Jelik duelling with Freefire at Samui Regatta
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Bidding for the overall Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championship crown, Frank Pong-skippered Jelik are revelling in the "tropical island" conditions at the Samui Regatta. After two wins on Monday, they stretched their lead atop the IRC Zero standings with a
Jelik are being pushed hard by Freefire (HKG), skippered by Sam Chan, who despite only managing two third places today, has hung on to second overall thanks to a strong performance on the first day.
Antipodes, at 72-foot the second-largest boat in the fleet, jumped up the standings after scoring a bullet in the last race of the day. Skippered by Geoff Hill and with five-time Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race competitor Matt Humphries onboard, they are beginning to find their feet and remain a threat.
IRC One is shaping up to be a tight battle, with Steve Manning and his crew on Walawala 2 (SIN) leading the class after two bullets yesterday. Scoring a second and a fourth yesterday, Foxy Lady 6 (SIN), skippered by Bill Bremner, lies second overall.
A second for Elektra (HKG), skippered by Marcel Liedts, in Race 2 saw them jump up the table to sit third overall, while last year’s winners EFG Bank Mandrake (HKG), skippered by Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth, dropped to fourth after a third and a fifth yesterday.
Matt’s Ichi Ban (AUS) has racked up three first places in the IRC Two Division, to stay just in front of another Aussie sailor, Gary Baguley, with Pattaya entry El Coyote (THA). Italy’s Siren is in third place.
Henry Kaye staged a comeback in his Sweet Chariot (THA), and with two good wins in the Multihull class yesterday has drawn level with leaders Miss Saigon (THA), helmed by Briton David Liddel, while Samui entry Kunta’s Crazy Horse (THA) lies third.
