7th KOH SAMUI REGATTA

With a little over a month to go the Koh Samui Regatta organisation team is moving into top gear to ensure another great event.

Regularly attracting over 35 to 40 yachts this Regatta has a truly international feel as the upwards of 300 participants head in to this beautiful tropical island from all points of the globe.

The recent announcement that Matt Allen’s ‘Ichi Ban’ is being shipped from Dubai, fresh from her recent victory at the premier racing event in the Gulf the Maktoum Cup, ensures that there will again be a hot premier racing class at this years Samui Regatta. And although Ray Roberts on ‘Quantum Racing’ has already wrapped up the Asian Yachting Grand Prix championship there is still a matter of bragging rights to hoist aloft the beautiful KSR Waterford Crystal Perpetual Bowl on the winners podium come 7th June.

The ‘Quantum Racing’ DK 46 will face some stiff competition. Perennial line honours winner ‘Jelik’ the Reichel Pugh 76, under the guidance of Frank Pong will be looking to repeat her 2006 success but defending champion Bill Bremner is back from Singapore on his new ‘Foxy Lady IV’ a TP52 recently shipped in from the US. Going head to head with Bill and also sailing a TP52 will be Hong Kong’s Sam Chan on ‘Ffree Fire’. Unfortunately it looks like the other TP52, ‘Strewth’ from Hong will not make it in time following their ‘mishap’ on the recent Rolex China Seas Race. Neil Pryde and his professional crew is fast getting to grips with the Wellbourne redesigned ‘Hi-Fi’ which was a previous KSR winner as ‘Hollywood Boulevard’. But you can never rule out Kinmoth and Burns on ‘Mandrake’ a previous Admirals Cup winner and Chris Meads new Corby 43 ‘Full Metal Jacket’.

But the Samui Regatta is not just about the Grand Prix yachts and we should not forget the many other boats that travel the thousands of miles to compete in the other classes and come together to make this such a friendly and laid back event. From the super cruiser-racers such as ‘Moonblue II’ and ‘Intrigue’ through to IRC 2 with the likes of ‘Abraxas’, ‘Lunch Cutter’ and ‘Happy Endings’ from Singapore, as well as ‘La Samudra’ and ‘Remington’ from Phuket, as well as ‘Thai Raver’ and ‘Magic Roundabout’ from Pattaya. The multihulls will be well represented by the 50 ft. ‘Sonic’ and ‘Cedar Swan’ as well as the new Corsair trimarans from Pattaya, the Firefly One Design cat class is back in force with ‘Moto Inzi’, ‘Pagatoon’ and ‘Dhevetara Frog’. And this year the Sports Boats Class is shaping up to be the biggest to date with the local Elliott 7’s ‘Moon Shadow’ and ‘Ice Bucket’ being joined by ‘Somtam Express’ from Phuket and ‘Porn Star’ and ‘Big Blue’ from Pattaya, not to mention a sprinkling of Platu 25’s. The Sunsail ‘One-Design’ charter fleet also provides a great option to ‘fly in and sail’ as Aussie legend George Snow and his mates from the CYCA in Sydney proved when they chartered the fleet for some keen one design racing a couple of years back.

And be sure to make it to Samui for the 7th running of the ‘Tropical Island Regatta’ from the 1st to 7th June 2008.

An exciting opportunity for those people considering chartering a yacht for this regatta.

Currently we have Sunsail, Gulf Charter and The Frog are all available.


Reference : samuiregatta.com