out to show off, motoring around the SEA Property Multihull Championship contestants and judging by the new sleek flowing look, they might be giving Henry Kaye's Seacart 30 Thor a run for line honours and depending on their handicap will give the rest of the nine boat class a real hurry up!

Simon Andrews wins 2010 Raceweek Photo Contest
Mia Gillow, won the inaugural Six Senses Phuket Raceweek Photo Contest with the image of 'Living Doll' charging downwind. Since then Mia has gone onto bigger and better things plus becoming the regatta's Official Photographer this year. As the island gears up for Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, the Phuket Gazette’s - Phuket Raceweek Amateur Photo Contest offers budding photographers the chance to win a five-night stay at an exclusive Phuket resort – free of charge. Photos of any subject may be entered, though outstanding photos of Phuket and yachting, and yacht racing in particular, are given preference. The winner of this year’s Phuket Raceweek Amateur Photo Contest is Simon Andrews with his photo “Close Quarters” showing two yachts in very close proximity as they prepare to round a mark mid-race, capturing in an instant just how competitive yacht racing can be in Phuket regattas.