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the series—enough for them to secure third overall behind
Java in second and Asia Catamaran’s Hurricane in first.
Back to defend their title in the Firefly 850 class was Twin
Sharks and Advanced Racing Mamba were pushing them
hard. A DSQ in Race 4 for Mamba put an end to their title
hopes and after the drop was added they placed second
behind back-to-back winner Twin Sharks with Voodoo in
third.
Summer season racing in Phuket
With three classics on the start line this year it was an
impressive sight of age and beauty. The new-build-olddesign Aventure took the first win with Sirius winning Race 2
and Seraph Race 3. Sharing the spoils was fitting for these
grand dames but there had to be an eventual a winner, and it
was the centenarian Seraph.
The award-winning Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek,
eleven years on, continues to deliver great racing and
magical party nights in Phuket’s summer season and is the
opening event of the 2014/15 Asian Yachting Grand Prix.
For the full series results,
visit www.phuketraceweek.com/results. For more information
on the 2015 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek, visit www.
phuketraceweek.com.
Words Byron Jones
Four days of tropical, warm weather sailing and four nights of underthe-stars partying. What more could you ask for? This was the 2014
Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek.
New to the Asian circuit, Jessandra II, was one of the unknowns in
IRC Racing II and, with a combination of international experience
and local knowledge onboard, they sailed the perfect regatta,
undefeated—five wins from five races—while Greg Reynolds’
Mumm 30 Foreign Affair managed to hold off the always-in-the-mix
Ruby Tuesday for second and third respectively.
Having established a reputation for delivering some of the best
beachside regatta parties in Asia, combined with world-class racing,
Raceweek’s following from afar continues to grow and this year the
regatta saw more international entries, more sailors chartering local
boats to race and more countries represented than ever before.
In Cruising, an RAF for Mike Downard’s Sail in Asia Pinocchio in
Race 3 (Day Two) proved to be their downfall, pushing them into
second overall. Consistent sailing from Hedonist with a 2,2,1,2
scoreline saw them take the class title with the all-Thai crew on
Sansiri Windstar, in third.
Split over seven classes the 36-strong fleet enjoyed a Raceweek
that will go down in the regatta’s history as one of the most
competitive yet.
It was close racing in the Charter/Bareboat class with three
boats all sharing the top step of the podium over the four
race series. With no discard, Venture’s fourth in the first and
last race of the series hit them hard placing them in second
overall behind class winner Little Eva.
The 2014 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Race Week serves up some
great racing and lots of fun in the sun.
As the saying goes, size isn’t everything as shown by the two wins
on Day One which were followed by another two wins on Day Two
for the Mills King 40 Foxy Lady VI, the smallest in IRC Racing I. A
fourth place in the last race—which then became their drop—meant
that Foxy Lady VI won the class ahead of Island Fling in second and
Oi! in third.
38 Hebe jebes • Sept/Oct 2014
Asia Catamaran’s Hurricane scored two wins on the opening
day and shared the spoils with sistership Java in Multihull
Racing on Day Two. However, the last day belonged to the
smallest in the class, Bullet, who sailed to their first win of
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