The Tropical Island Regatta – ‘Koh Samui, Jewell of the Asian Racing Circuit’

With less than one month to go the Koh Samui Regatta organisation team is moving into top gear to ensure another great event June 1-7, 2008.

The entry list is starting to take shape with some hot yachts already confirmed and an air of anticipation that we will see a fitting finale at this, the season end Regatta on the Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championships. 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.

Given Thailand’s proximity to Australia, this year is again sure to see the usual large contingent of Aussie sailors taking advantage of the great flight connections between the two countries. From the Samui Yacht Club Regatta web site, John Stall reports, “The usual stars of the regional sailing calendar - Frank Pong's Jelik, Nick Burns' Mandrake and Neil Pryde's HI FI from Hong Kong and Bill Bremner's Foxy Lady of Singapore, to name but a few, are soon to be tested by some of Australia's best sailors this year.”

Stall continues, “Matt Allen, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (the home and start for the Sydney to Hobart classic) has entered his Beneteau 44.7 racer Ichi-Ban. Fresh from winning the Maktoum Sailing Trophy in Dubai, this boat dominated IRC Class 1 with superb crew work and many of the crew who will be sailing the yacht in Koh Samui, also race the larger Ichi-Ban, a Jones 70 in Australia. This boat is a powerful ex Volvo Global racer with crew of fifteen and races in all the long distance classics and her well known sailing master, Michael Spies will be on the smaller Ichi-Ban in Samui. Australian Yachtsman of the Year, Ray Roberts and his Quantum Racing has also entered again”.

Over the seven years the event has been staged - many of the big names of racing have regularly made the trip to a Regatta that manages to combine some pretty hot racing action on the water with some excellent partying off it! The Samui Regatta is the event that closes out the Asian Circuit and the winning skipper will don the ‘Blue Blazer’ at the lavish Gala dinner and Awards Ceremony. But even though the overall circuit might already have been decided, there are still the ‘bragging rights’ to fight for and the chance to hoist high the beautiful Waterford Crystal KSR perpetual bowl.

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.

2008 saw the smooth transition from Phuket’s Image Asia over to new owner, Bangkok’s MobyElite and onward Samui locals. With professional support and encouragement from new owner MobyElite’s Callum Laing, the local regatta organizing committee is now stronger then ever. Regatta ‘team’ members - local sailing celebrity and B1 Villa owner Francesco Brancaccio, Samui Expats Club’s Linda Cartlidge and Centara Grand Beach Resort GM, Jacques Mury - are working hard to provide an outstanding event alongside owner Laing, the Samui Yacht Club Regatta, 2008 Regatta Partners and the Thai Hotels Association - South East Chapter.

A new option is being considered for the viewing public - for those that want to get ‘up close and personal’ in following regatta races. The team is working on providing a boat each race day for 40+ people to join ‘on-the-water’ and cheer on their favorites as they enjoy a ‘day at the races’. Watch for reservation details on the website www.samuiregatta.com

And, there’s still time to sign on for sponsorship; email kohsamuiregatta@gmail.com or call 081-894-5323 for information. For further details check out the official web site www.samuiregatta.com and be sure to plan your viewing time on Samui for the 7th running of the ‘Tropical Island Regatta’ from the 1st to 7th June 2008.