Phuket King's Cup marks 30th anniversary

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Phuket King's Cup marks 30th anniversary

Nick Davies

 

 

PHUKET: This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Under Royal Patronage since its inception in 1986.

What has become one of Thailand’s most prestigious sailing events was launched after a number of the country’s yachting fraternity met to discuss what they could do as a special tribute for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s forthcoming Fifth Cycle, or 60th birthday, the following year on December 5, 1987.

The inaugural regatta was organized by Royal Varuna sailors, including Commodore Chris King, Dr Rachot Kanjanavanit, Al Chandler, Adolph Knees and others. It was yachting and Phuket aficionado ML Tridosyuth Devakul, better known as renowned architect and developer Mom Tri, who placed the resources of his then recently opened Phuket Yacht Club Hotel at Nai Harn Bay in Phuket at the regatta organizers’ disposal. And so the regatta began with a mixture of keelboats, catamarans, Lasers and even windsurfers.

Like any prominent yacht racing event, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta has developed its own folklore. Scott McCook, for example, who sailed his beach-launched catamaran up from Singapore, won all five races one year, then sailed the small boat back to Singapore.

Recently the regatta has become a big-boat event, attracting keelboats and ocean-going catamaran teams from around the world. As a principal fixture on the Asian Yachting Circuit with international-standard race management, the regatta annually features upwards of 90 boats – a record of 103 vessels took part in 2007 – and 2,000 sailors, ranging from the Formula One of the sea lanes, the Racing Class, to live-aboard ocean cruisers, multihulls and classics.

 

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-Kings-Cup-marks-30th-anniversary/65941?desktopversion#ad-image-0

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2016-12-04

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