A wet and windy start to Phuket Raceweek saw the 33 entries storm away from the line for the first races of this year’s summer season regatta. Whether it was first-day excitement or the ever-changing conditions, the Phuket Post-sponsored Coca-Cola Tuay Lek managed to jump the gun at the start of the two IRC 1 races to score OCS for both races.

The Raceweek committee has made a slight adjustment to the classes, dividing the yachts into two IRC classes, a Club/Charter class, Multihull and Firefly One Design classes. Tom Howard's North Sea Fishing Boat Seraph was the sole entry in the Classic Class – so looks set for a clear win this year.

The seven boats in the IRC Racing Class were keen to get away, but arch rivals Ray Roberts aboard DK46 Evolution Sails, Neil Pryde’s Welbourne 52, Hi-Fi, and defending champion Peter Ahern on Yo!2, left the rest of the class on the start line.

The DK46, Evolution Sails, clocked up Race 1 and 2 victories. Yo!2 slipped into second place by a mere two seconds leaving Hi Fi to settle on third place.

In Race 2, around the islands, the roles were reversed with Neil Pryde taking second, missing first place by 14 seconds and Peter Ahern in third place.


A battle royale is shaping up between the eight boats in the IRC 1 Class with several changes to the order and a few seconds separating the diverse range of boats in the class. Peter Dyer’s Madam Butterfly drew first blood with Jaray Tipsuk’s Platu 25 Mitrmitri only 10 seconds adrift in second place. A further 29 seconds behind Niels Dgenkolf’s Phoenix claimed third place.

The longer running legs around the islands saw some contraction and expansion in the fleet especially on the leeward side of Koh Aeo. Stuart Williamson’s Beneteau, Endeavour of Whitby, came to the fore in Race 2 with defending champion Niels Degenkol’s Phoenix claiming second place by a mere
14 seconds from Jaray Tipsuk’s Mitrmitri. After the first day of racing three boats are tied on five points and judging by the performance the battle will rage till the end of the regatta.

Two first places for Donna Stephens Ron Swanson Sloop Awatea puts them well on the way to defending the title that they convincingly won last year. Rob Azzopardi Jeanneau, Prosafe Cunning Plan, slotted into second place in Race 1 but was over the start line in Race 2 and scored OCS for not returning. Horst Lakits’ Swan 55, Big A, came in third and by scoring 2nd place in Race 2 keeps them within striking distance of Awatea. Third place for Elite Yachting’s Benjamin Dupal skippering NRG Alissa puts them in good stead for the NRG Cup.

The big winner of the day was the race organizer, Grenville Fordham’s newly launched Andaman Cabriolet, Da Vinci Nina, skippered by designer Alan Carwadine, which went on to win two races on her racing debut.

Hans Rahmann's Voodoo Child helmed by the designer Mark Pescott continued on their winning ways in the Firefly 850 One Design Class by eclipsing the fleet during the two races held today. Two second places for Roger Kingdon's Moto Inzi and two third places for The Frog, chartered by John Newnham from the Andaman Sea Club has them finishing in the respective order in the overall stakes.

Composite Catamarans have also come on board as a sponsor of Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2009, staging a competition in conjunction with Evason Phuket. First prize is a charter holiday on Ni±a, combined with accommodation at Evason, worth around 5,000 Euros. Full details will be announced soon

Race report courtesy of www.phuketraceweek.com

For full results for day 1, click here.