Yacht Style – July 2019

C

atamarans took centre stage in the previous issue of Yacht

Style and take centre stage as the Asian racing calendar

starts all over again with its largest multihull-only event, the

Multihull Solutions Phuket Regatta (July 12-15).

Organised and operated by Phuket Yacht Club and staged on

the stunning waterways of Chalong Bay in the south, the Multihull

Solutions Regatta features catamarans and trimarans over 6m, with

classes including Racing Multihulls, Firefly 850 Sports One Design,

Cruising Multihulls without OMR Ratings, and Corsair Pulse 600s.

Andrew de Bruin, General Manager of Multihull Solutions Asia,

said the company was proud to continue as the major sponsor, helping

develop one of the newer regattas in the region.

“This is the sixth consecutive year that Multihull Solutions

has partnered with the Phuket Yacht Club in this event to promote

multihull sailing, cruising and racing in Thailand and beyond. The

south-westerly monsoon offers beautiful sailing conditions,” de Bruin

said.

“The southern Phuket islands are stunning and ideally suited for

swimming, sailing, diving, and fishing, and a multihull is the perfect

platform for these activities.”

In July, the 16th Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek (pictured) follows the sixth Multihull Solutions Regatta, with both events held in the southeast of Phuket

The China Cup International Regatta (November 6-10) is one of Asia’s biggest sailing events, featuring in the region of 100 boats and 1,000 sailors

This year’s racing schedule has been slightly modified.

Registration and weigh-in commence on July 12 followed by three

days of racing, allowing a day for participants to prepare for the 16th

Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek (July 17-21), which is again

headquartered at the five-star Cape Panwa Hotel on the southeast

coast.

Phuket Raceweek is also known for its large multihull fleet and

organisers expect to split the entries into three classes this year:

Firefly 850 Sports One Design, Multihull Racing and Corsair Pulse

600s.

Organisers are expecting in the region of 40 boats and upwards of

400 ‘sailors, family and friends’, and admitted they’re targeting greater

international participation over the next five years, starting with

Australia.

“We’ve seen a steady increase in the number of charterers

competing in the regatta in recent years and this is an area we want to

grow further,” said Byron Jones, Managing Director of event organiser

Media Business Services. “Australia is an exciting market with a

high population of sailors and a strong awareness of Phuket. This is a

market we are investing in for the future growth of the regatta.”

© GUY NOWELL

© CHINA CUP INTERNATIONAL REGATTA

SAILING Racing in Asia 2019-20