Phuket, Thailand: 28 April 2010
Registration is now open for Thailand's favourite regatta and the Provisional Notice of Race is online. Five nights of parties that are renowned as the best regatta parties in the region, combined with four days of high-octane yacht racing in the southwest monsoon season have elevated Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, now in its seventh year, head and shoulders above the rest.
Held from 21 to 25 July at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa on Phuket’s southeast coast, Raceweek is the first regatta in the 2010/2011 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship.
A regatta for all
“Yachts thinking of taking part shouldn’t be put off by thinking this is all about top racing yachts, though” said Grenville Fordham, MD of organizers and rights owners Image Asia Events Co., Ltd. “We attract a strong fleet of cruising yachts too, both monohull and multihull, and they all have a great time during Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, no matter how much or how little experience they have,” he added.
Charter a yacht to race
For those who don’t have a boat in Phuket, or within easy reach, there are numerous competitive yachts – from IRC to cruising, monohull and multihull – available to charter, either with skipper or bareboat. Check out the regatta website for details.
ACYC Multihull Challenge
This year’s Phuket Raceweek will run back-to-back with the Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC) Multihull Challenge, which is expected to attract up to 20 catamarans and trimarans from around Thailand. “With the two events close together this year, we expect to see some synergy and a very strong multihull fleet in Six Senses Phuket Raceweek,” said Fordham.
Earlybirds win a free entry!
Regatta registration is now open via the regatta website with fabulous value ‘earlybird’ discounts on entry fees for boats and crew. And a first this year is the chance to win back entry fees for boat and full crew courtesy of Global Investments (Far East) – but you only qualify if you beat the earlybird deadline.
Another first this year is the unique souvenir Six Senses Phuket Raceweek apparel from Official Suppliers Gybe – available for advance orders online through the regatta registration page.
Lower than ever room rates at Evason!
With rooms starting at just 3,200 Baht all inclusive for regatta participants, the 2010 Evason rates are the best deal yet in the regatta's seven years! Visit the website accommodation page for more information.
Andaman Cabriolet seeks top honours – again
Yet another development that will have those ‘in the know’ keeping a lookout is the return of last year’s surprise Multihull Winner, the brand new Phuket-built Andaman Cabriolet Niña on her first outing. Niña also took first place in this year’s Royal Langkawi Regatta. For Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2010, she will be accompanied by two ‘sisters’, the second Andaman Cabriolet Da Vinci and designer Alan Carwadine’s own 42 foot derivation, Sidewinder, with the same hull shape, both still undergoing final preparations in the boatyard. According to a source inside Cabriolet builders Composite Catamarans, they hope to take all three podium positions in this year’s Multihull Class. Watch this space!
Co-Sponsor Jaguar leverages its sponsorship
As part of its experiential marketing activity, Jaguar will be unleashing its new XJ models on the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek audience. With the new XJ models, Jaguar takes the lead on innovation, with a seductive mix of stunning design, intuitive technology and ground-breaking thinking. In 2010 top VIP car enthusiasts will be invited from around Asia to put these superb vehicles through their paces, while regional distributors’ top sales management will get to experience a taste of speed on the water as well as off.
Sponsors line up to join Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2010
Already confirmed to join Six Senses and Jaguar in the sponsorship lineup are (returning) Tourism Authority of Thailand, Siam Winery, Andaman Cabriolet, Asia-Pacific Boating, MyPhuketInfo.com, Phuket Gazette, Prestige Magazine, SEA Yachting and (first time) Global Investments (Far East), Urbane Nomads, Gybe, Yacht Style, AngloInfo and Movenpick. As discussions come to fruition over the coming weeks, many more of last year’s sponsors and partners are expected to return in 2010.
SIX SENSES PHUKET RACEWEEK GETS SPONSORSHIP BOOST FOR 2010
Phuket, Thailand: 27 January 2010
The organisers of Six Senses Phuket Raceweek (SSPRW), the first regatta in the 2010/2011 Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship (AYGP), were excited to announce today that both Title Sponsor Six Senses Resorts & Spas and Co-sponsor Jaguar Cars have announced their renewed commitment for the 2010 event.
Now in its seventh year, SSPRW combines four days of high-octane yacht racing with five nights of glittering parties. The 2010 regatta will be held from 21 to 25 July off the southeast coast of Phuket, Thailand.
“There’s no question that both Six Senses’ and Jaguar’s continued support is down to the success of last year’s event for each of them,” said Grenville Fordham, Managing Director of SSPRW organizers and rights owners, Image Asia Events Co., Ltd. Fordham was speaking just after returning from winning the Malaysian Multihull Challenge Cup at Royal Langkawi International Regatta with his Andaman Cabriolet catamaran, Da Vinci Niña (the yacht’s second regatta win since its launch in July last year).
With the exception of 2009, SSPRW has seen the number of entries grow each year and the organisers anticipate a record fleet for the 2010 event. “In 2008 we welcomed 43 yachts from all over the region; last year we suffered a ‘global meltdown blip’, and were down to 33 yachts – but the standard of the fleet was much more competitive than in previous years,” said Fordham, adding that he anticipates the opportunity to put some early points on the slate in the AYGP will be an incentive for more of the regional racing yachts to make their way up to Phuket in July.
“Top regional racers, Neil Pryde and Ray Roberts raced here last year for the first time and both were warm in their praise of our event – particularly the quality of the racing – while Asian racing veteran Peter Ahern has been coming back for several years,” said Fordham. “We hope to attract more of the AGYP competitors this year – and, of course, hope to see Peter, Neil and Ray in the fleet again,” he added.
Back on the sponsorship front, Jaguar Overseas Operations Director, Mick Razza, said, “In our inaugural year as Co-sponsor in 2009 we saw a remarkable rise in sales off the back of our experiential marketing at Six Senses Phuket Raceweek. We deal with marketing strategies worldwide and with Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd. we saw a first class 360° campaign that rivals the best platforms we have used in the past. We look forward with anticipation for another great week’s regatta in Phuket this year!”
SSPRW 2010 is the platform for Jaguar’s regional launch of the stunning, all-new Jaguar XJ range – with VIP guests invited from throughout Southeast Asia to experience both the regatta and the new XJ.
Already confirmed to join Six Senses and Jaguar in the sponsorship lineup are (returning) Tourism Authority of Thailand, Andaman Cabriolet, Asia-Pacific Boating, MyPhuketInfo.com and (first time) Urbane Nomads, Gybe and Movenpick. As discussions come to fruition over the coming weeks, many more of last year’s sponsors and partners are expected to return in 2010.
“The continuation of Jaguar as a Co-sponsor in 2010 sends out a very positive sign of the importance of strategic alliances with Asia’s top sporting events,” said Paul Poole, Managing Director of Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd., whose company has been appointed by Jaguar to manage and maximise Jaguar’s Co-sponsorship of the event and their supporting experiential marketing activity.
Asked if the regatta is more about the sponsors than the sailors, Fordham responded, “At this stage in our planning, sponsorship marketing is the key to a successful event. But nobody should doubt that our main focus as regatta organizers is to run several days of superb yacht racing in Phuket in July.” Adding that he does not believe widening the scope of SSPRW to include peripheral activities is what the sailors or the sponsors want, he said, “Our job is to focus on giving them both a great regatta and to let the world know about it. We think that’s enough,” he said.
As Paul Poole says of his success in marketing SSPRW sponsorship, “None of this [sponsorship] would be possible without a great infrastructure and edge of your seat racing.”
SIX SENSES PHUKET RACEWEEK 2009 ROUNDUP
An exceptional regatta!
Tired but happy participants, satisfied sponsors and the first sale for a new design of catamaran – Multihull Class winner, the 'Andaman Cabriolet' Da Vinci Niña – marked the end of the 6th Six Senses Phuket Raceweek on Sunday 26 July. Phuket Raceweek, organised by rights owner Image Asia Events, is held every year in July at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa on the holiday island's southeast coast.
“I must say it was an exceptional regatta! The whole of our crew thoroughly enjoyed the week. Congratulations to you and your team on putting on one of Asia’s finest regattas. We will definitely be returning next year,” said Baby Tonga’s Anthony Hastings.
Hastings’ sentiments were echoed by Evolution Sails’ Ray Roberts, who felt compelled to take the microphone while collecting his Racing Class winner’s trophy. “I've had a fabulous time. It's my first time at this regatta and it's possibly the best experience I've had in Asia… I came here expecting the regatta to be much less competitive, but it was very tight racing… where the gap between first and second was [sometimes] less than 10 seconds.”
“Great Regatta! The best in Asia. We recommend Raceweek wholeheartedly to all prospective participants,” said Mike Downard, CEO of Sail in Asia, sailing on Peter Dyer's Madame Butterfly.
Blessed by perfect winds and blue skies – typical Phuket weather at this time of year – Race Officer Simon James sent all except Club/Charter and Classic classes on eight races over four days, combining windward-leeward courses with round-the-islands races, taking in the superb scenery within sight of regatta HQ – a unique feature of Phuket Raceweek.
Asian regatta organisers often hear participants complain about being back on shore when there’s wind and they could still be out there racing. Not so at Phuket Raceweek 2009! Too much racing? Perhaps… “I’d be happy with six races,” said Yo!2’s Peter Ahern, competing in his third Phuket Raceweek. “I see this as a more relaxed regatta with time for visitors to enjoy the sights of Phuket rather than spend all day on the water,” he added.
“A great regatta that should grow,” remarked the current Asian Yachting Grand Prix (AYGP) title holder, Hi Fi’s Neil Pryde – like Roberts, at Phuket Raceweek for the first time.
On the water, the competition was fierce. IRC Racing, IRC 1 and Multihulls went to the wire, with just seconds separating the leading contenders right up to the last race. Despite winning both races on the last day, Pryde’s Hi Fi couldn’t quite topple Roberts’ Evolution Sails from the top spot, giving Roberts the first points on the 2009-10 AGYP scoreboard.
Coming out on top of the hotly-contended IRC1 class, former SEA Games Gold Medallist and Thai National Junior Sailing Team coach, Jaray Tipsuk with his all-Thai crew on the Platu 25 Mitrmitri, became the first Thai skipper to take a first place at Phuket Raceweek.
Perhaps the biggest upsets of the week, though, was in the Multihull Class. Henry Kaye and Fergus Wilmer’s all-carbon Sea Cart 30 Thor, fresh from victories in the Koh Samui Regatta and the Phuket Multihull Challenge, had to settle for second place against the new design ‘Andaman Cabriolet’, Da Vinci Niña. Launched only five days before the regatta, Da Vinci Niña had brief sea trials on Wednesday and went on to score two bullets in Thursday’s two races.
Commenting on the 2009 entry list, Image Asia managing director, Grenville Fordham, noted, “At 33, the number of entries was down on last year’s 41; but the standard of boats and the level of competition were the best yet. I was particularly delighted to see a record number of entries from overseas this year.”
Fordham added that he sees the future growth of Phuket Raceweek coming from two different directions. “Now that we’re part of the AYGP circuit, and some of the contenders have experienced Raceweek for the first time, I’d be surprised if we don’t see more of the region’s top racing boats here next year. Our other focus is yacht charter. Phuket has a competitive fleet of yachts available to charter for regattas. With low season hotel and charter rates and the most spectacular cruising grounds in the world on our doorstep, we plan to target the yacht charter market, offering cruising/racing or racing only packages for 2010.”
Of course, as with most Asian regattas, Phuket Raceweek is not only about the racing. The regatta tavern adjacent to the jetty bustles with post-race banter, while the evening prize-giving parties are legendary – with overflowing buffet tables, courtesy of Evason’s superb chefs, free-flow beers, wines and spirits and top-class entertainment flown in from Bangkok just for the regatta.
The general consensus, as participants and guests got stuck into the final night’s gala party, is best summed up by Asian Yachting’s Capt. Marty Rijkuris: “What a great regatta Phuket Raceweek has turned into. Hard racing during the day and plenty of entertainment at night. What more could a sailor wish for? It does not get much better than this, anywhere in the world, I can assure you all.”
SIX SENSES PHUKET RACEWEEK 2009 DAILY RACE REPORTS
Race Report 4, July 26, 2009 One more beautiful day in paradise...
Although the wind eased up on the last day of racing, there was enough for two more races to be run, which completes the entire program. Handling the strong incoming current became a big issue and the determining factor in the final results. Certainly in the first race of the day (Race 7) the yachts that went offshore realised their mistake, as the yachts that favoured the Koh Lon shore generally rounded the top mark first. Then it became a matter of either playing catch up or the front runners extending their lead. For several classes these crucial last race results could swing the podium places either way. In a couple of classes the top spot was already taken but the silver and bronze places were still to play for.
Coming into the final day Ray Roberts DK46 Evolution Sails held a slender three point lead over Neil Pryde’s Welbourne 52 Hi Fi. The discussion over breakfast was “Would this be enough? Could Peter Ahern’s Farr 40 Yo!2 slot in to create some points separation?” Neil Pryde’s crew were up and at it early with an air of confidence in their stride and struck gold early by winning both races today. Only 34 seconds in Race 7 and 41 seconds in Race 8 behind was Ray Roberts on Evolution Sails, which reduced the overall points lead down to one for Ray Roberts to claim the title on his first outing at Raceweek. Talk about coming down to the wire. If that’s how it is going to be for the next nine events on the AYGP we are in for a bumper season. Two third places for Peter Ahern’s Farr 40 Yo!2 places them in third overall and hopefully enough motivation to join us for a few more events on the calendar.
Jaray Tipsuk’s all Thai crew on the Platu 25 Mitrmitri climbed onto the top of the overall leaderboard yesterday and by winning both races today, firmly stands on the top of the podium in the hotly contested IRC 1 class. This is a great achievement for the Thai team that raised 5,000 Baht per sponsor and then plastered the names all over the hull of the boat. Not too pretty, but very effective. The battle for second and third overall came down to Peter Dyer’s IOR 1/2 tonner Madame Butterfly and Niels Degenkolw ‘s X Yacht IOR 3/4 tonner Phoenix sparring it out, which came out in favour Peter Dyer’s Madame Butterfly taking second and then Niels Degenkolw ’s Phoenix holding off the chasing pack including Stuart Williamson’s two race winner Skandia Endeavour of Whitby to claim third place.
Andrew de Bruin’s Ron Swanson Sloop Awatea has been on form all regatta and by keeping a clean scoresheet they take home the Club Charter Class title for the second year running. Horst Lakits crew on the Swan 55 Big A have been busting a gut all regatta but could only win one race and enough points to secure second overall. Rob Azzopardi’s Jeanneau SO 34.2 Prosafe Cunning Plan may have taken them on a bumpy ride but solidifies third place overall by the end of the day.
The battle royale between Henry Kaye and Fergus Wilmer’s Sea Cart 30 Thor and Grenville Fordham’s newly launched Andaman Cabriolet skippered by designer Alan Carwadine came gracefully to an end. Winning the starts, showing a good turn of speed and being in front of the Corsairs won Da Vinci Niña six out of eight races and the Multihull title on her first aggressive outing. Henry Kaye is not happy to be beaten by an Italian restaurant but will have to settle on second place for Thor. Neil Ayre’s Corsair 28 Shanghai Baby has been hanging in there all regatta and a well earned third place overall makes them the best of the rest.
Although there was a change in the finishing order in Race 7 today, six wins for Hans Rahmann’s Voodoo Child, in the earlier races, sealed them the Firefly One Design title with a day to spare. Despite breaking some gear causing an early retirement, Roger Kingdon’s Moto Inzi six second places earned them second overall. John Newnham’s The Frog won Race 6 today and consistently scoring third places keeps them in third overall. As the results were well and truly decided plus the early retirements it was whole heartedly agreed not to race the final race and seek shelter from the burning sun rays at the ‘Into the Beach’ bar back at the Evason.
Tom Howard’s North Sea Fishing Boat Seraph, being the only grand old lady to turn up this year for the Classic Class, has had four beautiful days of sailing around the islands to the south east of Phuket and no doubt win the Seraph Trophy. They are disappointed that other boats did not come and enjoy the delights of Phuket, so would like to extend an invitation to all other Classic boat owners in the region to take them on next year.
Summary What a great regatta Phuket Raceweek has turned into. Hard racing during the day and plenty of entertainment at night. The close racing and high tech hardware has lifted the event to the next level in more ways than one. I ask myself ‘What more could a sailor wish for?’ as I gaze out from the media center, through the swaying palm trees at the azure blue sea and beyond. It does not get much better than this, anywhere in the world, I can assure you all.
Race Report 3, July 25, 2009 One more beautiful day in paradise...
Another warm and sunny day, with blue skies but this time an increasing 15 to 18 knots of SW breeze to greet the sailors. As the conditions looked so good, PRO Simon James decided for Race 5 to send the Racing Class, on the yet untested Course 30, for a lengthy four island race out to Koh Maithon and back. The rest of the classes were sent off to do a few laps inside Ao Chalong Bay before returning to finish off the Evason Phuket. Some strong gusts caught the sailors by surprise, overpowering the boat, others made good use of them to accelerate down the waves and power past the opposition, like they were standing still. The staggered nature of finishing meant that Race 6 would follow, shortly after the last boat in each class had finished Race 5, on a two mile windward/leeward course. Not sure whether the racing class welcomed this move after the long windward beat back from Maithon but as some owners often pointed out, "They have come here to race their boats" so they quickly climbed back on the saddle, locked horns and got back into it.
Although Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi Fi finished what seemed a long way ahead, after handicaps were applied it was Ray Roberts re-branded DK46 Evolution Sails that snuck in by a whisker. Only eight seconds separated Evolution Sails and Peter Ahern's defending champion Farr 40 Yo!2 in second place, that are way overdue for a win and continue to exert maximum pressure the leaders. Neil Pryde's Hi Fi finished a further three minutes behind for third place and perhaps breaking crew curfew rules at last night's party may have something to do with it. The crew on Antony Hastings Baby Tonga must be commended on their 5th place for keeping their Beneteau First 53 F5 up with the modern carbon fibre yachts and top racing teams in front of them. It did not take long for Neil Pryde's crew to strike back and it was Hi Fi's turn to win Race 6 by only eight seconds from Ray Roberts fast finishing Evolution Sails. Scott Duncanson sandwiched his Phuket 8 Quantum Fusion M into third place between Evolution Sails and Peter Ahern's YO!2. These results give Ray Roberts a little breathing space on top of the overall pointscore with two races left to run.
Jaray Tipsuk's all Thai crew on the Platu 25 Mitrmitri cemented their place on top of the overall leaderboard by winning Race 5 and taking third place in Race 6. Peter Dyer's IOR 1/2 tonner Madame Butterfly made their move today by scoring two second places and thereby regaining second overall. Stuart Williamson's Beneteau 34.7 Skandia Endeavour of Whitby tasted victory for the second time in Race 6 by a mere six seconds. As it turns out this IRC 1 class is proving to be extremely competitive as only a few seconds separate the podium finishers and less than ten minutes for the eight boat fleet on corrected time. There is a lot of movement up and down the order and although Japan's Toshio Furuta's Mumm 36 Emma has taken line honours in every race, they have only won one on handicap and have finished well down the order in the rest. Niels Degenkolw's X Yacht IOR 3/4 tonner Phoenix slipped a little with third and fifth places but hang onto third overall by a slim margin.
Andrew de Bruin's Ron Swanson Sloop Awatea was back on form today, adding two more wins to their tally, making it almost certain they will defend the Club Charter Class title. Horst Lakits Swan 55 Big A stayed in touch with second place in Race 5 but sixth place in Race 6 opens the points difference and will have to settle on second overall. Two third places for Chrisotpher Kingsley-Smith's Beneteau First 45/F5 Amandla Star should give them a confidence boost after missing the first day of racing and leave them thinking what might have been. Fourth and second places for Rob Azzopardi's Jeanneau SO 34.2 Prosafe Cunning Plan keeps them in third overall with a chance at second overall if they come good in tomorrows final two races.
Although Henry Kaye and Fergus Wilmer's Sea Cart 30 Thor roars around at top speed to be the fastest boat on the water, it is the newly launched Andaman Cabriolet Da Vinci Niña skippered by designer Alan Carwadine, that triumphed on the two races held today and put themselves back on top of the overall leader board. Second and third places for Thor means Henry's crew will have to pull out all the stops in the two remaining races, if they expect to take the title home. Third and second places for Neil Ayre's Corsair 28 Shanghai Baby keeps them in third overall. The rest of the boats have had equipment breakages, forcing them to retire from some races which puts them out of the running for the podium places.
Two more wins for Hans Rahmann's Voodoo Child, makes it six wins in a row and rap up the Firefly One Design title with two races to go. Hans and Mark Pescott the boat designer have put it down to the new jib which has tremendously improved the upwind performance and speed for them to scorch into the lead by the first mark. The rest has been a procession with Roger Kingdon's Moto Inzi scoring six second places and UK's John Newnham's The Frog scoring six third places to hold onto the respective overall positions.
Tom Howard's North Sea Fishing Boat Seraph sets sail each day and often appears between the islands as they traverse their own passage course. They seem happy enough and kept busy trying out new sail configurations to suit the wind angle and wind speed despite being the only grand old lady to turn up this year for the Classic Class.
Racing continues on the final day tomorrow and with two races scheduled it could make all the difference in some classes. As the present SW tradewinds are expected to continue, we are in for some exciting moments as they duel towards the finish.
Warm, sunny conditions, blue skies and 10 to 15 knots of breeze with good gusts welcomed the sailors back to the race course on Day 2 of the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek. What more could you ask for? It certainly inspired the photographers to capture all the exciting action up close.
Ray Roberts made it three in a row for the re-branded DK46 Evolution Sails on a lengthy windward/leeward Race 3 that lasted for nearly three hours. Neil Pryde complained that some niggling little crew mistakes on his Welbourne 52 Hi Fi lost them valuable time and relegated them to second place despite leading the fleet by a country mile. Peter Ahern’s Farr 40 Yo!2 and the defending champion is constantly chomping at the bit and ready to pounce at every opportunity, but as the race wore on, ended up in third place. Things must have finally come together on Neil Pryde’s Hi Fi as they went on to score the daily double in Race 4. Scott Duncanson’s Phuket 8, Quantum Fusion M, also got to show their offwind speed and slotted into second place. Only 14 seconds behind on corrected time, Peter Ahern’s Yo!2 takes third place in front of Ray Roberts and Evolution Sails in fourth place and reduce their overall points lead to one point for the time being.
After two disappointing seventh places yesterday, Japan’s Toshio Furuta on the Mumm 36 Emma came good to win Race 3 in the IRC 1 Class after a wonderful first windward beat that put them streaks ahead of the rest. Jaray Tipsuk’s all Thai crew on Mitrmitri have kept their Platu 25 in front of some of the bigger boats to record second place and take the overall lead in the class. Third place for Peter Dyer’s IOR 1/2 tonner Madame Butterfly displaces them from the top of the pointscore but only trail by 1 point. Race 4 saw some further juggling of the places with Niels Dgenkolf’s X Yacht IOR 3/4 tonner Phoenix claiming first place with Jaray Tipsuk’s Mitrmitri hot on their heels in second place and Peter Dyer’s Madam Butterfly once again in third place. This result keeps Jaray Tipsuk’s Mitrmitri on top of the table, one point in front of Niels Degenkolw’s Phoenix who is one point in front of Peter Dyer’s Madame Butterfly. It does not get much closer than that and everything is still to play for.
Only one long passage race today for the Club Charter Class. Horst Lakits Swan 55 Big A managed to hold their time and take out the daily double in fine style. Andrew de Bruin’s Ron Swanson Sloop, Awatea held the upper hand in yesterday’s two races and settled on second today but still holds onto the overall lead. Third for Rob Azzopardi’s Jeanneau SO 34.2 Prosafe Cunning Plan keeps them in third overall with a lot of work to do if they are to make a lasting impression.
Not willing to be second best, Henry Kaye and Fergus Wilmer’s Sea Cart 30 Thor came out on fire to score two wins and go directly to the top of the table. The newly launched Andaman Cabriolet Da Vinci Niña skippered by designer Alan Carwadine won two races on her racing debut yesterday but two second places today has them tied on points with Thor and drops them to second overall. Neil Ayre’s Corsair 28 Shanghai Baby and David Liddell’s Corsair 37 Miss Saigon traded third and fourth places in the two races today to hold onto the respective overall placing’s.
If consistency is the name of the game, then four wins in a row for Hans Rahmann’s Voodoo Child, aptly being tweaked by the Firefly 850 designer Mark Pescott has them convincingly in top spot and it will take an almighty effort to stop them. Amazingly the others have followed suit with Roger Kingdon’s Moto Inzi scoring four second places and with four third places UK’s. John Newnham chartered The Frog hold on firmly to the respective overall positions.
Being the only grand old lady to turn up this year for the Classic Class, Tom Howard’s North Sea Fishing Boat Seraph sailed the island course on their own and once again was a sight to behold as they crossed the finish line with all sails set.
Racing continues tomorrow and if the present conditions continue we are in for some fierce competition on the water and lively entertainment at night time – just how we like it at Asian regattas.
Race Report 1, July 23, 2009 Raceweek starts in fine style...
Day 1 of the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek started in overcast conditions and light drizzle but progressively the South Westerly tradewind kicked in and by the afternoon a steady 12 to 15 knots propelled the yachts around the course to complete two races on the opening day of the regatta. Last night's welcoming party with the free flow of mixed drinks and magnificent buffet on two levels of ‘Into the Beach’ set the precedent for the social side of the event. A slight adjustment to the classes saw the boats divided into 2 X IRC classes, Club/Charter, Multihull, Firefly One Design and Tom Howard's North Sea Fishing Boat Seraph being the sole Classic Class entry.
The seven boats in the IRC Racing Class were keen to get away but it was arch rivals Ray Roberts DK46 Evolution Sails, Neil Pryde Welbourne 52 Hi-Fi and Peter Ahern’s defending champion Yo!2 that took advantage of the favoured pin end and left the rest back in the second row of the startline. Paramount importance was placed on getting the crew work sorted, playing the wind shifts and staying in the pressure lanes. In his usual impeccable style Ray Roberts’ crew on the DK46 Evolution Sails responded the best to clock up Race 1 and 2 victories and start the regatta in fine style. Peter Ahern’s Farr 40 Yo!2 slipped into second place by a mere two seconds leaving Neil Pryde’s Welbourne 52 Hi Fi to settle on third place. In Race 2 around the islands the roles were reversed with Neil Pryde’s Hi Fi taking second, missing first place by 14 seconds and Peter Ahern’s YO!2 in third place. Even at this early stage in proceedings it seems the well oiled teams are coming out on top.
A battle royale is shaping up between the eight boats in the IRC 1 Class with several changes to the order and a few seconds separating the diverse range of boats in the class. Peter Dyer’s IOR 1/2 tonner Madam Butterfly drew first blood with Jaray Tipsuk’s Platu 25 Mitrmitri only 10 seconds adrift in second place. A further 29 seconds behind Niels Dgenkolf’s X Yacht IOR 3/4 tonner Phoenix claimed third place. The longer reaching and running legs around the islands saw some interesting contraction and expansion in the fleet especially on the leeward side of Koh Aeo. Stuart Williamson’s Beneteau 34.7 Skandia Endeavour of Whitby came to the fore in Race 2 with defending champion Niels Degenkolw’s Phoenix claiming second place by a mere 14 seconds from Jaray Tipsuk’s Platu 25 Mitrmitri. After the first day of racing three boats are tied on five points and judging by the performance the battle will rage till the end of the regatta.
Two first places for Donna Stephens Ron Swanson Sloop Awatea puts them well on the way to defending the title, that they convincingly won last year. Rob Azzopardi Jeanneau SO 34.2 Prosafe Cunning Plan slotted into second place in Race 1 but was over the start line in Race 2 and scored OCS for not returning. Horst Lakits Swan 55 Big A came in third and by scoring 2nd place in Race 2 keeps them within striking distance of Awatea. Third place for Elite Yachting’s Benjamin Dupal skippering NRG Alissa puts them in good stead for the NRG Cup.
The big winner of the day was the race organizer, Grenville Fordham’s newly launched Andaman Cabriolet Da Vinci Niña skippered by designer Alan Carwadine, which went on to win two races on her racing debut. Despite being covered in spray and seemingly blitzing the fleet Henry Kaye and Fergus Wilmer’s Sea Cart 30 Thor suffered from a few breakages and torn Code O to end up with two second places at the end of the day. Trading third and fourth places Neil Ayre’s Corsair 28 Miss Saigon and Faraway Yachting’s Chameleon skippered by Shane Smith sees them tied on points for third overall.
Hans Rahmann's Voodoo Child helmed by the designer Mark Pescott continued on their winning ways in the Firefly 850 One Design Class by eclipsing the fleet during the two races held today. Two second places for Roger Kingdon's Moto Inzi and two third places for The Frog chartered by UK's John Newnham from the Andaman Sea Club has them finishing in the respective order in the overall stakes.
Composite Catamarans have also come on board as a sponsor of Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2009, staging a competition in conjunction with Evason Phuket. First prize is a charter holiday on Niña, combined with accommodation at Evason, worth around 5,000 Euros. Details of how to enter the competition – open to all-comers whether participating in Raceweek this year or not – will be announced shortly.
The SW Monsoon struck with a vengeance this afternoon drenching the crews as they came ashore and although it seems to come in blasts, the forecasters predict it will be here for the duration of the regatta. That's the good news on the water and now to rush back down to ‘Into the Beach’ for tonight's sumptuous delights and entertainment.
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket Thailand, 24 June 2009 ENTRIES LOOKING GOOD
Raceweek joins the Asian Grand Prix circuit Following interest from some of the key competitors in the Asian Yachting Grand Prix circuit, Six Senses Phuket Raceweek ‘signs up’ as the first event in the 2009/10 racing season.
Entries looking good
With a month to go to the first race, entries are looking promising. Just under 30 boats have either formally confirmed or indicated that they’ll be there – more than at the same time last year.
Boats of all sorts are still available for charter for Raceweek – at prices starting from an unbelievable 65,000 for a 6-day charter on a 2007 King’s Cup class winner. If you don’t want a ‘whole boat’, there are join-in options too. Check out: www.phuketraceweek.com/charters.htm
5,000 Euro yacht charter holiday up for grabs
Answer a few simple questions (and get them right!) and a 5,000 Euro yacht charter holiday, including two nights stay at Evason for two couples, is the prize.
The competition is open to anyone, whether competing in Phuket Raceweek 2009 or not. The competition is sponsored by Composite Catamarans & Evason Phuket. For information on how to enter go to: www.phuketraceweek.com/charter_competition.htm
Jaguar cars shipped in for Phuket Raceweek
Jaguar is shipping from the UK to Phuket its latest 2010 model XK and XFR range of cars to coincide with Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, organizing in conjunction with the regatta the ‘Jaguar Asia-Pacific Test Drive Event’ from July 22-26.
60 Jaguar Asia-Pacific VIP guests from Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand are invited, to try several models of Jaguar while enjoy the stunning views of Phuket and luxury relaxation at Six Senses Resort and Spa. Expert instructors from Jaguar and Grand Prix International will help the VIP guests to experience the unrivalled performance of Jaguar’s cars.
New sponsors on board!
Recent additions to the Raceweek main sponsorship lineup include Grey Goose Vodka, Fraser Suites & Fraser Place, Hertz car rentals and, last but not least, Kingfisher Premium beers.
NewspaperDirect special Raceweek offer
One of Raceweek's media partners, NewspaperDirect, prints locally in Thailand 800 different titles from 40 different countries. Visit www.phuketnewspapers.net for a list of titles, then order online or by phone at 076 343 218. Your newspaper will be delivered to your home or hotel.
Raceweek competitors and guests are offered a unique deal: Simply mention: ‘Six Senses Phuket Raceweek’ when placing your order to receive a 25% discount. The offer is valid until 30 July 2009.
She'll just make it!
The newest catamaran – the Andaman Cabriolet Da Vinci Niña – racing at this year's Phuket Raceweek is the regatta organiser's boat. As if running a regatta's not enough, IMAGE asia MD Grenville Fordham has sidestepped into boat building... with more than a little help from his friends. Finishing touches are being applied at a frantic rate and, despite all the pessimists around, the boat will race!
Rumour has it that there may be an unbelievable 'first buyer' deal on the table for Raceweek. More later... For information on the Andaman Cabriolet go to: www.catamaransailingphuket.com
Great Raceweek rates at Evason
If you haven't already booked accommodation for Raceweek, Evason is offering great rates to regatta participants - with rooms from only 3,800 Baht per night incl buffet breakfast. For more information go to the website’s accommodation page www.phuketraceweek.com/accommodation.htm. Download Evason Fact Sheet for full details of this amazing resort. www.phuketraceweek.com/Evason_Phuket_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Phuket’s ‘new’ yacht club
Ao Chalong Yacht Club has reinvented itself. Literally days after completing smart new premises right on the beach in Chalong Bay, the impressive bar has been drawing more and more members and guests each evening.
Plans to contract a professional restaurateur to operate the food and beverage – leaving the committee free to focus on sailing – are in progress. The end result will be a great, friendly place to eat well and drink well, with magical views across the bay and some long yarns to be told. www.acyc-phuket.com
Unicorn playing Raceweek again
Not only were the girls from Thailand’s top all-girl band a huge success at Raceweek last year – they had a ball too! So, despite shrinking budgets, the girls are back again to entertain participants on Saturday and Sunday nights.
At last!!! Launching at Raceweek
After a fair bit of delay, mostly due to the state of the economy(ies), the third edition of SOUTHEAST ASIA PILOT (formerly Andaman Sea Pilot) will be unveiled during Raceweek. Chairman of the Race Committee, Andy Dowden, is one of the authors, the other is our usual MC Bill O'Leary and the whole thing is stitched together by IMAGE asia MD, Grenville Fordham. Word has it that Bill might not be with us this year, so one 'autograph' may have to do...
Southeast Asia Pilot is 196 pages crammed with essential detailed information for anyone cruising the seas of Southeast Asia. Anchorages, charts, marinas, major refit facilities, regattas – and a lot more: www.southeastasiapilot.com
Phuket Raceweek fact sheet
When did it start? When did the name change? Who won what? For those who would like to find out something of the history of Phuket Raceweek, there’s an online Fact Sheet complete with quick links to every year’s results.
Six Senses Phuket Raceweek couldn’t happen without the sponsors. This year the lineup is:
Title Sponsor Six Senses Resorts & Spas. Co-Sponsors Tourism Authority of Thailand, Grey Goose, Jaguar Cars, Rodenstock. Official Suppliers Andaman Cabriolet, Canpac Beverages, Fraser Suites & Fraser Place, Hertz Rent a Car, Kingfisher Premium, Nivea Sun, The Moorings. Media Partners Asia Pacific Boating, Asia Spa, China Boating, Daily Xpress, LP Luxury Properties, myphuketinfo.com, NewspaperDirect, PGTV, Phuket Gazette, Prestige Magazine, SEA Yachting. IslandPartners Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Lee Marine, Sunsail, Topper Sail. Island & Industry Supporters Big ‘A’, Boat Lagoon Marina, Da Vinci, Electrical Marine, Funmag, Latitude 8 Yachting, PCS, Phuket Interwood, Seraph Cruises, Quantum Sails.
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket Thailand, 19 May 2009 EARLY BIRDS CATCH PHUKET RACEWEEK 2009
While the world watched some inaccurate TV reporting of the protests in Bangkok on last month during the Thai New Year holiday, Phuket went about cheerfully celebrating New Year in the traditional way – dousing all and sundry with cool, fresh water. As usual, political strife elsewhere in Thailand hardly touched this holiday island, where fun and revelry are the name of the game.
Getting geared up for their own annual dose of fun, the Phuket Raceweek organisers have posted the Notice of Race on the regatta website and online registration is open – with fantastic savings of up to 25% for entries received by 19 June. “We hope everyone takes advantage of the ‘early bird’ entry fees. The participants get a great deal and we get the information we need to plan the best event possible – so we all win,” said Grenville Fordham, MD of Raceweek organisers and rights owners, IMAGE asia. Six Senses Phuket Raceweek will be held from 22-26 July at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, with racing off the southern tip of Phuket.
Although – with about two months still to go – it’s too early to predict numbers with any degree of accuracy, the ‘buzz’ around Phuket’s yachting community is that 2009 is going to be a bumper year, despite the global gloom. An indication of what’s in store is the number of Phuket-built Fireflys expected to race in their one-design class.
Raceweek 2008 saw five Firefly 850s battle it out in 25 knots of wind and a heavy swell. This year, eight or nine are expected to be in the line up, those sold outside Phuket having made their way back ‘home’. It remains to be seen how many Corsair trimarans, which have started arriving in Phuket in increasing numbers, will make it to Raceweek; much depends on whether Pattaya-based Corsair owners decide to bring these light, trailerable multis south in July to test their competitiveness in the both the SEA Property 3-day multihull event scheduled for 3-5 July and Raceweek on 22 July.
Fireflys apart, the multihull fleet looks like being the most interesting yet, with the anticipated participation of Henry Kaye's and Arnie Duckworth's new 'flying machines'.
In another multihull development, a new catamaran design built in Phuket will use Raceweek as its sales launch. The Andaman Cabriolet, by Composite Catamarans (www.catamaransailingphuket.com), is being promoted as the ideal multihull ‘cruiser-racer’ for the Andaman Sea. The Composite guys are looking for a convincing performance during Raceweek with their first boat (Niña), which is scheduled for launch just a couple of week before the racing starts.
Composite Catamarans have also come on board as a sponsor of Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2009, staging a competition in conjunction with Evason Phuket. First prize is a charter holiday on Niña, combined with accommodation at Evason, worth around 5,000 Euros. Details of how to enter the competition – open to all-comers whether participating in Raceweek this year or not – will be announced shortly.
The 2009 sponsorship lineup, while less packed than anticipated due to the recession, nevertheless boasts some impressive names: Six Senses Resorts & Spas return for the second year as Title Sponsor, joined by Co-Sponsors Jaguar Cars, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Rodenstock. Composite Catamarans join Canpac Beverages (supplying the wine), Nivea and Moorings as Official Suppliers, the latter launching their Phuket fleet of new power and sailing catamarans at Raceweek.
A full range of local, national and international Media Partners – and a TV show with worldwide distribution – ensure the Raceweek message will be heard and seen on the small screen, in print and on the web. Six Senses Phuket Raceweek enjoys marketing support by Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd.
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket, Thailand: 22 January 2009 Jaguar Cars join Six Senses for Phuket Raceweek 2009
As preparations get into full swing for Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2009 – comprising four days of first-class yacht racing and five nights of glittering parties – organisers and rights holders IMAGE asia are delighted to announce that Six Senses Resorts & Spas have signed up as Title Sponsor for the second consecutive year, while Jaguar Land Rover Asia Pacific have come on board for the first time as a Co-Sponsor.
“Given the state of the global economy, we’re particularly delighted by Six Senses’ renewed commitment to Raceweek,” said Image Asia MD Grenville Fordham. “And to sign a prestigious co-sponsor like Jaguar Land Rover Asia Pacific at times like this is a real boost,” he added.
Fordham pledged that his company will go all-out to maintain the high overall standards achieved at the 2008 event despite the world-wide economic conditions.
Echoing Fordham’s sentiment, organiser of the NRG Cup (inaugurated in 2008), Benjamin Dupal, CEO of Singapore- based NRG Engineering, said, “I’m confident we’ll be able to gather a full class, around 10-12 boats, this year. I can’t wait to be there again!”
The NRG Cup, an invitation event for companies within Oil and Gas industry, is staged within Six Senses Phuket Raceweek – with competitors racing against their industry colleagues from all over Asia, yet still competing in the main regatta against all other participants.
44 boats competed in Raceweek 2008 and the organisers are confident that the numbers will increase yet again in 2009. “Raceweek has grown gradually over the past five years, attracting sailors from around the world, as its reputation for excellent monsoon season racing and superb waterside parties every evening has spread throughout the international yachting community,” said Fordham.
Sponsorship
From the sponsor's point of view, what sets Phuket Raceweek apart from others is the attention paid to professional sponsorship management.
From first contact, through signing a sponsorship agreement, until after the event winds down, sponsorship experts Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd. work with both the sponsor and the organiser to ensure that agreed benefits are delivered in full and that opportunities presented by the event are fully maximised.
Speaking from the recent World Yacht Racing Forum in Monaco, Paul Poole, who has represented Phuket Raceweek since 2007 said, “Six Senses repeat sponsorship, and Jaguar’s new sponsorship of the only commercially operated regatta in Thailand, is testament to the event’s ability to consistently deliver a return on investment (ROI) and, as importantly, a return on objective (ROO), to its sponsors and partners.
"I believe that despite the anticipated difficult financial year ahead we will see a sell out the commercial sponsorship of the 2009 edition of this popular event, with the further five co-sponsor opportunities being filled by a combination of repeat and new sponsors.”
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket, Thailand: 26 July 2008 2008 : A FANTASTIC RACEWEEK!
“We’re not used to racing in this much wind in Asia,” an exhilarated Peter Ahern told the organisers on Sunday evening at the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek Gala Prizegiving and Closing Party. Yo!2 wiped the board with a first in all eight IRC Racing Class 1 races.
“Thanks for a fantastic Race Week. We look forward to the next one…” said Cunning Plan’s Rob Azzopardi. “Forget the rest,” said another participating owner. “This is absolutely the best regatta in Asia.”
According to Asia Marine's Olivier Payen, on Kinnon, Raceweek was: “A great opportunity for our staff to participate... and create internal team building.” While Katsu's Ben Copley (2nd overall in IRC Racing Class 1) described Raceweek as: “An excellent well run Regatta. Good courses, excellent race management and off water administration, great parties.”
“An excellent and extremly well organized regatta. By far the best [yet]. It would be difficult to find fault with anything,” said Mark Pescott, skipper of Twin Sharks and designer of the Firefly fleet.
“I thoroughly enjoyed [it] and will definitely be back. From my point of view one of the most exciting regattas I have been to for a long, long time,” added Roger Kingdon, owner and skipper of the Firefly Moto Inzi. Kingdon managed a third place after eight races, coming in just one point behind the tied first and second placed SEA Property and Mamba in this highly competitive one-design class.
Other class winners were Niels Degenkolw’s Phoenix (IRC Racing 2), with an all-girl hotshot crew from Denmark, Andrew de Bruin’s Awatea (Club-Charter) in its first Six Senses Phuket Raceweek, Chameleon skippered by Shane Smith (Ocean Multihull), Mark Horwood’s Charro (Racing Multihull) and Gunther Nutt’s Kerida, maintaining its unbroken record as supremo of the Classic Class.
“In the five years that we’ve been running this event, I’ve never had so many people come up on the last night and congratulate us,” said an exhausted but smiling Grenville Fordham, MD of organisers and rights owners IMAGE asia. Fordham had forsaken shore side this year to take race in the 44-boat fleet himself, together with Race Committee Chairman and regatta co-founder, Andy Dowden, on Club Class entrant, Roger Harris’s Simone, gaining a third place in the series.
Participants and organisers were not the only happy folk at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa regatta venue on Sunday night. Sponsors, too, lauded the event and the milestone achievement this year in raising its profile and standards — in large part due to the contribution of Title Sponsor, Six Senses Resorts & Spas.
From the sponsor's point of view, what sets Raceweek apart from others is the attention paid to professional sponsorship management. From first contact, through signing a sponsorship agreement, until after the event winds down, sponsorship marketing consultants Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd work with both the sponsor and the organiser to ensure that agreed benefits are delivered in full and that opportunities presented by the event are fully maximised.
The success of this approach is borne out by the support this year of significant brand names: Co-Sponsors Raimon Land, Rodenstock and Tourism Authority of Thailand, Official Suppliers Johnnie Walker Soda Mix, Mont Clair Wines and SIXT Rent-a-Car, Media Partners Asia-Pacific Boating, Asia Spa, Australasian Yachting, China Boating, CNN Traveller, Daily XPress, LP Luxury Properties, Phuket Gazette, Prestige Magazine and SEA Yachting, as well as a whole raft of local partners and supporters.
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket, Thailand: 04 July 2008 THEY COME... AND THEY GO...
Twenty days before the racing starts, Six Senses Phuket Raceweek participant numbers are holding firm. Now in its fifth year, the regatta will be held from 23 to 27 July at Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa on the Phuket Island’s southeast coast, with four days of intense yacht racing and five nights of equally intense partying.
“What always happens at this stage, is that a few of the early registrations fall by the wayside as unforeseen commitments take their toll,” said Grenville Fordham, MD of regatta organisers IMAGE asia. “But the great news is that recent entries – as well as those the grapevine tells us are coming – more than compensate."
Fordham said he still expects a record 40-plus boats on the start line – more than 40 percent increase on the 2007 event – but noted that he had been forced to abandon plans to reintroduce a Sports Boat class after a two-year absence. “These are some of the most thrilling boats to see racing but there just aren’t enough of them around. When we lost one of the Thailand’s most active sports boat owners to clashing business obligations, we had no choice but to include the remaining boats in one of the other racing classes,” he said.
The regatta will be raced over 7 classes, including IRC Racing Class 1, IRC Racing Class 2, Club Class, Racing Multihull Class, Ocean Multihulls Class, Firefly 850 One-design Catamaran Class and Classic Class.
On the social side of the regatta – to some participants and certainly their families the ‘main event’ – the organisers have booked Bangkok-based all-girl Thai band ‘Unicorn’ to play for two nights, including the Gala Prizegiving and Closing party on Sunday 27 July. Continuing its (almost) one-regatta-one-venue concept, four of the five parties will be held at Evason Phuket and Six Senses Spa’s Into the Beach sea-terrace.
The exception, the renowned Raimon Land party, will again take participants across the island to the spectacular Ratri Jazztaurant at Kata Beach on Saturday 26 July. And, again following tradition, the ‘unofficial’ bonus party, veteran yachtsman Horst Lakits’ pig-roast will again be staged at his Big A Resort.
Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008 enjoys formal backing from the Sports Authority of Thailand, the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand and is run under the auspices of the Ao Chalong Yacht Club.
PRESS RELEASE:Phuket, Thailand: 04 June 2008 ENTRIES TAKE OFF FOR SIX SENSES PHUKET RACEWEEK
With 50 days still to go to regatta registration at the Evason Phuket on 23 July, the 5th Six Senses Phuket Raceweek is looking at record entries.
“Never before have we had so many confirmed registrations this far ahead,” said Grenville Fordham, MD of organisers IMAGE asia, adding that – based on entries to date – he would not be surprised to see 50 boats line up for the start of racing on the morning of 24 July.
The Sports Boat Class will see Scott Duncanson (Somtam Express) set against Bangkok’s Kipsan Beck (Pornstar) and Koh Samui’s Mick Grover (Moonshadow) – with a couple of other likely entries to ensure a good battle for podium positions.
In IRC, veteran of the Asian circuit, Peter Ahern, comes up from Perth to race Yo!2 in one of his favourite Asian regattas for the second year running, while Stuart Williamson, the man behind the ambitious Cariad 1896 restoration project, brings his Beneteau 34.7 Endeavour of Whitby up from Malaysia to give the huge contingent of locally-based sailors a run for their money.
2008 looks like being a good year for multihulls too, with indications that between 10-15, including Neil Ayre’s newly-arrived Corsair 28 Shanghai Baby, will contest the event over at least two classes, while five grand Classic boats will again be out there, doing their best to wrest the Seraph Perpetual Trophy from perpetual winner Gunter Nutt’s Kerida.
And the new NRG Cup, exclusive to companies and individuals in the oil and gas industries, has taken off with five confirmed entries to date and more expected.
For anyone who wants part of the action, but can’t get their boat to Phuket, there are plenty of options. Several boats are available for charter on the regatta website, with everything from bareboat to join-in. The bargain of the event is 2007 King’s Cup charter class winner, 30-ft Fidji, at only 65,000 Baht all-in.
Every year every regatta in the region sees skippers desperate for competent crew and experienced sailors looking to take part in the racing. If either of these descriptions fits, visit the regatta website crew pages and register yourself.
On the race management side, Andy Dowden will once again chair the Race Committee, with Simon James running the show on the water as Principal Race Officer. Australia’s Mark Pryke returns as our Jury Chairman and will be joined this year by Rut Subniran and Admiral Prasart Sribhadung from Thailand. We will be looking for two sailors to join the jury panel as well as volunteers to help Race Officer Simon James on the water. Six
Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008 enjoys formal backing from the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand and is run under the auspices of the Ao Chalong Yacht Club.
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket, Thailand: 10 April 2008 SIX SENSES PHUKET RACEWEEK BREAKS NEW GROUND
The NRG Cup, free-flow of drinks, new boats, international TV coverage… and more in store for Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008.
Online registration is now open for Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008 – anticipated to be the best Raceweek yet – offering a reduced entry fee for early registrations. Phuket’s ‘Green Season’ regatta, now in its 5th year, sees a mixed fleet of yachts race in the southwest monsoon breezes off Phuket’s south coast every July, this year from 23-27 July.
While retaining the same one-regatta-one-venue format, combining four days of competitive racing with five nights of grand waterside parties – a format that has met with unanimous approval from competitors – this year’s event brings a host of new dimensions.
Evason Phuket’s ‘Into the Beach’ venue, Asia’s favourite waterside regatta party spot, is undergoing an extensive upgrade, providing more party space for the ever-growing number of competitors, while Six Senses Title Sponsorship means a massive leap forward in catering, with copious 5-star full buffet spreads at every party.
On the racing scene, early indications are of a strong sport boat class, the eye-catching Firefly racing catamarans in greater numbers than ever, a solid club/cruising class and the mainstay of this region’s yacht racing, one or two highly competitive IRC classes. And, of course, the old ladies of the regatta, the striking classic boats competing for the Seraph Perpetual Trophy.
While the Firefly skippers are wondering if Thailand’s newly-arrived Corsair trimarans will dare to mount a challenge in Firefly home waters, the faster monohull boys would welcome some competition from Malaysian yachtsmen who, according to Mata Hari skipper, Vincent Chan, “… are at a disadvantage because of the lack of competitive practice…” With the usually consistent strong breezes off Phuket in July, the ‘practice’ doesn’t get much more competitive... but beating the local boys is another matter altogether. Then, the dark horse on the water this year – making its racing debut after breaking up in a 40-knot squall during the 2006 Koh Samui Regatta – is the super-fast F28 catamaran, rebuilt at Latitude 8’s Phuket boatyard. According to the owners, “Our primary objective at Raceweek is to take line honours in every race.”
Demonstrating that event sponsorship brings tangible benefits directly to participants, the first-time support from Rodenstock, Mont Clair Wines and Johnny Walker will fund a late afternoon Rodenstock Happy Hour and a free-flow open bar throughout all the official regatta parties.
Returning to join the newcomers on the sponsorship front are avid supporters of Thailand’s regatta scene, Raimon Land, who are firm in their conviction that up-market property development and yachting are part of the same premium ‘lifestyle’ scene.
Media partners throughout Asia and Australia will take Raceweek news and views to a wide readership in the boating, business, entertainment, travel, lifestyle, national and local Phuket press, while – a first for Raceweek – a special Raceweek programme, commissioned by the organisers, will be televised worldwide on sporting and lifestyle channels such as CNN Mainsail, Eurosport, Star Sports, the European Sailing Channel and many more – a total potential audience of 140 million households.
In an exciting move that’s a first for Thailand’s regatta scene, Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008 will incorporate the inaugural ‘NRG Cup’, an event-within-an-event, where participants in the Oil & Gas Industry can compete for this brand new trophy against their colleagues and business associates from around the region, whilst still racing in the main event against all-comers. "Our industry is competitive, fearless and spirited, and this first edition of the NRG Cup should be no different," said Benjamin Dupal, CEO of NRG Engineering, who conceived the idea for the NRG Cup. The NRG Cup is expected to attract at least 10 boats and crews that have never before competed in Phuket's ‘Green Season’ regatta. For more information, contact info@nrgcup2008.com
Attracted by excellent sailing in mostly reliable breezes of 15 knots upwards and a hard-to-beat social scene, entries are expected to top previous years, although organisers Image Asia are not yet predicting numbers.
“Experience has shown us that it is simply not possible to know in advance how many boats will take part,” said Image Asia MD, Grenville Fordham. “The racing community is notorious for leaving their registration until the last minute, so – while we’ll start to build a picture as Raceweek gets closer – we can’t be absolutely sure who’s coming until registration day,” he added, noting that that the early-bird registration incentive was aimed at tackling this problem.
With formal backing from the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008 is solidly supported by Thai authorities, demonstrating their advancing commitment to yacht racing. The regatta is run under the auspices of the Ao Chalong Yacht Club.
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket, Thailand: 21 December 2007 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek - The 'Green Season' opportunity
"I strongly recommend anyone looking for a relaxed but competitive yachting regatta in the middle of next [Southern Hemisphere] winter to consider Phuket Raceweek 2008," wrote Peter Ahern, Rear Commodore of Perth's Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, in the club's publication 'Tidings'.
Ahern — a veteran of Asia's regatta circuit — together with a team from Freshwater Bay, had just competed for the first time in Phuket Raceweek.
Most exciting regatta
The 5th Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008 — described by Phuket's Ao Chalong Yacht Club Commodore, Mick Kealy, as "The most exciting mixed fleet regatta this region has seen for some time" — will be held from July 23-27, 2008 at one of Phuket Island's top 5-star resorts, the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa.
With racing over four consecutive days, and five nights of magical beachside parties, Six Senses Phuket Raceweek is unique amongst Asian regattas. "After a hard day on the water, the last thing most competitors want is to scramble aboard buses to regatta parties an hour or so away," said Grenville Fordham, Managing Director of Raceweek organisers Image Asia.
One regatta, one venue
"We do our best to keep as much of the social programme as possible — post-race Regatta Tavern, prizegivings and parties — in the same Evason beachside location, all a stone's throw from the regatta administration office," he added.
Great deals on charter and hotels
Fordham describes this regatta as the perfect opportunity for overseas participants to take advantage of Phuket's low season hotel and yacht charter rates, while racing at a time of year that usually offers the most reliable southwest monsoon breezes.
"Phuket's available-for-charter fleet has expanded dramatically over the last few years, since the Thai government abolished import duties on yachts," said Fordham, adding that some highly competitive boats are amongst the fleet.
For participants and their families who want to stay on-site at the regatta HQ, Evason Phuket is offering special regatta room rates which, starting at 3,700 Thai Baht net (about US$ 120), are around 70% below high season Internet rates.
Alternatively, close by are many budget bungalow resorts, including Big A Resort, owned and operated by well-known local yachtsman and regatta supporter, Horst Latkis.
Your own mini-regatta
Visiting participants who like the idea of competing against friends from home, neighbouring yacht clubs or industry colleagues, for a special trophy — within the framework of the main event — should contact the organisers to explore possibilities. "Raceweek is primarily a fun event, although the racing does get serious," said Fordham, adding, "To make it even more fun for visiting competitors who are able to put together a few 'teams', we'd be delighted to explore ways of staging a 'challenge' trophy just for them."
Six Senses Phuket Raceweek on international TV
For the first time, Six Senses Phuket Raceweek will be broadcast on international television. Image Asia has contracted the UK-based television company, ProActive TV, to produce and distribute a Raceweek TV programme. World-wide distribution is guaranteed, via the Watersports World programme, throughout Asia on ESPN Star, Europe via the Sailing Channel and as a news feature through Eurosport, CNN and Transworld Sport.
Based on ProActive TV's current distribution channels, the total potential audience is 140 million homes. ProActive TV is a specialist sports TV production and distribution company that has been covering the Phuket King's Cup Regatta for many years.
PRESS RELEASE: Phuket, Thailand: 23 November 2007 Six Senses sign as Title Sponsor of Phuket Raceweek 2008
In a move that is sure to be welcomed by Asian-based regatta participants, Six Senses Resorts and Spas have yesterday confirmed that they will take the top spot in 2008 as Title Sponsor of Thailand’s monsoon season regatta, Phuket Raceweek, now gearing up for its 5th year.
Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008, described by participants as “…the most exciting mixed fleet regatta this region has seen in quite some time…”, will be held from 23 - 27 July 2008 at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa on Phuket Island’s southeast coast.
“Six Senses are delighted to be associated with this prestigious event because sailing as a sport fits with our core purpose ‘to create enriching and innovative experience in a sustainable environment’,” said Six Senses Chairman & CEO, Sonu Shivdasani. “We look forward over the coming year to working closely with the organisers so that, together, we can build on what has already been achieved and confirm Six Senses Phuket Raceweek as one of the region’s top sailing events,” he added.
Six Senses is a resort and spa management and development company operating properties and products branded as Soneva, Evason Hideaways, Evason, Six Senses Spas and Six Senses Gallery.
Evason Phuket has been the Raceweek base from the first event and has proven to be one of Asia’s most treasured regatta venues. Just a few minutes from the racing start line, the Evason’s regatta HQ lends itself to organiser IMAGE asia’s unique one-regatta-one-venue policy, with registration, post-race regatta bar, prizegivings and parties all in the same waterside location.
“The entire team at Evason Phuket has enjoyed hosting Phuket Raceweek since the first event in 2004. In becoming the title sponsor under the Six Senses brand, this will continue to promote new awareness of the region as a premier sailing destination,” said Henry Gray, Area General Manger, Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, adding, “We’re all looking forward to another successful Raceweek in 2008."
Joining Six Senses as a new Co-Sponsor of Raceweek in 2008 is Rodenstock, the prestigious manufacturer of German eyewear, already making big waves in Asian markets.
“We’re very excited about these two sponsorship developments, particularly as they’ve come in so soon after we started marketing the 2008 event,” said IMAGE asia’s managing director, Grenville Fordham, adding, “We’ve run Raceweek on a very tight budget to date, so Six Senses and Rodenstock coming on board mean we’ll have more resources to put into next year’s regatta.
"We’re still working on our 2008 plans, but we can say now that 2008 will see bigger and better parties at Evason Phuket, early evening Happy Hours and more extensive international media coverage.”
Fordham noted that he anticipates confirming the same broad range of national and international media partnerships for 2008 as the event enjoyed in 2007.
Increased levels of sponsorship, he went on to explain, also mean more resources available to work on getting the message out to a broader range of international participants, either bringing their own yachts from other regional bases, or flying in to charter at low season rates from Phuket’s large charter fleet.
“The great support and enthusiasm we’ve had from the Evason Phuket team over the years has helped create the combination of quality, relaxed fun and friendliness that brings Raceweek participants back every year. We’re now looking forward to working with Six Senses’ team of marketing professionals that will enable us to reach out to a much wider audience than we have previously, specifically promoting unique accommodation/sailing/racing packages,” said Fordham.
The 4th Evason Phuket Raceweek 2007 delivered an abundance of memorable moments right up to the final day of racing, as crews fought it out to finish on top in – eventually – perfect conditions.
Billed as ‘Asia’s Windiest Regatta’ by organisers Image Asia Events, after three years of consistently strong southwest monsoon breezes, nature refused to co-operate with the billing in year four.
After a week of shifting winds, the final day's racing was no different, with the breeze continually changing direction or dropping out completely – as if it thought that by hindering the start of the racing it could make the event last even longer.
Eventually though, patience and the skills of race management paid off and, after a four-hour wait, the boats finally got to work less than one hour before the cut-off time for a race start. The weather was not the only thing different about Raceweek 2007. In racing over five classes, five of the final series podium places went to first-time participants, knocking several of the regular winners off their top spots. First place in the premier IRC1 Class, though, was retained by local sailor Scott Duncanson in his fast Phuket 8 Sportsboat, Som Tam Express, beating Australia’s veteran of countless Asian regattas, Peter Ahern on Yo!2 into second place.
Off the water, four nights of glittering parties at Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, with live music every afternoon and evening from ‘The Fabulous Hepcats’, were complemented by the Raimon Land party at Ratri Jazztaurant, with dazzling views over Kata Bay. Then there was an exclusive cocktail party on board the 165 ft, 101-year-old, Edwardian motor vessel Kalizma (formerly owned by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor) contrasting with the more down-to-earth ‘Pig Roast Party’ at Big A Resort, owned by veteran yachtsman Horst Lakits.
Despite (or perhaps because of) the unpredictable weather, Evason Phuket Raceweek 2007 exceeded all expectations, proving to be an exhilarating sporting event that tested the skills of sailors and race management alike to the limit, whilst providing more than its share of top-notch off-the-water fun. With numbers creeping up each year from the original 19 boats in 2003 to 29 in 2007, this regatta looks set to grow in success and stature every year.
The overall series winner in IRC 1 had already been decided on Race Day 3, but Scott Duncanson’s Som Tam Express still put in a tactically brilliant performance and finished the sixth race characteristically in the top spot. John Vause’s Ruby Tuesday finished second on the day, with David Lindahl’s La Samudra in third. IRC 1 Series result: 1st Som Tam Express, 2nd Yo!2, 3rd Vino
Peter Dyer’s Madam Butterfly also had a successful week, and the final race was no different as she took first place in IRC 2 Race 6, whilst securing her overall victory in the series. Mike Downard’s Evason Phuket Tua Lek, and Niels Dgenkolf’s Phoenix took second and third place respectively. IRC 2 Series result: 1st Madam Butterfly, 2nd Evason Phuket Tua Lek, 3rd Phoenix
In Multihull Race 5, Chris Runegar’s RLYC Chameleon scored first place after a brilliant race reading the winds perfectly, but it was not enough to take the series from Tim Milner’s Seekronghuk who finished in third place, but after a consistent week took the overall series title. Second place on the final day went to Bob Brindley’s X Catriot. Multihull Series result: 1st Seekronghuk, 2nd X Catriot, 3rd RLYC Chameleon
Speed demon, Roger Kingdon’s Moto Inzi, delivered another blistering performance in the Raimon Land Firefly Class Race 6, thereby securing her dominance in the series overall. Second place went to Bill Phelps’ Twin Sharks, whilst the Godfather of the series, Henry Kaye, took a respectable third place in Mamba. Raimon Land Firefly Class series result: 1st Moto Inzi, 2nd Twin Sharks, 3rd Mamba
Gunther Nutt’s Kerida took first place in Classic Race 4, clinching the series and the ‘Perpetual Seraph Trophy’ for the second year running, with Mark Myking’s Idiom in second and Tom Howard’s Seraph in third position. Classic Class series result: 1st Kerida, 2nd Seraph, 3rd Idiom
Driving rain and strong winds gusting to more than 20 knots hammered the record fleet of 31 yachts on the final day – The Evason Race Day – of the third Evason Phuket Raceweek. But it was not enough to dampen the spirits of the skippers and their crews, who battled on to finish the final race in trying conditions with very little visibility. As a demonstration of their affection and respect for His Majesty the King of Thailand, on the 60th anniversary of his accession to the throne, on this final day of the regatta the 250 skippers and their crews put away their customary team shirts emblazoned with corporate logos in favour of yellow shirts (yellow is His Majesty's birth colour, traditionally corresponding to the day he was born, a Monday).
Later the same day, dried out and warmed up after the chilly deluge, sailors, friends and families were in jubilant spirits for the overall regatta awards ceremony at a lavish party hosted by Evason Phuket Resort. This year, the organisers were honoured by the presence of Admiral Thaveesak Somapha, YRAT President, who presented the trophies to the regatta winners. He was joined for the occasion by Admiral Thana Boonnark, Admiral of the Royal Thai Navy’s Third Fleet and Rear Admiral Apiwat Sriwattana, YRAT Secretary. Evason Phuket Raceweek, organized by Phuket Boatshow (PIMEX) organisers Image Asia Events, is Thailand’s only ‘Green Season’ regatta and is held in the luxurious 5-star surroundings of the Evason Phuket Resort and Six Senses Spa on Phuket’s southeast coast.
Held this year from 27 – 30 July, Raceweek is more than just a series of yacht races. With six splendid parties wrapped around four days of fast-paced yacht racing, competitors come as much for the social gatherings as for the on-water competition. Social highlights of the week included the Raimon Land Awards Party, held at Ratri Jazztaurant, a spectacular venue perched high on Kata Hill with a panoramic view of Kata Bay and the Evason Phuket Race Day Party with a sumptuous beachside buffet dinner.
This year’s event saw yachtsmen and women from around the world gather in Phuket to race in what is fast-becoming the sailors’ favourite regatta in this region. Participants for Raceweek 2006 included racers from USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangkok who flew in to pit their skills against the strong Phuket contingent with their greater knowledge of local conditions.
Despite the last-day downpour, three of the four days of racing, which took place over seven different classes, were held in picture-perfect conditions with bright blue skies complementing stable winds ranging between 15-20 knots – ideal conditions for both the racers and shoreside spectators.
In addition to the usual fleet of sleek racing yachts, fast catamarans and homely cruisers, Raceweek 2006 saw the addition of a Classic Class comprising six spectacular yachts from days gone by. The classics formed part of a birthday celebration for the 100-year-old Phuket-based Danish schooner, Seraph. Now owned by British-born Phuket resident Tom Howard, who operates the boat for upmarket charters, Seraph sank in the Similan Islands in 1991; she was salvaged and restored by a Phuket-based boat builder and has ‘worked’ since then in both Phuket and Pattaya.
Yacht racing and yachting in general are the essence of high value, low-impact island tourism. It is this that brings patrons such as the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Six Senses Group and Raimon Land to offer their support to yacht racing. Raimon Land is also a major supporter of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, the Phang Nga Bay Regatta and Pattaya’s Top of the Gulf Regatta. The third Evason Phuket Raceweek ended on Sunday with participants, organisers and attending media in high spirits. To quote Asian yachting guru Capt Marty Rijkuris, “There was plenty of wind, close racing and good parties; our hosts Evason Phuket Resort provided one of the best regatta locations in Asia. I can assure you, it does not get any better than this. Image Asia Events must be congratulated for putting on a very slick and professionally run event that other regatta organisers could look at when streamlining their own events.”
In the highly competitive Sportboat Racing Class, former World Junior Sailing Champion Scott Duncanson was the only skipper to finish with a perfect record of six wins from six races on his boat Somtam Express. Duncanson’s boat, a locally-built Phuket 8, was designed by Duncanson’s father especially for the waters off this resort island, and is one of several which race regularly in Thailand’s regattas. Duncanson, from Australia, finished in front of Jim Poulsen’s Phuket 8 Lee Marine Vino and New Zealander Wade Lewis’ Team Simpson Marine on a Beneteau First Class 7.5. The latter boat has been proposed as a one-class design for the upcoming Asian Games.
Thailand-based British skipper David Lindahl kept an almost perfect record over the four days of racing on his boat La Samudra to win the honours in the top flight IRC1 class after some close tussles with the other boats in his division. Lindahl’s fast keelboat finished first in five of the six races; in the only race he didn’t actually win, he finished second.
New Zealander John Vause, also based in Thailand, who fought tooth and nail on his boat Ruby Tuesday in an effort to repeat his 2005 first place, finished a close second on handicap behind Lindahl in five of the six races, in spite of recording five ‘fastest times’ in the six races! Vause took second place in the series, while Malaysia’s Keith Garry, who skippered Beaux Esprits, finished third overall.
Another hotly contested class was IRC2, which ended with the two leading boats level on points after their six races. Last year’s champion Minx, sailed by Ao Chalong Yacht Club Commodore Mick Kealy, was declared the winner after a ‘count-back’ and just beat Stuart Crow on Cinders for the overall trophy. Jim Kane, who was racing his own boat Chetak for the first time, finished third overall behind these two competitive and experienced skippers.
The fastest boats at this regatta by far were the new Firefly catamarans, designed and built in Phuket. The newest Firefly, named Chi Machine, was launched only a few days before racing started, and made a winning debut – as did the first Firefly off the production line, Voodoo Child, in last year’s event,
Chi Machine’s owner, Marc Cudennec, the Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific manager of Elle magazine, won four of the six races in the Multihull Racing Class, but the real winners were a large group of children at nearby Takua Pa. The funds raised from the sponsorship of his boat – he is aiming to raise US$50,000 before the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in December – are all going to the Tsunami Relief Fund for the Children of Takua Pa, a region hit particularly hard by the 2004 tsunami.
Close behind Chi Machine was the visually stunning red/yellow Firefly, Moto Inzi, which finished second overall after some very close racing in great conditions.
Koh Samui-based John Stall, who chartered Charro for the regatta, was not quick enough to catch the lightning-fast Fireflies, but finished a credible third in every race to come third overall. Stall is one of the original founders of the Koh Samui Regatta and traditionally a strong supporter of other regional regattas.
The bigger and heavier Multihull Performance Cruising Class was won by Chris Runnegar on Chameleon, with Bob Mott’s Kilo second and Jerome Perignon’s Aliocha third. Although a fairly small class this year, it is anticipated that the big-cat class will grow next year, as Bob Mott’s big aluminium ‘Silkline’ cats start to roll out of his Langkawi production facility. In Classic Class, two early wins was enough for Gunther Nutt's Norwegian classic Kerida to clean up, winning the overall series trophy. Nutt also became the first winner of the Seraph Centennial Trophy, presented by Seraph owner Tom Howard. The trophy was hand-crafted from 500-year-old oak taken from Seraph’s original rudder. Julian Hill's Saturday win on Sanook secured him second place and Graeme Chuck's ketch-rigged Anjuna stayed amongst the leaders to secure third place overall. In the keelboat Club Class, Greg Plunkett's Sunsail Princess Isabella achieved complete dominance over Kevin Ashby's Lily, winning every race, to wrap up the overall title. Due to technical problems immediately before the first race, Richard Bell’s Sun Flyer did not compete.
Six Senses Phuket Raceweek enjoys the support of Tourism Authority of Thailand, Sports Authority of Thailand, Yacht Racing Association of Thailand and Ao Chalong Yacht Club
Marketing support by Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd
Four days of world-class yacht racing in Phuket, Thailand, combined with five nights of magical, beachside parties at the 5-star Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa – all captured for international TV broadcast to 140 million households.
2010-7-21 10:00:00 GMT+00:00 
ms to GO!
