20 knots of breeze delivers fantastic finale to 2016 Samui Regatta

The week started with winds gusting to 40+ knots at times, causing damage to the fleet but by mid-week the weather pattern settled into classic Samui sailing conditions – 15-20 knots and blue skies.

With a fleet of top sailors and boats from Asia and beyond, the competition was tough.

IRC Zero saw Kevin Whitcraft's Thai entry, THA72, line-up for just their second competitive outing. The largest collection of TP52's ever on a startline in Asia included THA72, Oi! (AUS), Freefire (HKG) and Team Ulumulu (MAS) who were up against the well campaigned 52-foot Windsikher II (SIN) and the largest in the fleet, the 75-foot Jelik (HKG) of Frank Pong.

Oi! were slow to get going as the podium places were being hotly contested, however, the standout performer from the off was THA72. Having arrived in Thailand at the end of 2015 from the European TP52 circuit, THA72 surprised many with their boat speed and excellent crew work, and Whitcraft lead them to an unbeaten nine wins from nine races. A record for the regatta.

Elsewhere in the class places were being traded and by Day 3 Oi! had found their usual speed and put in a late run. However, it was too late as Sarab Singh's crew on Windsikher II, despite a few spinnaker issues during the week, sailed well to take second place overall just one point ahead of the fast finishing Oi!

In IRC One Roland Dane's Jessandra II (AUS) were back to defend their title and they were quick out of the gate with a win in Race 1. They went on to win five in succession and finished the series with seven wins from ten races, and an eight point winning margin over EFG Mandrake III who, much like Oi! in IRC Zero, struggled early in the week and found their speed too late to make a challenge for the top spot, having to settle for second. Fujin (AUS) placed consistently second early on but fell off the pace towards the end of the series and had to settle for third overall.

El Coyote returned in the Cruising Class to defend their title and while they had it mostly their own way early on, the surprise package in the form of the 74-foot Le Cochon Noir V, started to reduce the margin and scored three first places. While SailQuest Hi Jinks and Moon Shadow had podiums during the week, by the final day it had become a two-boat race, and it went down to the wire: the final race of the series, where El Coyote went on to claim line honours and the win on corrected time to defend their title in style.

Samui Regatta is also the season-closing event in the AsianYachting Grand Prix (AYGP) championship and having scored three firsts, two second places and one fourth in the 2015/16 season, Steve Manning and Anthony Root's Ker 42 Black Baza were crowned Skipper and Yacht of the Year at the traditional Gala Dinner hosted by Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui. A fitting end to a successful 15th year and the start of planning for the 16th Samui Regatta which will take place May 20-27, 2017.

Overall Results (top three in each class)
IRC Zero
1. THA72, Kevin Whitcraft (9 pts)
2. Windsikher II, Sarab Singh (25 pts)
3. Oi!, Scott Bailey/ Fergus Wilmer (26 pts)

IRC One
1. Jessandra II, Roland Dane (12 pts)
2. EFG Mandrake III, Nick Burns/ Fred Kinmonth (20 pts)
3. Fujin, Brown/ Ketelbey/ Sorensen (25 pts)

Cruising
1. El Coyote, Gary Baguley (10 pts)
2. Le Cochon Noir V, Roman Guarsa (12 pts)
3. SailQuest Hi Jinks, Tim McMahon (23 pts)