ecognized throughout the eastern

hemisphere as the premier sailing

event of its kind, the Phuket King’s

Cup Regatta once again put on a spectacular

display of the finest sailing talent from around

the world, competing in Andaman seas to win

the “must-have” racing trophy in all of Asia,

from 1 to 8 December, 2012. In addition to theRegatta’s gravitas in attracting sailors from 34

countries and some of the fastest racing vessels

in the region, it is also an important event for

the island in terms of development and

commerce.

The fleet of the 2012 Phuket King’s

Cup Regatta comprised a broad mix of boats

crewed by an international assemblage of

sailors from 34 countries. In all, the fleet has

grown to encompass an extraordinary 168

entries this year. Among them were 78 ocean-

going racers and cruisers, 50 dinghies and 40

windsurfs. The jewel in the crown of the Asia

yachting circuit, the Phuket King’s Cup

Regatta’s reputation for world class competition

draws entrants from every corner of the globeyear-on-year, and its growth in diversity of racing

classes is adding to its international appeal.

The Regatta enjoys a very high level of

participation in its Bareboat Charter class, a

class in which the boat is chartered and drive by

the charterers. It is up to the skipper to crew the

boat and make it race-ready. This year’s Regatta

attracted 23 boats in this class, with many

R

IRC 0

1. Jelik2. Won Ma Rang3. Utarid

IRC 1

1. Ichiban2. Foxy Lady 63. Walawala 2

IRC 2

1. Ichiban2. Royal Thai Navy 13. Kata Rocks

Firefly 850Sports

1. Voodoo2. Dyer Straits3. Twin Sharks

Multihull

1. Mojo2. Fantasia3. Sweet Chariot

Platu One Design

1. Tuay Lek2. The Beaver3. Sakura

Premier

1. Titania of Cowes2. Pine Pacific3. Xena

Bareboat Charter

1. Sail Plane2. Agility International3. Sarawadee

Modern Classic

1. Patrice III2. Windstar3. Emerald Blue

Cruising

1. No Name2. Linda3. Sansiri (Ooo La La)

Regatta kicks off 26th race with strong fleetPKCR 2012

Overall SeriesResults

different boat types and nationalities taking part,

including the largest number of Russians taking

in the Regatta, ever. In addition to monohull

boats, the Regatta also featured catamarans and

trimarans – fast and stable, the quickest are

generally the one-design, Phuket-built, Firefly

850 Sports catamarans.

The 2012 Regatta saw the reintroductionof the Platu One Design class: a 25-foot sailing

yacht, popular in Asia and Europe, it is a small

easy-to-handle racer with surprising power and

speed, and yet not prohibitively expensive to

buy. Owners of these yachts compete in several

series in South East Asia, and its addition to the

Phuket King’s Cup as a specific class has

broadened the diversity of the Regatta yet further.

Other classes included Premier,

Modern Classic, Classic and Cruising;

perennial favourites among the worldwide

sailing community, and classes that broaden

the accessibility of Regatta competition to as

many people as possible. Kevin Whitcraft,

President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta

Organising Committee, said, “It is the belief ofthe Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising

Committee that the sport of sailing should be

supported and developed wherever possible,

and the hosting of a diverse class structure

allows a great number of international teams of

various sizes to take part. It creates a magnificent

occasion with very close racing throughout the

classes.”

Firefly start, photo by Guy Nowell.

From the large keelboats and

multihulls, the Regatta includes a number of

small dinghies, including in 2012 the

Optimist, the Laser and the Topper. The

Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing boatusable by children up to the age of 15 – an

internationally recognized one-design youth

racing class. The Laser is a simple, fast and fun

one-man racing boat, an Olympic class, and is

sailed in waters all over the world – over

250,000 have been sold since its introduction

in 1974. The newly added Topper class is an

11-foot sailing dinghy, and has been a popular

training and junior racing vessel for over 30

years.

The dinghy classes have been an

important part of sailing in Thailand since thelate 1970s, teaching essential seafaring skills to

young and grass roots sailors. It continues to

play a vital role in evolving Thailand’s success

as a sports sailing nation, and dinghies have

featured in the last four Regattas, helping to

empower the progression of youth sailing.

Predominantly Thai participants, 2012

welcomed international sailors to the Optimist

and Topper fleets – from China and Australia.

For 2012, the Regatta welcomed the

return of the Windsurfing class, providing an

injection of cool to the event and growing the

diversity further. The class attracted

windsurfing stars from around the world,

including Thailand’s own Ek Boonsawad and

Siriporn “Dao” Kaewduanggam, and the

Ladies 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist Marina

Alabau Neira from Spain. Ek recently

represented Thailand at the 2012 LondonOlympics, while Dao won the 2010 Youth

Olympics in Singapore. They competed with

the best the windsurfing world has to offer,

with Hong Kong and Thailand leading the

standings and demonstrating their superiority

in the sport.

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2012

also featured a Dinghy racing as part of its roster

of international events. Its inclusion has played

a part in the development of youth sailing in

Thailand, encouraging more young sailors to

take up the sport, and empowering the

Ichi Ban on her way to victory in IRC 1 class, photo by Joyce Ravara.

From left: Kamolwan Chanyim, winner of Laser class; Auckarapong Chayim,winner of Laser class (Phuket Dinghy Series); Admiral Apiwat Srivardhana,Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Committee; Kamonchanok Klahan, winner ofOptimist Girls; Anapat Ngarmdee, winner of Optimist (Phuket Dinghy SeriesBoys); Admiral Tarathon Kajitsuwan, Commander-in-Chief; PongsapatPoomyam, winner of Optimist boys.

development of talented and aspiring skippers.

The reputation of Thailand as a sailing nation

continues to grow strongly with the Phuket

Dinghy Series functioning as an essential

proving ground for competitors wishing to

progress to full-scale cruisers and racing boats.

Windsurfers and dinghies competed for four

days (2nd - 5th December) while keelboats and

multihulls competed over five days (3rd – 8th

December, with the 6th December a rest day).

Kevin Whitcraft, spoke of the role this

classic race plays in the development ofThailand as a sailing nation and sailing

destination: “We are very proud that the

Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is able to take a

regional role in contributing to the growth of the

Thai sailing community and the yachting

industry in Thailand, reinforcing its position

as one of the world’s premier sailing

destinations. It serves as an inspiration for new

and improving Thai sailors, giving them a

superb opportunity to experience international

competition. From a wider perspective, it is

hugely beneficial for Phuket, a part of Thailand

famed for its beautiful surroundings, legendary

hospitality and suitability for hosting Asia’s

ultimate Regatta.”

The Phuket King’s Cup is also famed

for its series of legendary beachside parties,attracting over 1,500 partygoers who enjoy the

live music, great atmosphere and food and

drink provided by the Regatta’s sponsors. In

this respect, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta

also functions as a high-quality platform for

event partners looking to grow their profile

nationally and engage directly in an experiential

way with the sports sailing community and the

general public.

One of the longest running

international sporting events in Phuket, the

Regatta generates a great deal of revenue for thelocal economy, bringing with it sports tourists

with disposable income and around 40

million baht in tourism receipts, according to a

survey by the organizers. It serves to the great

benefit of Phuket’s hotels and restaurants,

which enjoy a surge of custom before, during

and after Regatta Week.

Sailpast, Phuket King’s Cup Regatta.

Kevin Whitcraft, owner andcrew member of WanMarang and President ofthe King’s Cup RegattaOrganising Committee talksabout the development ofThailand as a sailing nation,and one truly classicRegatta.

1. Who is the skipper of your boat this year?1. Who is the skipper of your boat this year?1. Who is the skipper of your boat this year?1. Who is the skipper of your boat this year?1. Who is the skipper of your boat this year?Our skipper, Jaray Tipsuk, is a sailor who has won two silver medals

in the Sea Games, and a gold in the J24 Sea Games in Singapore in1996. When he was very young, he had a relative at the Thai Navalbase and he used to go watch the kids training in Optimist boats. Thethen Captain Sunan invited him in and he was the best kid there. Hewent on to the World Championships immediately. That was around1979. He began helming at Royal Varuna Yacht Club in the early 80’sand joined the national team in 1987 – the first year of the PhuketKing’s Cup Regatta.

2. Is it easy or difficult to find highly competent crew2. Is it easy or difficult to find highly competent crew2. Is it easy or difficult to find highly competent crew2. Is it easy or difficult to find highly competent crew2. Is it easy or difficult to find highly competent crewmembers in Thai land?members in Thai land?members in Thai land?members in Thai land?members in Thai land?

We have an almost wholly Thai boat crew for the 2012 PhuketKing’s Cup Regatta, including a few Westerners who hold Thai citizenship.It’s relatively easy, in fact, to find skilled Thai sailors. We have a lotof history of sailing here in Thailand, with most of our crew competingon and off internationally for over two decades, myself included;consequently, many of the crew have been racing together for a longtime. Some of the other team members are, or were, a part of theThai national team, of which I was a part for six years. The RoyalVaruna Yacht Club has been instrumental for developing experiencedThai sailors.

3. How do you gauge the level of improvement in3. How do you gauge the level of improvement in3. How do you gauge the level of improvement in3. How do you gauge the level of improvement in3. How do you gauge the level of improvement inexperienced and new Thai sai lors?experienced and new Thai sai lors?experienced and new Thai sai lors?experienced and new Thai sai lors?experienced and new Thai sai lors?

It’s definitely getting broader. I think the Optimist programme hasbeen strong since the late seventies, and of course Thailand hasmaintained a strong reputation in sailing thanks to His Majesty theKing. Many of us have over the years put in time coaching Opti’s(Optimist, a small sailing dinghy) – and some of our crew have taughtthis for over ten years. We’ve got a culture and history of sailing inThailand, so there’s quite a lot of improvement already there.

4. Does having a Thai speaking crew help in terms4. Does having a Thai speaking crew help in terms4. Does having a Thai speaking crew help in terms4. Does having a Thai speaking crew help in terms4. Does having a Thai speaking crew help in termsof communicat ion and teamwork?of communicat ion and teamwork?of communicat ion and teamwork?of communicat ion and teamwork?of communicat ion and teamwork?

We panic in Thai! Definitely when things get intense the languageis occasionally in Thai because it’s faster (laughs)! But we speak inEnglish as we have an American bow-man and a couple of Kiwis onthe crew, so to give them half a chance, we talk in English.

5. The Phuket Dinghy Series has been effective in the5. The Phuket Dinghy Series has been effective in the5. The Phuket Dinghy Series has been effective in the5. The Phuket Dinghy Series has been effective in the5. The Phuket Dinghy Series has been effective in thedevelopment of young Thai sai lors. Do many of them godevelopment of young Thai sai lors. Do many of them godevelopment of young Thai sai lors. Do many of them godevelopment of young Thai sai lors. Do many of them godevelopment of young Thai sai lors. Do many of them goon to crew large racing boats?on to crew large racing boats?on to crew large racing boats?on to crew large racing boats?on to crew large racing boats?

Not a large percentage, actually. The biggest ‘problem’ in termsof the development of sailing in Thailand is that Asian kids are focusedmore on studies when in their teens, and so they switch their focusto school following the growth of their experience in Optimist. TheYacht Racing Association of Thailand has tried to get the sport intouniversities so they now have sailing programs and they recognisequalifications in their student assessment activities. My kids areformer Optimist champions, but have continued to compete internationallyin the 29er class. People tend to fall away from sailing for a bit dueto their studies and later due to their work commitments, but somecome back and many of the crew out of Ocean Marina were formerOpti sailors.

Kevin Whitcraft,President of the PhuketKing’s Cup RegattaOrganising Committee.

When travel, excursions and repeat visits during

the year are factored in, the economic contribution of theevent is likely to be in the region of 300 million baht. The

event is strongly supported by local authorities and

Phuket Province, who work together with event organizers

to make the Regatta an annual success for everyone on the

Island.

SAIL BYThe whole Phuket King’s Cup Regatta fleet took

part in an inspiring sail pass outside of Nai Harn Bay

before the start of the third day of racing. Royal Thai Navy

yachts lead the procession of Regatta boats from around

the world, as they sailed past three Royal Thai Navy ships

positioned off Nai Harn Bay. Sailors of 34 nationalities

and Royal Thai Navy personnel saluted as they passed.

This spectacular tribute was held in honour of His

Majesty the King of Thailand’s 85th birthday.

Thousands of spectators, media and members of

the public also gathered on Phromthep Cape view point

to watch the sail pass and gun salute, followed by aprocession of the Royal Thai Navy ships, paying their

respect and showing their love and support of

Thailand’s Monarch, himself a gold medal-winning

sailor.

Following the sail pass and subsequent racing,

sailors enjoyed a lavish poolside party and prize-giving

ceremony at Phuket Orchid Resort & Spa hosted by Kata

Group. The popular resort also held a beautiful candlelit

ceremony in honour of the Regatta’s Royal Patronage.

Utarid (Royal Malaysian Navy) racing in IRC 0 class, photo byGuy Nowell.

Action in Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, photo by Guy Nowell.

FOLDING SAILBeautiful sunshine, blue skies and

consistent winds marked the final day of the

2012 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in fitting style

as teams and their boats assembled at the start

line in a final bid to resolve their class contests.

Some results had effectively completed

yesterday, but a majority of classes were

anticipated to host some thrilling final day

action.

Frank Pong and his Jelik team

powered home in first place in IRC Zero

class, ahead of Thai team Won Ma Rang. Less

than three minutes separated them at the closewith the Hong Kong team eventually coming

out on top after a week-long battle. His Jelik

boat had raced at and won the Phuket King’s

Cup Regatta before, in 2007. He said, “We

decided last night just to have a good clean race

and keep out of trouble. Won Ma Rang

crossed ahead of us, but we picked up more

wind on the opposite side. It was a close race

but we had a point score advantage going into

the final round. I have to say, Won Ma Rang

has really come forward compared to two years

ago. They practice hard and have great people.We’re both here every year, and I’ve been here

four or five times with this boat. It’s been four

years since our last win! We’ve been blessed

with six perfect days – even the reserve day had

good wind! Deservedly, the Phuket King’s

Cup is itself the King of Regattas in Asia.”

Jaray Tipsuk, skipper of Won Ma

Rang, said, “The conditions were great for

racing, and it was a very enjoyable challenge.

This is my 25th Regatta! So I know the race

well and always expect a strong challenge.

The crew will be the same next year when we

return to race in next year’s Phuket King’s

Cup Regatta. Our next race is in theSingapore Straits so we will prepare for that

now.”

Steve Manning’s Walawala 2 team

performed very strongly in the final IRC1

clash, finishing first by three minutes.

However, the victory wasn’t enough as David

Fuller’s Ichi Ban team took the overall

honours by four points with Foxy Lady 6

taking the runner-up spot.

In IRC2, the second Ichi Ban team

lead by Matt Allen was also victorious. They

finished ahead of CPO.1 Wiwat Poonpat’sRoyal Thai Navy 1 boat by six points. By way

of consolation, Wiwat’s crew won the final

race today in round ten. Royal Thai Navy 2

skippered by Commander Peera Sagurtam

finished the week in fourth place.

In Platu One Design class, there’s

been an enjoyable week-long contest between

Optimist racing. Day 2 of the International Dinghy classes at the 2012 Phuket King's Cup Regatta, photo by Joyce Ravara.

6. Is sai l ing a prohibit ively expensive sport for most6. Is sai l ing a prohibit ively expensive sport for most6. Is sai l ing a prohibit ively expensive sport for most6. Is sai l ing a prohibit ively expensive sport for most6. Is sai l ing a prohibit ively expensive sport for mostp e o p l e ?p e o p l e ?p e o p l e ?p e o p l e ?p e o p l e ?

Yes, it can be. You would regularly see 140 Optimists andLasers competing in domestic events; then it (sailing) becomesmore expensive and the field gets a lot smaller not just in Thailandbut internationally. It’s possible for a group of individuals to splitthe cost for a small keelboat, so there are ways and means fornewcomers to access the sport, at least at entry level. To get toracing class it’s pretty expensive, although there are a large numberof Thai owners in the Platu class, but it’s not that costly as a hobby.It’s reasonable, rather than affordable.

7. Please can you tel l us about your boat?7. Please can you tel l us about your boat?7. Please can you tel l us about your boat?7. Please can you tel l us about your boat?7. Please can you tel l us about your boat?The boat is from Croatia, and has been raced throughout the

Med for about 18 months. It arrived the day before the PhuketKing’s Cup Regatta four years ago. It’s very light – 4.5 tonnes andwe’ve worked on it over the years. Downwind we are pretty fast –it’s our fourth year on board so we’re pretty used to it, with all thenew components we installed performing well. We’ve had a fewpractice weekends which have helped us achieve strong finishingin 2012’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta.

8. Please can you explain how you divide your attention8. Please can you explain how you divide your attention8. Please can you explain how you divide your attention8. Please can you explain how you divide your attention8. Please can you explain how you divide your attentionbetween your roles?between your roles?between your roles?between your roles?between your roles?

When I’m out there on the water, I don’t even think about thePhuket King’s Cup Organising Committee responsibilities much; theCommittee, the organisation, the structure, sponsorships and soforth. I’m just focused on being on the water and having fun,competing and challenging, pushing as hard as we can and beingsuccessful. And the jury, the organisation and structure all help mein my capacity as President of the Phuket King’s Cup RegattaOrganising Committee. We have an excellent PR team with Vivaldi,and the organisational teams do a great job with the course, andin providing international standard race management. And needlessto say the parties are well organised as well.

9. Why do you hold the Regatta at Kata Beach?9. Why do you hold the Regatta at Kata Beach?9. Why do you hold the Regatta at Kata Beach?9. Why do you hold the Regatta at Kata Beach?9. Why do you hold the Regatta at Kata Beach?Kata Beach Resort & Spa is a strong supporter of the Regatta,

and a great host sponsor. You have to consider the number ofrooms available, facilities, the award ceremony, etcetera, so KataBeach Resort & Spa is perfect in many respects. It’s located in abeautiful bay and the resort is popular with Regatta competitors.

10. Is Phuket Thai land’s leading destination for sports10. Is Phuket Thai land’s leading destination for sports10. Is Phuket Thai land’s leading destination for sports10. Is Phuket Thai land’s leading destination for sports10. Is Phuket Thai land’s leading destination for sportss a i l i n g ?s a i l i n g ?s a i l i n g ?s a i l i n g ?s a i l i n g ?

Not just for sailing, but for runners, divers, surfers, windsurfing;it’s an adventure sports playground. It’s such a beautiful area inwhich to be outdoors and living life to the full – a large reasonbehind why so many people come here, return here, and enjoybeing here.

11. What would you say to newcomers who want to take11. What would you say to newcomers who want to take11. What would you say to newcomers who want to take11. What would you say to newcomers who want to take11. What would you say to newcomers who want to takeup sai l ing?up sai l ing?up sai l ing?up sai l ing?up sai l ing?

It’s about getting started, so follow the advice of Nike and “justdo it!” Get licensed, get your basic training down, and most importantly,get time on the water. That’s the key. Same as when I coachOptimist sailors; it’s about experience and time spent getting outthere and sailing.

Kevin Whitcraft and crew in action on Won Ma Rang.

Thailand’s Tuay Lek and three Japanese boats. Junichi

Ishikawa won today in the final race, skippering The Beaver

to take the win, with Tuay Lek coming home in second.

The class finished with Tuay Lek on top by just a two-pointmargin. This class has hosted a magnificent title fight this

year, and Thailand’s “home team” have come out on top.

The Premier class has also seen a great contest

unveil itself over the course of the week. Pine-Pacific won the

final two races, but it was Richard Dobb’s Titania of Cowes

that won the class, making it back-to-back Phuket King’s

Cup Regatta wins for the British team.

In the final Modern Classic class race, Peter

Wood’s Windstar team performed well for the victory,

ahead of Tim Costello’s Patrice III. However, Patrice III

won the class by a single point.

Mojo, skippered by Peter Wilcox, came first in thefinal Multihull class, beating nearest rival, Fantasia

skippered by Andrew Stransky. The boats have been neck-

and-neck all week, and at the end of the final race, just a

single point separated the two teams in the class with Mojo

taking the overall title.

Han’s Rahmann’s Voodoo team have been on hot

form all week, and recorded another strong victory in the

final race of the Firefly 850 Sports class. There was a ten-

point gap between them and runners-up, Dyer Straits, at

the end of the week.

In the Cruising class, William Lo’s No Name won

by a clear margin. The boat was the largest in the class andpowered to victory in the last five races, making for an

undisputed class win.

Wan Ma Rang (004) and Sansiri Katsu (003), racing in IRC Zero.Photo by Joyce Ravara (top). Ek Boonsawad, Laser action on Day 3of the dinghy classes racing. Photo by Joyce Ravara (above).

Bareboat Charter class saw the

Agility International (Venture) team lead by

Graeme Sheldon win again, but it was not

quite enough to take the title from Sail Planeskippered by Kirill Sakhartsev. The Russian

team have delivered a sterling performance all

week, and took the class win by two points.

Jelik won the splendid permanent

trophy, designed by Mom Luang Tri

Devakul and graciously bestowed by HM the

King, features nine silver sails rising up from

a silver sea, super-imposed by the symbol of

H.M the King, called the Tra Sanyalak, along

with the King’s initials, and the Thai nine.

The Royal Crown over-arcs the total trophy,

indicating the King’s Royal Patronage.The 26th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta

will be remembered for a week of great sailing

conditions, close racing and a magnificent

fleet comprising of 168 entries. Across most

of the classes, point scores came down to the

wire with many classes seeing three-way

battles going into the final day.

Kevin Whitcraft, President of the

Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing

Committee, said, “This Phuket King’s Cup

has been excellent and genuinely inspiring; a

lot of fun for everyone involved, partlybecause the weather has been so excellent for

most of the week. We’ve seen some

spectacularly close racing, in some cases

down to just a few seconds after times have

been adjusted for handicaps. This is part of

the reason why the Phuket King’s CupRegatta is so regionally renowned. The party

series has been great too, and I would like to

thank all of our sponsors, partners and party

hosts for their support in pulling off this

superb Regatta.”

Excellent tropical sailing conditions,

close racing and highly enjoyable beachside

parties, reinforced the Phuket King’s Cup

Regatta’s reputation as Asia’s premier sailing

event. With close racing across many of the

classes this year and the reintroduction of a

windsurfing class, the level of quality justgets better and better with each Regatta. The

2012 Regatta has been a resounding success,

and competitors will soon be thinking about

preparation for next year’s sure-to-be-

legendary Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2013:

30th November to 7th December 2013.

For more information, please visit

www.kingscup.com.

Facebook: http://

www.facebook.com/phuketkingscupregatta.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/

PhuketKingsCupYouTube Channel: http://

www.youtube.com/phuketkingscup.

IRC Zero champs Jelik, photo by Guy Nowell.