The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is Asia’s biggest and most popular regatta. But more than just a regatta, the week long event consists not only of some of the world’s best sailing, but also some great parties and lots of fun!

Held as a celebration of the birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the event has been held every year during the first week of December and with less than six months to go until the 22nd anniversary of the competition’s inauguration in 1987, PRL takes a look back at the excitement and festivities of the 21st cup last December and looks forward to the next exciting instalment.

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, the King’s Cup has become one of the region’s most celebrated events on the social calendar, boosting Phuket’s position and attracting investors as one of Asia’s premier luxury resort destinations.

Last year’s regatta was a true celebration, with sailing coming just a close first to the numerous parties taking place during the action packed event. With a record fleet of 103 boats taking part and one element that had been lacking in recent years – wind - the 2007 King’s Cup is likely to go down in the history books as one of the competition’s most exciting events yet.

“We have had 15-25 knots from the north east over recent days and we will at least have winds of 10-15 knots during the week and there are predictions of more and we will have a great fleet on the water”, said Chairman of the Race Committee Simon James, before the event.

The strong Grand Prix Racing class was led by pre-regatta favourite Ray Roberts, one of the most successful sailors on the Asian circuit in recent years with DK46 Quantum Racing back to defend his title and in hot form. Surely he shared the sentiments of every participant and spectator when he told reporters:

“It’s been a busy year but we just would not be anywhere else but Phuket at this time of year. The fleets just keep getting better and we’re looking forward to another great regatta”.

With hot competition from Chris Mead’s new Corby 43 Full Metal Jacket, complete with a brand new North 3DL sails inventory and gun crew along with Jamie McPhail skippering the Stephen Reith chartered Sydney 40 Foxy Lady III, we were in for some great sailing. Overseas competitors included sailors from Hong Kong, China, Australia, New Zealand, The UK, Germany, Japan, USA, The Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, Russia and host nation Thailand, competing across the classes, as Hong Kong sailor Frank Pong sailed his 75 foot Reichel Pugh Jelik to a first up win in the Racing class.

In the Sportsboat class, Scott Duncanson’s Raimon Land was winner of Race 2 on handicap and line honours, as Risotada (Keisuke Nagamatsu) came in second with Emma Mathil XX debuting on the podium in third place.

Racing aside, the Phuket King’s Cup has become known for its after party festivities with plenty of parties marked on the event calendar to celebrate the end of each day’s sailing. Prizegivings held just after dinner each evening have over the years become the prelude to the scene as musicians, local and international bands and Thai dance performances take to the stage against a backdrop of extravagant firework displays guaranteed to add to the excitement and merry making of the revellers.

One of the highlights of every King’s Cup is surely the candle-lighting ceremony held in front of the Boathouse Resort on Kata Beach on the third day of the event to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday, an impressive sight as more than 1,000 skippers and their crews hold up candles to the sky to the tune of the Thai national anthem. It comes as no surprise that such a magical spectacle is followed by more partying well into the night in anticipation of the reserve day that incidentally marks the opening of the Phuket Boatshow. And after the final day of racing, the competition comes to an end, as the proud winners are welcomed to the podium to mark the beginning of the regatta’s final party and the end to an unforgettable and action packed week.

So as we reminisce and wait with baited breath and excited anticipation to this year’s event and the chance to rub shoulders with the world’s top sailors in the paradise that is Phuket once more, it is with no doubt that one of the world's top sailing events has added a new dimension to one of Thailand’s and indeed Asia’s most attractive destinations.

The Phuket King’s Cup is indeed a week to be remembered and one that will continue to attract an audience of this unique event that really must be seen to be believed!