No Fear captures line honours on 2nd day of Sailor’s Regatta
Photography by Scott Murray
Dirk Wieblen’s No Fear was able to navigate through today’s shifting wind patterns to cross the finish line 13 minutes ahead of their nearest competitor, John Newnham’s Twin Sharks. Alas, when handicaps were applied No Fear took fourth place in the six-boat multihull class.
PRO Matt McGrath headed the call to go sailabout and took the fleet, divided into two classes, monos and multis, on the same course circling Koh Lon. And everyone made it around with time to spare. A few bruised egos along the way, and some halyard trouble for Hans Rahmann’s Voodoo, but everyone made it safe and sound.
The wind held up for about ¾ of the way around Koh Lon, but just as the fleet turned in towards Ao Chalong she died and it became a frustrating breezeathon the rest of the way through.
But the biggest surprise today was Trident - what a day Andrew McDermott’s crew had. Andrew, if you recall, used to sail a primarily female team on his old boat Jessandra II and he brought three of those crewmates along (his wife Mook, Lies Sol and Katie Bimson) on his new Corsair. They bonded quite well and beat the heavily favoured Fireflies to take the multihull class.
Indeed, you could have called it “Corsair Day in Ao Chalong” as Bill Kane’s The Sting finished second behind Trident, followed by Twin Sharks, No Fear, Voodoo and Dao Fidock’s Saffron in that order.
Sounds like a broken record but Niels Degenkolw’s Phoenix again did what it does win beating Aliaksandre Racheuski’s Uminoko who just nudged out Thomas Valentin’s Brisk for second spot in the three-boat monohull class.
The Phuket Yachting Celestial Bar, filled with the likes of Tony Knight, Mark Horwood, Captain Marty Rijkuris, and many more, could be heard whispering praise and criticism on high as the fleet made its made through a wonderful day of sailing in southern Phuket.
The final day of the regatta takes place tomorrow followed by prize giving at the Phuket Yacht Club. Though Niels Degenkolw’s Phoenix has the monohull division all sewn up all is in play for the multis, so stay tuned to see who comes out victorious.
And, btw, a big thank you to Andy Hamilton for supplying and driving the photography boat (photography by Scott Murray).
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