Day 4: Racing at Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019 in Pattaya, Thailand

Sailors competing in Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019 in Pattaya, Thailand headed out to their respective courses on Saturday, only to be greeted by a light breeze, and come start time even that had dissipated.

A start for IRC Racing 1 was aborted in sequence forcing the Race Officer to AP while the fleet waited, and waited.

Come early afternoon, the AP was raised and Classes 1-6 were sent back to shore. The AP was lowered at 13:30 and the fleet headed back out to be greeted by strong winds, lots of rain, thunder and lightning, but as the worse part of the storm passed the racing was able to get underway.

Meanwhile, on the dinghy courses, in between the waiting they managed to get in some racing, two for most classes, and the S\V14s completed three.

Adding to the fun were the IOM radio controlled yachts, their first day out. While the rain proved a little tricky, the lack of wind didn't and they had a great opening day of their two-day series.

Keelboats and Multihulls

In Race 6, Noppakao Poonpat, skippering THA72, got the best of starts while Team Hollywood ducked behind for fear of being OCS. THA72 lead around the windward/leeward course and rounding the top mark for the second time, ahead. As both rounded, the two TP52s split and Team Hollywood chose the better side of the course (watch the video of that move) to cross the line first and claim the handicap win. An OCS for both on the second race saw a re-start in which THA72 was over again and in the process gifted the win to Team Hollywood.

Two wins for Fujin in IRC Racing 2 sees them cement their lead at the top, while a nine second advantage on corrected time for Tenacious in Saturday's second race see them finish the day with a 2,2 to keep the pressure on.

The lights winds weren't kind to MoonShadow2 in IRC Racing 3 as they slipped to a 3,2 on the day. Two hard earned first place finishers for the Japanese crew on Team Spray see them with a two point lead at the top with the discard now in play.

There was just a single race for the Platu class on Saturday. An OCS for Easy Tiger V saw them playing catch-up throughout. Rounding the top mark second to last, they managed to claw back some places to finish in eighth. However, in the protest room the Jury decided they were not OCS and offered redress, resulting in them being named winner of the race and they now go into the final day with a comfortable lead ahead of Team ViewPoint in second.

A long race in softening breeze for the Multihulls and it was Bob Garner and crew on BladeRunnerIX who sailed smart to add another bullet to their tally and increase their lead to five points over Sonic in second and Edenko in third.

Thailand S\V14 Para Sailing Championship

Despite the tricky conditions, the S\V14 teams managed to complete three races on Saturday and as the wind dropped towards the end, positions were swapped.

The Thai duo of Paisol Pateh/ Mahseedi Hadumor continued in their winning ways with two wins in the first races, but had to settle for fourth in the final race of the day. With the discard now in play, the fourth can be dropped and they retain a healthy nine point lead at the top of the standings.

Meanwhile a 2,5,3 for Kasempon Hondee/ Suraphong Chitkong keeps them in second overall.

Victory in the final race for Russel Vollmer/ Cherrie Pinpin, and finishing the day with a 3,2,1 scoreline, sees them just three points off fourth placers, Jo Mengel/ Anwarmay while Kristo Priks/ Peep Krusberg sit in third.

Thailand Optimist Open Championship

In the Gold Fleet, series leader Panwa Boonak, had a tough day with a fourth and a third. However, with three bullets earlier on his scorecard he still commands a comfortable lead at the top. M.L. Weka Bhanubandh recovered from a twelfth in the first race to finish first in the second race, but has to settle for third overall, five points behind Bowonnan Chanram whose 1,4 today moved him up to second overall.

In the Silver Fleet, there's no stopping Pitipoom Jaroenpon who, despite finishing eighth in the second race on Saturday (his worse result so far), has four bullets to his name and is sitting pretty on a 28 point lead. Second place overall is held by Amonwan Aphiwatudomkun who is just one point ahead of Supakan Kerdsakul in third.

Dinghy Classes

Two races for the dinghy classes (8, 9, 10, 11) and as the saying goes, “the cream always rises to the top”. Consistency is key over a four-day series and a 1,2 for Albert Nazarov in his Finn keeps him two points clear of Ralf Donner. Apichart Tongmak, meanwhile, had a mixed day with a third and a UFD (which has become his drop), meaning he holds onto third place in the overall standings.

Two wins on Satruday for Ahmad Latif Khan B.Ali Sabri Khan in Class 9 sees them hold a slim one point lead over Ahmad Latif Khan B.Ali Sabri Khan with Israr Hazim B.Ismail two points further back in third. The devil, however, is in the details with just four seconds deciding second and third places in the second race of the day.

In Class 10, Patcharee Sringam continues to dominate with a 3,1 today while a 4,2 for Mohammad Shahieran Rin Raiman is enough to keep him in second overall ahead of Eric Owen Tan Chang Fook in third.

In the double-handed dinghies (Class 11), series leaders Muhammad Syafie Bin Ali/ Ikrami Hakimin Bin Markham were a little under par finishing the day with a 3,3 but still retain top spot overall. Meanwhile, a 1,2 by Jedtavee Yongyuennarn/ Chakkaphat Wiriyakitti see them close the gap at the top to just two points with Muhammad Fauzi Kaman Shah/ Omar Ac Faroue five points further back in third.

Windsurfs

In the windsurf classes two races were completed in some very tricky conditions. Two more wins for Ahmad Danish Abdul Hadi Kame in RS:X sees them top the standings ahead of Geh Cheow Lin in second and Nuur Fatin Solehah Binti Abdul Rahman in third. Meanwhile, Ilham Bin Wahab continues to dominate the RS:One class dropping his second place in the day's second race to consolidate a seven point lead at the top. Muhammad Izzudin Bin Abdul Rani sits in second ahead.

IOM RC Yachts

Top of the Gulf Regatta prides itself on its diversity and 12 International One Metre Radio Controlled Yachts started their series on Saturday. After 10 races were completed Narongrit Singhasaenee leads the standings on 19 points ahead of Dean Martin two points further back. Narin Palatikanon sits in third on 24 points.

Team Hollywood TP52 (IRC1) - Interview with Ray Roberts, Owner / Captain

PODCAST

As there are so many pictures from the Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019 they have been uploaded to different pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9 and Page 10. See also: Ray Roberts to Open Sailing Schools in Thailand - Exclusive Video Interview, Team Hollywood Unbeatable! Results from Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019, Day 4: Racing at Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019 in Pattaya, Thailand, Day 3: Racing at Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019 in Pattaya, Thailand, Day 2: Racing at Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019 in Pattaya, Thailand, Australians Dominate First Day of Top of the Gulf Regatta 2019 in Thailand, Para Sailing and the S\V14 -  Interview with Yacht Designer, Maarten Voogd, 15th Top of the Gulf Regatta to Take Place in Pattaya, Thailand 30 April - 5 May 2019, Disabled Sailing Thailand - Interview with Peter Jacops and Pictures from Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek 2019.

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