AYGP Championships resumes with Rolex China Sea Race 
AYGP Championships resumes with Rolex China Sea Race
After a
lengthy break between regattas the 2007-08 AY Grand Prix Championships
that determines the top racing class skipper and yacht each year in
Asian waters, resumes this week, with the bi-annual Rolex China Sea
Race and quickly followed by the President's Cup in the Philippines.
Depending on weather conditions the overall RCSR winner could come from
anyone of the very diverse yachts entered in the IRC Racing Class A
& B. Two TP 52's of Sam Chan's Ffreefire 52 and Geoff Hill's new
Strewth plus Neil Pryde's custom Welbourne 52 Hi Fi are expected to
stage a good fight for line honours. Defending champion Fred
Kinmonth/Nick Burns co-owned Farr/Mills 51 Fortis Mandrake will be hot
on their heels and Chris Meads Corby 43 Full Metal Jacket is also
expected to excel over the 565 nautical mile course. Ma. Fidel / Judes
Echauz Sydney 46 Subic Centennial has always done well here and despite
her age Jon Wardill's Cassidy 55 Australian Maid can still spring a
surprise as waterline length is vital on long distance races. Given the
right conditions the smaller boats in Racing B like Paul Bankowski's
Kerr 11.3 Jaywalker, Roland Buser's Sydney 36 Stella and three Beneteau
First 44.7's Cloud, Crystal and Walawala could also be in the hunt for
the silverware and the Rolex timepiece. All will be chasing the 2000
Race Record of 47h 43m 07s set by Karl Kwok on the Whitbread 60 Beau
Geste..
From the 1200 start time on Thursday 20th March,
shore-based fans can follow the action online at
http://www.rolexchinasearace.com as they are using PurpleFinder
technology to provide satellite positioning from each boat, which will
be updated every two hours during the race. The 24th running of this
Asian blue-water classic has now become part of Rolex's distinguished
portfolio of international offshore races. To receive Daily Reports and
download copyright free high-resolution images one will have to
register online at: http://www.regattanews.com
Presently in the
AYGP Championships Ray Roberts DK46 Quantum Racing (11 points) has a
clear three point advantage over Frank Pong's 75ft R/P Jelik (8 points)
who have been battling it out regatta for regatta during the 2007-08
Season. As they are not competing on the RCSR this leaves the way open
for Neil Pryde's Hi Fi, Fred Kinmonth/Nick Burns Fortis Mandrake and
Sam Chan's Ffreefire 52 the chance to improve there standings and stage
a final push for the coveted title.
However all this could
change after the yachts arrive in the Philippines and get ready for the
Presidents Cup in Subic Bay. Both Ray Roberts Quantum Racing and Frank
Pong's Jelik are returning to the frey and expected to continue there
head to head battle. Ray Ordoveza's Andrews/Excel 53 Karakoa is usually
skippered by US racing legend Steve Benjamin and Ma.Fidel / Judes
Echauz Sydney 46 Subic Centennial by Aussie Olympian Jamie Wilmot have
won here before and may yet again throw a spanner into the works which
is likely to affect the AYGP pointscore. Most the racing class from the
RCSR have entered the President's Cup producing another impressive line
up that will no doubt produce some exceptionally close racing. The
skippers that can quickly adapt to the tricky Subic Bay conditions over
the four-day, eight-race series that combines windward/leeward courses
with passage races can expect to stand proud on the podium come
presentation night.
Preparations are well underway for the grand
finale at the 7th Koh Samui Regatta from 1st-7th June. Last season the
AYGP Championships went down to the last race at Koh Samui with Frank
Pong's Jelik being crowned Asia's top skipper and yacht for 2006-07,
after narrowly piping Neil Pryde's old Hi Fi before the reconstruction.
Just to recap over the five seasons the AYGP has been awarded Peter
Ahern and YO! won the inaugural 2002-3 Championships, in 2003-04 the
honours were divided between Peter Ahern becoming the Skipper of the
Year and Sam Chan's Ffreefire the Yacht of the Year, over the 2004-05
Season Neil Pryde and Hi-Fidelity were victorious, then once again in
2006-06 Neil Pryde this time on Hi Fi Team Pryde and in 2006-07 Frank
Pong on Jelik became the fourth different winner to claim the coveted
title during a champagne soaked ceremony at the prestigious Central
Samui Resort on Chewang Beach. Winning after eight hard fought regattas
spanning five countries will undoubtedly go down as the only tried and
tested methord to calculate the true Asian Racing Class Keelboat
Champion each year.
Source: http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=24024
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