PATTAYA CUP 2005

[wearnhaw]

PATTAYA CUP 2005
Jomtien Beach, Thailand

Reporting from the ever wonderful Jomtien beach here in Pattaya!!! Had a good session testing some new fins with Leong Soon (ka Penang mafia) in 15 knot winds, straight after arriving from Bangkok airport. The Johor crew came in last night as well...

Had a practice race today in arginal conditions... not so fun, and it didn't help with strong current in the same direction as the wind!

Not too sure what the weather will be like tomorrow, but should be good. Some clouds moving from inland to the coast killed off the wind a little.

Some pictures here:
http://www.bluefinz.com/galleria/gallery.asp?action=new

Well, all Formula buffs should be here! Great event... stay tuned for more reports!

[wearnhaw]

PATTAYA CUP 2005
Day 1

Reporting from Jomtien Beach. End of day 1 racing. The 1pm start was postponed till 2.30pm to wait for the onshore seabreeze to fill in. We soon made our way out, dodging the oblivious swimmers playing in the surf.

Race 1 got underway pretty quick, in about 10knots of wind. Not the most fantastic conditions with lots of chop, jet-ski wake, power boat wakes and god knows what! Those who got off clean at the start stretched out in front. Ake and Bo got away clean and led the fleet, followed by Suhaimee and then Leong Soon.I was way back with Koo (his 11.7m mast broke on the beach and was barely planning on his 9.8m! Definitely not a happy boy ...), struggling to get enough power. Ake took first blood.

Races 2 and 3 were all run back-to-back, with the starts pretty much being the deciding factor. Course was 2-lap sausages with bottom gate. Pretty hard to start with the IMCO's who kill of all the wind near them with their pumping! Bo and Ake found good speed with their new RS4's and Deboichet's and traded 1st and 2nd's all day. The rest of us, Suhaimee, Leong Soon, Koo, Kai and myself were in the chasing pack.

Came back to shore for a short break after race 3. Race committee had to reset the course as the wind went 30deg to the left, and picked up to about 14 knots, much to everyone's delight! The start got off fine, and at the first rounding, it was Bo who led narrowly from Ake, with Suhaimee, Koo and myself chasing hard. Downwind and up again, Bo under-layed and Ake took advantage to close the day with his 2nd win.

I would write more, except that I am starving! 7.30pm local time, and the rest are waiting for me to go stuff ourselves silly with good-ol- Thai food! Hope it blows tomorrow!

You can go to the online gallery for some pics.
http://www.bluefinz.com/galleria/gallery.asp?action=new

Not much from water today as the camera-man was sailing!

regards,
wearn haw

[wearnhaw]

PATTAYA CUP
Day 2

Wonderful sunny day over here in Jomtien. The weather did not let us down at all! Save for a minor delay in the proceedings. The racers were sent out at 1.30pm as the winds increased to a steady 12 knots.

Ake took first blood in race 1, just ahead of Bo. 3rd was me, overtaking Koo on the 2nd upwind leg and holding off his relentless charge downwind. Ake was now leading in the point score narrowly from Bo. Race 2 got underway in the increasing breeze, which was now up to 16 knots. Perfect, expect that the chops made it abit more challenging on a 1m wide board. Pretty much the same proceedings, but this time Bo edged out Ake right at the finish. The rest of us swapped places constanly in the chasing pack. The two of them had a slight edge in speed and made it look easy on the short windward/ leeward course.

Last race... fight between Bo and Ake for the overall title. The wind shifted left right at the start, making it impossible to clear the startline on starboard. Koo reacted the fastest and shot out into the lead. The rest followed suite and chased hard. The wind seemed to be dying off slightly, gusty... Koo led cleanly. Then Ake misjudged the lay line on the 2nd upwind and let Bo and Suhaimee slip through, effectively losing the overall 1st to Bo.

And so the final standings after 7 races:
1st: Bo Ruamsap
2nd: Ake Boonsawat
3rd: Suhaimee
4th: Kookiat
5th: Wearn Haw

Sorry, no pics today... but I promise more later... because I am getting grabbed by the Thais as I type, as we have to rush over further down the beach to the prize giving... read: tonnes of food and also, for the first time... Miss Pattaya beauty peagant! Held in conjunction with the windsurfing and Beach football event! I am sure there will be nicer pictures than the boring land and sailing shots I got so far!