News IODA ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

IODA ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Three more races on the final day.

Pattaya, THAILAND
Untitled Document

Three more races on the final day.

Photos: Album 1

July 10th - The Championship ends

The Race Committe were able to get in 3 races today. The first two races were in 6 to 7 knot winds and were again hampered by the strong tidal current. The RC brought the course inshore as far as possible but it was still very challenging. For the third race the wind increased to 8 to 9 knots which made all the difference for the current to be less of a factor.

The results at the top were very close and the final positions were only known as the last flight completed their race. It was interesting seeing the top finishes in the first flight hovering around the second flights finish so that they could determine the final results. The top three overall were Kimberly Lim, Singapore - also first girl, ahead of Carlos Robles Lorente, Spain. These two sailors tied on points and Kimberly won the event by having more 1st place scores than Carlos. In third place was Muhamad Faizal Norizan, Malaysia, who had an excellent final day with a first and two second place finishes.

Last start

Last start of the Championship

Kimberly Lim

Kimberly Lim Asian Champion 2010

So we have come to the end of a very full championship and if the sailor did not know how to sail in currents then they had to learn very quickly because it was a huge factor in the results. The Royal Varuna Yacht Club has done a marvellous job of organisation on the shore and all sailors and their support groups have had a very enjoyable time here in Thailand.

This evening there will be a prize giving with congratulations to all the winners as well as those who contributed to the Championships success. We will have pictures from that prize giving posted tomorrow.

Results


July 9th - Three more races!!

winning team THA

Today the Asian Championship went back to the scheduled fleet racing after the two days of team racing. The wind conditions did not look very promising as the fleet left the shore. The first race was held in light switching wind with a strong spring tide disturbing both race management and sailors. After the fleet struggled to complete the two flights of that race, they happily returned to the shore. As the sailors idled around on shore it did not look likely that there would be any further racing. However, to confound us all, the wind picked up from the favourable south and with the tide being slack, the RC were able to get in 3 good, albeit short, races in 8 to 10 knots.

The Championship has now completed 9 races in a variety of conditions and goes into tomorrow’s all important last day.


July 8th - Team Racing Finals

winning team THA

The rest day at the Asian Championships had to be used for the carried over team racing. It was an early start to make the most of the midday winds. The unexpected northerly wind was pushing against the current which made for challenging course setting especially for 10 minute team race courses. Once the sequence got going the racing ran through briskly. In the winner semis SIN got the better of MAS in an exceptionally tight race. MAS lost it on the finish allowing SIN into a second place and with tied points SIN were declared the winners. MAS , who had beaten THA in the preliminary round, then met THA again in the loser semi final. This time THA came out victorious and so they went on to meet SIN in the best of 3 final.

Wind conditions were still the same against a tricky current chop. SIN won the first final comfortably. In the second final THA dominated the start and once in a 1,2,3 position at mark 1 the THA went on to win comfortably. A lot of pride was now resting on the 3rd final but with the current pushing from behind the SIN sailors were manoeuvred into weather positions and 3 SIN sailors were OSC. They never recovered from that and THA went on to become the 2010 ASIAN Team Racing Champions. CHN are the reigning World Team Racing champions but sadly they did not send a team to this Championship.

Results


July 7th - Team Racing

After the completion of 12 races in the Asian Team Racing event, the wind disappeared and all competitors were sent ashore.

Singapore are the number one seeds with Thailand second and Malaysia third, all of whom had comfortable wins.


July 6th - Three more races today

IRI sailor

Hassen Vejdani from Iran

PNG sailor

Collin John from Papua New Guinea

Today the fleet left the shore with expectations of good winds and exciting racing after the difficulties of yesterday. The first race started and was sailed in a good steady wind. The second also had a good wind for the first flight however the wind dropped for the second flight who finished fighting against the current again.

The wind then dropped to below the 6 knots wanted to start a race and also began to shift. The RC tried to start racing again but postponed when it was clear a fair race was being compromised. Eventually the first flight of race 5 got away fairly but on the downward leg there was a big shift towards the shore necessitating the moving of the finish line. The second flight was postponed until the course was relaid and started in wella good steady wind.

The Singapore team are going particularly well here with 5 sailors placed in the top ten. Elisa Yukie Yokoyama (SIN) leads from her team mate Kimberley Lim, both of whom have achieved remarkably consistent results in what are very challenging sailing conditions. Noppakap Poonpat, Thailand, who finished 4th overall and first girl at the IODA Worlds in Brazil in 2009 is currently 4th.

Five races have now been held and tomorrow the Championship will be running the Asian team racing with 15 nations participating.

Results


July 5th - First Day of Racing

The Asian Opti fleet launched from the Royal Varuna on glorious sunny day with a gentle 6 to 8 knot wind blowing. There was a short postponement before the RC started the proceedings. For the first Flight there were 2 general recalls under the I flag before the RC went into the Black Flag procedure - they meant business!. The next start got away cleanly as did the start for the second flight. Suddenly looming on the left side of the course there was a building thunderstorm so those boats going towards the cloud side pick up on the shift. This also meant both flights sailed on a tight reach to the finish with the second flight having 20 knots of wind. The fleet of Optis were then sent scurrying home on a wonderful run as the wind and rain increased.

As the storm moved off and the wind settled, the PRO got the Asian Optis to re-launch for another late afternoon race. Winds were light with a strong current running directly downwind. The starts got off without recalls under I flag due to the current pushing the fleet back behind the line. The races were extremely challenging for the sailors, who had to cope with both the light winds and the current. Many got caught below mark 2 and had the difficult task of beating back against the current. Both flights ended up finishing as one fleet giving the finish boat a challenging task to get everybody recorded correctly.

Results


July 4th - Opening Ceremony

opening ceremony

After the practice race the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Asian Championships was held at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. Before the Flag ceremony there was the unique experience of being able to see, touch and get onto an elephant. This enthralled all the sailors!!

elephant ride

Team photos were taken and then the traditional flag/nations parade took place before the speeches. During a sumptuous dinner for everyone, the sailor were entertained by traditional Thai dancers and a display by the fire jugglers.

Three races are scheduled for tomorrow and sailors are looking forward to the action :)

opening ceremony


July 4th - Practice Race

launching the boats in squall

Launching of the boats for the practice race was done in a rain squall with 15 knots of wind that finally dropped to 8 knots. The opening ceremony was held today. More information to come soon.

launching


July 3rd - Day 1

This will be the second largest entry for an IODA Asian Championships with the entry breaking the 100 mark. The largest ever entry was last year's Asians, held in Malaysia at the same venue for the Worlds in 2010.

It is very pleasing to see Iran competing again after their first Championship in 2009. Philippines, with assistance from the IODA Regional Regatta Grant scheme, is also attending with 2 sailors after an absence of a number of years. Sadly there will be no team from CHN.

It is also very encouraging to see a team of 2 Papua New Guinea sailors attending and Carlos Robles from ESP who finished 2nd overall at last year’s Asians has returned.

It is impressive how multi tasked the jury are as 3 of them have been helping in weighing boats as part of measurement.

judges measuring boats


July 1st - Early arrivals

map and team THA

101 is the number of sailors registered to compete in the IODA Asian Championship starting in 2 days. Hosted by the Junior Sailing Squadron of Thailand with the Royal Varuna Yacht Club as the nautical venue, this event is key for a region with a great sailing potential. Since China got the first ever Asian Optimist World Champion in 2004, sailors from many Asian countries have been seen leading the scoreboard of many major regattas around the world: Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are clear examples of the tendency. This is considered one of the reasons for the increasing number of sailors from Asian and non Asian countries that are eager to compete in the event. For this edition, sailors will represent four continents:

  • ASIA: Singapore, Philipines, Sri Lanka, Japan, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, India, Iran, Qatar and Thailand;
  • OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea;
  • EUROPE: Slovenia, Spain and Netherlands; and
  • AFRICA: South Africa