The inaugural Taiwan Straits Race set off from outside my window in Hung Hom yesterday (Saturday, 21 May 2011)
Organised by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC), this is the first time that the 350nm from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung has been contested as a Category 1 Offshore race, however two of the competitors, Polar Star III and Tipsy Frenz, have completed the route as a Rally in previous years and are big supporters of the decision to upgrade the event to a race.
“Great oaks from little acorns grow” said a press release from the RHKYC who added that they hope that from the five pioneering boats on the start line for the inaugural Taiwan Strait Race, a much larger fleet grows over time.
Race Officer Jimmy Farquhar elected to start the fleet from Hung Hom, with a 8 to 10 knot easterly available all the way through the harbour and beyond Lei Yue Mun gap.
As the committee boat watched the transoms disappear up the Harbour attention turned to the Yellowbrick tracking carried by the boats, which will update their positions at 30 minute intervals and allow shore based family, friends and sailors to follow the fleet’s progress. At 1300hrs on Saturday, Ambush was already close to clearing the Eastern approaches and setting course for Pedro Blanco.
The first radio position report was taken at 1800hrs, Those interested in the Race can watch the fleet’s progress via Yellowbrick tracking at http://live.adventuretracking.com/hkt2011
I get quite irritated when I hear, on radio talk-shows back home, people talking about so-called “Fong Kong” products.
“Fong Kong” is a term adopted in South Africa to describe cheap, often sub-standard product made in China.
I don’t deny that, being the factory to the world, there are a lot of crap produced IN SOUTHERN CHINA and not Hong Kong, so I’m not sure why Hong Kong has to cop it.
That is why, while scrunching up today’s South China Morning Post for the refuse bin, a story, partly titled “Made in China” caught my eye.
I un-scrunched it and here it is:
Seems that a Guangdong-based company is trying to cash in on the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton by producing their own souvenir to mark the occasion.
While some of the world’s top golfers were dueling at the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open in Sheung Shui yesterday, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club hosted their Zoke Around the Island race.
Hong Kong’s largest and most inclusive sailing event got underway in the morning, featuring a packed start line of over 200 boats, a record 15 Outrigger Canoes and one Offshore Rowing Boat.
The sailboat fleet featured all types of sailing boats, with the largest classes being the 29 IRC Cruisers, 45 HKPN Cruisers and 17 Hobie 16’s, with a notable fleet of 14 Impala heading the list of one-design keelboats.
Mr Lui Rui Jin, Chairman of ZOKE, fired the 0825hrs warning signal to get the start sequences underway on both inner and outer start lines, with start sequences culminating with the F18 fleet at 0950hrs.
The sight of over 200 sailboats heading East to Lei Yue Mun never fails to impress, even in a slight haze, however the paddlers mounted an impressive display to reach the Convention Centre in Victoria Harbour by the time the boats had disappeared to the East.
The RHKYC’s Around the Island Race (Pic: ZOKE / Fragrant Harbour)
In the Mixed Division, Hong Kong Outrigger Canoe Club (HKOCC) won in 4hrs 08m 45s, while in the Women’s Division, Hong Kong Island Paddling Club (HKIPC) took the title in 4 hrs 30m 23s. The blue riband event saw the Men’s trophy lifted by HKIPC ‘A’ crew in 3hrs 44m 40s.
Meanwhile, back on the race track, Race Officer Jimmy Farquhar was making a considered decision to shorten the course at Green Island , to spare boats the pain of landing in several holes in the area of Western. This proved to be an astute decision, as the breeze fluctuated between 0 – 6 knots all afternoon in the area between Cyberport and Sheung Wan.
There was a close-run finish on the water, with Mark Thornburrow taking the line honours gun in 3h 42m 32s with his F18 Hobie Tiger, just ahead of the Isler/Taylor owned Mills 41 ‘Ambush’, who took monohull line honours.
It was definitely a day to suit the Dinghies, with the Flying Fifteens taking the first four places on corrected time, ahead of 470, Ruffian and Etchells. Provisional results show that at the poolside Prizegiving tomorrow night (Monday) the La Cigale Trophy for the overall winner will be lifted by David Chow, with Hillary King receiving the Lady Godiva Trophy for first lady helm.
Despite news that tropical storm Fanapi may affect the Hong Kong weather, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s first race of the Autumn sailing season kicked off in Victoria Harbour yesterday.
The Club’s Autumn opener is traditionally held in September, a month when it is impossible to predict if the event will enjoy the north east monsoon of autumn, or the tail end of the summer south westerlies. It is not unknown for the entire Regatta to be scuppered by a passing typhoon.
However, Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen on Day 1 took a glass-half-full view of the available breeze for Race 1, getting the 110 starters in 11 classes underway in 35 degree heat, 5 knots of Westerly breeze and blazing sunshine, with all the fleets selecting Course 71, which kept the fleets in sight of the Club for the afternoon.
After light winds on Day 1, Day 2 delivered on the promised lift in breeze, with an 8-10 knot westerly blowing for the start of Race 2.
Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen once again gave the bar crowd a treat, sending the fleets away from a Club start on a course using the western end of the race area. While the short course suited most of the fleets, Jelik 3 was left hanging around waiting for Race 3 for longer than she was racing, however this did not seem to dampen her spirits.
The Sunday turnout of 90 boats enjoyed up to 16 knots for their final race, taking in the eastern end of the race area. After a weekend of varied conditions (and varied sailing) just one protest was taken to the room before a lively Prizegiving was hosted on RHKYC Main Lawn.
Star Ferries steams past Hung Hom as Victoria Harbour fills with sails (Pic: Mike Jansen)
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) is one of the oldest sports clubs in Hong Kong and is committed to promoting sailing and rowing in the community.
The Club’s mission, however, is not limited to their sport. It is a caring organisation and plays a vital role in the upliftment of the broader community. Club members and staff are keen and regularly take part in community and charity activities, such as the Oxfam Trialwalker, McDonald’s House, Hebe Heaven Yacht Club 24-hour Charity Dinghy Race, Operation Santa Claus, etc.
This year, members and staff of the Club were delighted to be able to share the festive joy with several disadvantaged groups.
The RHKYC’s Charity Fund(comprising money raised from members and staff) donated $20,000 each to the Fresh Fish Traders’ School, and the Worldwide Fund Hong Kong’s Marine Detective Programme.
In addition to the monetary donation to the Fresh Fish Traders’ School, RHKYC invited 43 of their students to the Club for a memorable Christmas experience where they had the chance to create their own chocolate Yule Log as well as hearing a brief introduction to dinghy sailing. The Club hopes that this can help to enhance the students’ scope and self-confidence.
Continuing with the Club’s tradition of sharing during the festive season, RHKYC’s annual collection of new toys from members and staff resulted in two groups of children receiving gift; the first were children of the Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service’s ‘Standby U Programme’ and the second group were students from Lok Sin Tong Leung Kau Kui Primary School (Branch).
Well done Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club! May you continue your good work in the new year.
