The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2006 came to an exciting close with records set for boat entries as well as media turnout. Dhevatara Drumstick took Racing Class in a dramatic finish, accompanied by great sailing and competition across all the classes to wrap up this year’s races.

Regatta President, Santi Kanchanabandhu, said, “This year we are pleased that so many sailors have come to participate in the races, which celebrate HM the King of Thailand’s 79th Birthday, the auspicious 60 anniversary of HM accession to the throne, as well as the 20th year of the regatta. We have a record number of 102 entries from all parts of the world with over a thousand sailors, international and Thai media totaling almost 200, and numerous spectators.”

Nigel J Cornick, CEO of Principal Sponsor Raimon Land, commented, “It’s great to see the event growing in size and getting the media recognition it deserves. We have supported the event for a number of years and will continue to do so. The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is a perfect fit with our lifestyle
property developments and is good for Phuket, sailing and Thailand as a whole.” At the closing party of the 20th Phuket Kings Cup, Raimon Land CEO Mr. Nigel Cornick announced that the company was extending its sponsorship until 2012.

On the final day of races Dhevatara Drumstick needed to place three spots above Neil Pryde’s Hi Fi to maintain her crown. The happy team on Drumstick achieved their goal and were presented with the King’s Cup. Hi Fi was second and Island Fling (Paul Winkelmann) finished third.

Racing 1 division were ‘neck and neck’ battling for the King’s Cup. Neil Pryde’s Farr 52 Hi Fi was on 16 points, Paul Winkelmann’s TP52 Island Fling was on 17 points and last year’s winner, Toby O’Connell’s DK46 Dhevatara Drumstick, was on 19 points.

Just one run from the finish of the final race Neil Pryde had sailed his Farr 52 into a regatta winning position - then the wind stopped. Pryde watched the fleet sail up to him. Behind him the entire fleet, from the largest Grand Prix racer Frank Pong’s 25 metre Jelik, down to the eight metre sports boats, joined the parking lot.

Behind Hi Fi, Paul Winkelmann’s Island Fling was caught in the windless zone and drifted into the mark. She completed her 360 in painfully light conditions. Gradually the fleet ghosted round the buoy, with boats heading offshore looking for the sea breeze. Instead it infilled from the land and Hummingbird Konka reached along the inside of the fleet, with her larger rivals still waiting for the breeze. Within a minute Dhevatara Drumstick, the second smallest boat in the Grand Prix fleet was reaching up to the bottom mark, at 17 knots. For Pryde the regatta was just about over.

Dockside the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club skipper Toby O’Conell commented, “We knew we had to win and Hi Fi and Island Fling had to be well down in the places. Two thirds of the way round, Hi Fi was having a great race and Island Fling not so great, but not too far back. When we reached the parking lot at
the mark, we edged around the outside of fleet. We were heading down to meet a sea breeze but saw it coming off the land. We hooked into it, hit 16-17’s. We were sailing deep and that helped us. The breeze stayed to the finish. Those conditions were the reverse of the first day, which was a big boat day. We are very happy boys!” he said.

Konka Hummingbird, with Tiffany Koo at the helm, won Race 8 for the Racing 1 division on corrected time, from Toby O’Connell’s defending champion Dhevatara Drumstick, with Karakoa, helmed by Jamie MacPhail third. Frank Pong’s Jelik recorded the fastest time around the course.

In the Coutts Premier division Race 7, Frangipani Girl (David Ross) won by nearly ten seconds on corrected time from Strewth (Geoff Hill) with Australian Maid (Jon Wardill) third. Yasooda registered the fastest time. As a result of a second place, Strewth took out the overall Premier Championship from close rival, Moon Blue II (Peter Churchouse). Strewth and Moon Blue II were on even points going into the last race of the regatta. Moon Blue II finished second, with Andrew Rickards’ Moon Blue, third.

Race 7 belonged to Madam Butterfly on corrected time, in the Racing 2 division. Second on corrected time was Phoenix (Niels Dgenkolf) and third was Lunch Cutter 11 (Keith Dunn). The fastest time was recorded by Panic. The win ensured Madam Butterfly the Overall top placing, with Phoenix and Happy Endings filling the minor placings. Risotada (Keisuke Nagamatsu) scored the corrected time win in Race 7 for the tightly fought Sports Boat division. Motornet (Kenichi Takahashi) was thirty-eight seconds back followed by Just (Shuji Hagihara). G4S Somtam Express registered the fastest time. Overall, Motornet had already won the regatta and yesterday’s sail was just ‘icing on the cake’. Scott Duncanson’s G4S Somtam Express finished second, with Just (Shuji Hagihara) third.

In IRC 1, Race 7 Big A, Andy Pape’s Swan 55 won on corrected time, from Di Hard (Valdemar Bandolowski) and Sita (Peter Wintle). Line honours belonged to Sita. The winner of this division, Rhythm Stick, the X442 helmed by Japanese skipper Ryuji Nakata did not sail the last race after convincingly winning her division earlier in the week. Octopussy and Sita filled the minor placings.

In the Firefly 850’s division Race 7, Twin Sharks (Bill Phelps) won on corrected time from Mamba (Henry Kaye) with Moto Inzi (Roger Kingdon) third. Chi Machine, after becoming the overall winner elected not to race yesterday. Instead, they enjoyed the sunshine and atmosphere at the Phuket Kings Cup. Twin Sharks and Moto Inzi completed the podium places.
In Multihull racing, Race 5 The Sting (Philip Day) won from Seekronghuk (Tim Milner) with Charro (Mervyn Owen) third on corrected time. Atmosphere took line honours. The win secured the Overall Championship for The Sting crew, with Seekronghuk second and Benoit Lassaffre’s Atmosphere in third.

In the Performance Multihull division, Race 5, Liam Nichols’ Gone with the Wind took the honours on corrected time, from Tony Roberts Tactical Directions and third Larry Pollock’s Running Cloud. Raimon Land Chameleon also recorded the fastest time. Overall, Running Cloud was triumphant, with Gone with the Wind second and Raimon Land Chameleon finishing in third.

In IRC 2, Royal Thai Navy 1 (Lt. Peera Sagultem) won on corrected time from Master Blaster (Andrey Novoderezhkin) and Minx (Rob Taylor). Royal Thai Navy 1 clearly won the division overall, with Master Blaster and Minx taking the minor placings.

The Royal Thai Navy made history with that first, winning their sailing division for the fifth year in a row. Lieutenant Peera Sagultem, who helmed the Royal Thai Navy 1 boat, commented shortly after the final race: “We faced another difficult round, as the light wind made our life miserable throughout the race,” said Lt. Peera. “We got off to a good start before the breeze dropped, leaving us stranded. At the second mark, we conceded the lead to our main rival, Master Blaster, who took advantage of his bigger boat. Knowing that we were no match for them with our speed, we tried to stay as close as we could to gain the upper hand in time calculation,” added Lt. Peera, who finished second across the line on the day but won on IRC handicap.

The Royal Thai Navy has been involved with the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta since its inception in 1987. This year they provided a patrol boat which stood at anchor at Ko Kaeo Noi as a course boat and additionally provided smaller on-water vessels, a team of Navy Seals and a helicopter was on standby in case there were any on-water safety issues.

Sunsail One Design division was won by Princess Christina (Robert Yeltes) on corrected time. Princess Anna (Christian Eschenberg) was second and Princess Isabella (Keith Harding) was third. Princess Athena (Antonio Escribano) secured the Overall Sunsail trophy. Princess Isabella finished second, with Princess Christina third. In the Bareboat Charter division, Fidgi (Naoki Wada) was the corrected time winner, with Intan (Theodore Bakker) in second and Bintang (Doug Maddern and Keith Blankly) third. Bintang recorded the fastest time. The Overall championship in this division went down to the wire, with Bintang winning on a count back from Intan. Fidgi finished in third.

In the Ocean Rover division Race 5, Waconda (Simon Dupe) made her regatta debut on the podium winning on corrected time from the consistent performer Calypso JJ (Geoff Wilson). Rainbow Dream (Simon Piff) finished third. Millennium (John Clayton) took line honours. Calypso JJ, having already sealed the Overall championship sailed well again in the final race. Rainbow dream finished second and Festina Lente (Nick Pochin) in third. In the Classic division, Argo (Brendon Baumeister) won on corrected time from Kiara (Roger Brett), with Jubilaeum (Mathew Harsley) in third. Argo recorded the fastest time over the course. Cordelia won the division Overall, from Argo and Kiara.

The principal sponsor of the Regatta is Raimon Land PLC, who are joined by Kata Group, TMB Bank Pcl, Chivas Brothers (UK), Royal Phuket Marina, Thai Beverages PLC, Thai Airways International PLC, Mom Tri’s Boathouse, Coutts Bank, Sunsail, Phuket Magazine, The Nation, Phuket Gazette and a host of local businesses which support the event.

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta was inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand. With the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Regatta is organised by the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket.