White caps and 12 knots of breeze welcomed sailors on the startline for Day 2 of the 2015 Top of the Gulf Regatta Presented by Ocean Marina. After a tricky first day with shifty light winds, Day 2 was fresh and all fleets were busy getting races on the scoreboard.
PRO Denis Thompson took full advantage of the good wind to send the cruising and ocean multihull classes on a passage race while the IRC fleet enjoyed a fast and furious windward/leeward before they headed off on a longer course.
In the Platu class, three windward/leeward courses were on the cards and it was defending Coronation Cup champions, Kingdom Property (AUS), skippered by former Australian youth champion Scott Duncanson, who found their rhythm winning all three races. Despite their dominance, the minor places were hard-fought with the spoils being shared around.
Chris Way and his crew on Easy Tiger IV (AUS) finished the day with a 2,2,4 scoreline to sit second overall while Andrew Moore's Tigrina (HKG) and Ben Williams' The Fox (HKG) traded places, the former holding a one point advantage over the latter in the overall standings going into the final two days.
Elsewhere on the keelboat and multihull course, Fujin (AUS) hit speed in the breeze to score their first win of the IRC 1 Racing series in the day's first race. Just one minute behind was Foxy Lady VI (SIN) who went one better in the second race to score their first bullet and with it top the class standings after four races.
Leading the standings at the end of Day 1 was EFG Mandrake and their 3,2 scoreline today meant they slipped down one place and to second overall, tied on points with Foxy Lady VI, with the drop race yet to come in to play.
Amanda (SWE) continued where they left off yesterday in IRC Racing 2 adding another bullet to their scorecard. The combined Thai and Swedish crew held off challenges from Windstar (THA) and Iolante (AUS) who finished second and third respectively, while yesterday's leader, Magic (AUS), had to settle for a sixth place in the first race.
In the second race it was Gary Baguley's El Coyote (AUS) that enjoyed the long distance to stretch out a lead and claim the win on corrected time by over four minutes from Iolanthe. Amanda had to settle for third but leads the standings at the half-way point.
Revelling in the building breeze and longer distance was Cedar Swan (THA), who held off the charge from the larger challenges in the Ocean Multihull class to make it three wins from three in all races and take a clear lead into the second half of the series. Despite crossing the line in third, Sonic (THA) was bumped up a place on corrected time and finished ahead of License to Chill (AUS) who had to settle for third.
On the dinghy course, the single-handed monohull dinghy class (Laser Standard, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7) and the double-handed monohull dinghy class (420, 470 and 49erFX) had a tough first day with the first race starting at 15:00, and only two races being completed in total. Today's conditions were much more agreeable and four races were completed for both classes.
After being comprehensively beaten yesterday, four wins for Thai Olympian Keerati Bualong today sees him sit atop the single-handed monohull dinghy class standings with a clear lead, and with just one day to go for this class he now has one hand on the trophy.
In the double-handed monohull dinghy class standings its a three way battle between three Thai 420s helmed by Sarawut Phetsiri, Chaninai Poolairikot and Navee Tomsoontorn respectively.
The first two races yesterday for the Thailand National Optimist Championships produced the split for two fleets today: Optimist A and Optimist B. In the A fleet Thai youngster Suthon Yampinid, a regular at the event and national team sailor, put three bullets on the board to stretch out a comfortable lead over Voravong Rachrattanaruk (THA) and Muhammad Fau Zi (MAS) who sit behind tied on points.
In the B fleet, a 2,5,3 was enough for Jade Gavin (EST) to top the standings ahead of Panot Lisahapanya (THA) and Patrick Ledout (NED).
Organised by the Top of the Gulf Regatta Organising Committee under the auspices of the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Platu Yacht Association, Ocean Marina Yacht Club and Royal Varuna Yacht Club, the Top of the Gulf Regatta Presented by Ocean Marina is held 30th April to 4th May at Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Jomtien, Pattaya, Thailand.
For more information, visit www.topofthegulfregatta.com
