Day 2 of the Trimaran Championships started with lighter winds, but sufficient for race organizers to get the fleet underway. Paired with magnificent aerial displays, the Trimaran Championships developed smoothly over the course of the afternoon, with 3 races registered in clinical fashion.
Kublai Khan turned up the heat on Day 2, scoring 3 bullets from all 3 races to assure her victory in the fleet of 6. Skipper Jonathan Mahoney bounced back from the poor showing in Race 3 to redeem himself on Sunday. Up to race 5 the chasing pack were still neck and neck, with only 1 point separating them. Miss Visayan performed well to emerge on top, scoring a 2nd place finish in Race 6 to amass a total of 13 points and claim 2nd overall. She edged out Bula, whose 5th and 4th in Races 4 and 5 caused her to slip to 3rd, just 2 points ahead of Dot Dot Dot in 4th. Shared honours for 5th went to Phoenix and Sirius Swift – both teams had glimpses of good performances on Day 1, but could not maintain their form for the remaining races.
Back on shore we thank Pro Sail Asia for sponsoring champagne for the winners, as well as Multihull Rep Gary Curtis for the tasty rum awarded to the winners and for the down-downs. It was a fuss-free weekend of racing for the Multihulls, and we are glad to have a consistently active fleet racing with us. See you all next week for the CSC Commodore’s Cup and 2024 Sailing Festival Finale.
The wind gods continue to bless us with excellent wind conditions, as the NE Monsoon once again delivered on time – providing the perfect playground for the 6 Trimarans and 3 Wetas participating in the 2024 edition of the CSC Trimaran Championships. Though the fleet is significantly smaller compared to 2023’s turnout, the racing was no less exciting, as teams crossed amas throughout the afternoon (maybe a little too literally) and the time difference between boats were very narrow.
In the Trimaran Class, Kublai Khan leads the fleet after 3 races, scoring 2 bullets and a 5th to start day 2 in pole position. Skippered and crewed by veterans in the sailing scene, we expect no less from the conqueror. From 2nd to 6th is where the fun really is – the group is evenly matched, with the teams taking turns to lead at different points of each race. Emerging from the fray is the bullish Bula – whose experience and perseverance paid off, overcoming a botched start in Race 3 to claw her way back to 3rd. A 4th and a 2nd in Races 1 and 2 gives her a slim 1 point lead over Phoenix in 3rd overall. The rest of the fleet have all placed on the podium at least once, special mention to Sirius Swift for sailing consistently better each race, taking advantage of the higher winds in Race 3 to squeeze out her first bullet, a great performance from Eugene and crew.
With many of the Weta sailors absent due to work/travels, the Weta Class was eventually represented by three boats – Stripes, Kermit and Gulf. Kermit was the 2023 champion, and Skipper Adam Dean fancied his chances at mounting a successful title defense in a small fleet. Antonio Bertoletti from Stripes however had other ideas – the Italian Stallion galloped away with the 2024 title, outclassing Kermit in all 4 races available to claim victory in the Weta Class. Kermit however put up a respectable fight, despite sailing 2-up. The additional crew weight on board may have been the reason for the difference in speed and the eventual loss, but Adam and crew were nonetheless having a good time on water, and that’s a win in our book!
Amidst the Singapore airshow displays and gorgeous NE Monsoon, we return for more racing this afternoon – as we attempt to complete the series with 3 more races for the Trimaran Class. Good luck to all competitors, and enjoy the breeze!
The Singapore Regatta 2024 and Sir Thomas Lipton Cup
We have successfully concluded the 3rd Edition of the Singapore Regatta. This Regatta was born of a vision to revive the spirit ,the camaraderie and the challenges of a much older event: the Singapore Straits Regatta. The Singapore Straits Regatta was a marquee event which attracted sailors from all over the region. With the Singapore Straits Regatta, a special Trophy was also awarded for many years – the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup. Thanks to the generosity of RSYC, it has been re-introduced as the Challenge Cup awarded at the Singapore Regatta to recognize the commitment to participation and best performing boat across following three Events:
Sir Thomas Lipton is the founder of Lipton’s tea, a far sighted businessman who opened a tea shop and with clever advertising built it into a long lasting tea empire. He was however also an avid yachtsman who had the distinction of losing the America’s Cup 5 times! His perseverance is noteworthy and admirable – a value that should resonate with the recipients of this Cup.
With the conclusion of the 3rd Singapore Regatta, Red Rum One skippered by Steve Manning joins a list of famous boats and skippers to have the honour of having her name engraved on the prestigious Sir Thomas Lipton Cup. Months of training, many deliveries and logistics arrangements to participate in all three regattas are evidence of the commitment and dedication from Red Rum One to support the regional sailing scene – and affirming her rightful place on the trophy alongside notable sailors such as Neil Pryde and Ray Roberts of Hi-Fi and Quantum Racing fame. Fun fact – Steve had previously worked as tactician on Simba, skippered by Bob Ashman (ex-CSC Commodore) and winner of the trophy 28 (edited 18 Feb, 5.30pm) years ago! He has come a full circle – competing with his crew successfully on the Archambault 40 across Malaysian and Singapore waters to earn the right to lift the 101 year-old Trophy.
Racing – Day 2
The SB20s engaged in fast and furious racing – despite the winds being significantly lighter on Sunday. Passage Race winners Monkey Boat could not replicate her performance from Day 1 on the shorter courses, slipping to 2nd place overall after 5 races. She was overtaken by The Sidewalk Cafe, skippered by Steven John Kennedy. Steven’s 3 bullets over 5 races was enough for him to seal the series with 7 points, 4 ahead of Monkey Boat in 2nd place. NUS Sailing’s Walababy scored well in the remaining three races to edge closer to Monkey Boat, but her efforts were just 1 point short from displacing Vaijanth and crew, settling for 3rd.
In the Beach Catamaran Class, 2 became 5 on Sunday, with Balqis II, Twisted Creature and Bubble Trouble joining the fleet. Despite a number of capsizes, the cats looked like they thoroughly enjoyed their time on water, particularly when the Race Committee switched things up and sent the fleet to North Angler on the 2nd race of the day. Right at the top, Addiction were clinical and hardly broke a sweat, scoring bullets in all three races to claim victory. Pac Man’s participation the passage race gave her an edge over Balqis II and Twisted Creature , overcoming a capsize in the final race of the day to eventually cement her position in 2nd overall. Balqis II and Twisted Creature were neck and neck for much of Sunday, a pleasure to watch for sailors and officials at the Jetty. The former had an ace up her sleeve – 2006 Asian Games 470 silver medallist, Xu Yuan Zhen. Despite his limited experience on the Nacra 15, we are certain his skills helped in securing her place ahead of Twisted Creature.
While the Beach Catamaran Class grew, the Multihull Class shrank, as Dot Dot Dot was absent on the race course for Day 2. Nevertheless, we had some exciting and close racing between the boats – reflected on water and in the results. A win in the Passage Race was not enough to keep Bula safe from the unrelenting Miss Visayan. Bula sailed the wrong course on the last race, an error which costed them the overall title. Joining her in making the same error, Sirius Swift let slip a chance for overall 3rd place, as Phoenix swooped in to claim the final place on the podium, just one point ahead of Eugene and crew.
Sailing as the only one-design class in the East Johor Straits, the trio of J24s exceeded expectations, with all boats completing the 3 races in the prevailing NorthEast Monsoon with minimum breakages. Overall winner Balqis got too excited to return back to CSC on the last race – having to turn back and sail the correct course – therefore handing the win for Race 4 to Coach Andre and his team of dinghy sailors on Jock. Special mention to his crew, all of them are aged under 16, with the youngest being 11! A remarkable effort and result for these young sailors. We also note that while Caio Sullivan had been provided the amazing opportunity to helm the boat for most of the regatta under the firm guidance of Coach Andre, he unfortunately misses out on qualifying for the Youngest Skipper Award, as the prevailing MPA regulations had to be adhered to. We hope to see his continued participation in subsequent editions (with his PPCDL, of course!) – in order for us to properly acknowledge his achievement! Big effort also from the RSYC Dua crew, neck and neck with the youth team on Jock, Lisette and company were tenacious throughout the regatta, placing ahead of Jock in 2 out of the 3 races scheduled on Sunday. It was however not enough to displace Jock in the overall standings, completing the weekend just 1 point adrift in 3rd.
Registering 9 boats on the start line, the largest fleet for this regatta boasts a number of novelties – Oldest Skipper (80!), Largest boat, smallest boat, etc. The PY Class was an eclectic mix of performance cruisers, sports boats and classic yachts – truly a celebration of sailing in different forms. Firstlight skippered by Simon Piff scored a clean sweep – winning all races available and claiming line honours for the Passage Race on day 1. The 50 footer returns after a long break due to maintenance and repair works – an encouraging result for Simon and crew. He will be looking to replicate this good performance at the upcoming Commodore’s Cup on 2-3 March and Bintan Regatta on Easter weekend (29-31 March). Remington came closest to dethroning Firstlight, a fantastic result for the veteran skipper. Paul Sneesby ended his weekend with 5 points, highlighted by Remington’s triumph (by 1 second!) in the Passage Race. Waka Tere’s consistency paid off – four 3rd place finishes from four races sealed her position in 3rd.
In the IRC Class, we missed participation from the regulars such as Jong Dee, Simba, Born in Fire and Minx – absent due to various reasons. Internationally, we also lament the absence of friends from Malaysia, as the teams from the Royal Malaysian Navy, Malaysian Armed Forces Sailing Association and Royal Selangor Yacht Club could not participate due to administrative hurdles. Nevertheless, the 4-strong fleet consisting of 2022 defending champion Adona, Passage Race Line Honours and Sir Thomas Lipton Cup winner Red Rum One, Beneteau First 40.7 Silhouette and Dehler 30 OD Kaizen made for an interesting mix that should excel in different wind conditions. The boats placed in the same order for all 4 races – with the J29 placing comfortably ahead on corrected time in every race. Red Rum One’s bridesmaid duties had an extra shine at this event – her perseverance and commitment to racing in the 3 qualifying events awarded her with the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup – a most deserving accolade for Steve Manning and crew. Silhouette survived a few scares on the course, but were mostly in control. Kaizen on the other hand, was less fortunate. A damaged spinnaker in the 2nd race of the day meant that she had to discontinue racing in the final race, ending her campaign in 4th.
Party / Evening Festivities
Back on shore, the drinks flowed and the music was beautifully delivered by Amanda Tee and friends. We had the privilege of the Commodores and Presidents from Raffles Marina, Republic of Singapore Yacht Club and Royal Selangor Yacht Club joining us for the evening. Together with the sailors and race officials, the evening started with a welcome address from Ms Deborah Barker, Commodore of Changi Sailing Club. She delivered an eloquent message describing the history of the event and honoring the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup along the way.
Subsequently, in true Lunar New Year tradition, sailors were treated to a Yusheng Lo Hei session for good luck and prosperity in the year of the dragon. On the note of prosperity, this event could not have prospered without the support from the following groups of people:
Protest Committee – Selvam Wee Tee and Edwin
Race Committee – Jhing, Ryan and volunteers
Safety Officials and Staff
Raffles Marina – Boon, Joshua and team for their invaluable assistance at the SB20 event
RSYC – Mr Balakrishnan, for the loan of the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup
SAFYC – Wee Chin and team for hosting the Opening Ceremony and logistics support
Singapore Sailing Federation – Logistics Support
Lukman / Rick – Emcee and Music
Photography – Kit
Last and most certainly not least, we would like to thank our sponsors, Tiger Beer ,EL Play Tee and Georges Singapore who each made special contributions to the the success of the 3rd Singapore Regatta 2024. Good Food, Drinks and Quality Apparel certainly go hand-in-hand with successful Sailing Regattas. We look forward to their continued support over future editions.
Thank you all for enjoying the gorgeous NE Monsoon with us this weekend – the Singapore Regatta will only get better over the next few editions. CSC is both excited and honored to have been given the opportunity to co-organize this event, celebrating the best of sailing in Singapore.
https://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2H4A6105-scaled.jpg8001200CSChttps://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/changi_sailing_club_logo_round.pngCSC2024-02-19 13:09:422024-02-20 14:21:02Singapore Regatta 2024 (Final Day and Closing Ceremony)
The winds delivered! Sailors and Officials were treated to an unrelenting NorthEast Monsoon today, sending the fleet on an exhilarating 29 nautical mile journey along the East Johor Straits. All 23 boats made respectable time, with the slowest boat finishing well within the time limit. The wind conditions were gusty at times, and were the likely cause of the few broaches we observed throughout the course.
In the IRC Class 2023 defending champions Adona lead the pack, with the next boat a distant 9 minutes adrift on corrected time. Red Rum One’s efforts did however award her with line honours and a 2nd place finish – great result for Steve Manning and team’s new symmetrical set up. Further in the fleet was the sleek Silhouette, courting trouble behind Pulau Ubin. the Beneteau First 40.7 struggled with an uncontrolled broach, nearly sending her spinnaker for a trawling session. Just outside the podium finishers was the 30 foot speed machine – Kaizen. The Dehler 30 OD somehow could not get into the right groove along the straits, failing to catch up with the rest of the fleet after a late start.
Starting together with the IRC Fleet were the trio of J24s. What started out as a promising fleet of 5 whittled down to three, as Skippers cite schedule conflicts and lack of crew as the main reason for not participating. Nevertheless, it was a good mix of sailors from Balqis, RSYC Dua and Jock. Balqis showed experience and depth, as they confidently cruised through the course in a time of 5 and a half hours. The tussle for 2nd place was won by Jock, with both boats displaying a nail-biting charge to the finish line. Skippered by Caio Sullivan, Jock is most notable for their entire crew of students under 18 (almost)! Guided by their sailing instructor, these teenagers show us that dinghy skills are 100% transferable to keelboat sailing – Kudos to them. With their impressive performances, we can expect more exciting clashes amongst the 3 boats tomorrow.
Arguably the busiest start line with 9 on the course, the PY Keelboat Class was represented by boats as small as 23 feet to some as large as 50 feet. Firstlight’s return to CSC racing was most welcomed, as Simon Piff and team have shown support for all our events throughout the years. She sailed extremely well, but fell short by a mere 1 second on corrected time – surrendering victory to the remarkable Remington. Paul’s S&S 42 lapped up the prevailing conditions, and few can match her on a beam reach. The wily Waka Tere seem content with their performance 3-up, registering a 3rd place finish on corrected time in a very competitive fleet. We also have some notable visiting boats such as Rainbow Dream, skippered by affable Claire, and our dear friends from SAFYC, Millennium II! Skipper Ken Yap is no stranger to the Singapore Regatta and a keen supporter of the local sailing scene.
Sailing at a blistering pace, Bula was a cut above the rest today. Skipper Mike Flecker held a comfortable lead over her closest rival, Miss Visayan throughout most of the course. We are keen to see if Bula can maintain her form across the 3 remaining shorter races tomorrow. Miss V fended off a serious challenge from Sirius Swift, whose 3rd place finish is testament of her hard work and commitment. Special mention to the M23, sailing 2-up in the gusty NE proved a real test for Freddy and crew. Despite the odds, he placed a respectable 4th across the line.
Finally, despite starting an hour late, the 2 beach catamarans participating in the passage race seemed like they truly enjoyed the race course and wind conditions. Addiction screamed past all 21 boats to claim first across the line over all 5 classes. Pac Man overcame pre-race jitters a sailed a smooth race, completing the course in a time of 4hours and 2 mins. All in all, a great job by both Cats.
Over at the West side, 7 SB20s took to the seas to challenge for the coveted Tiger Challenge Trophy – awarded to the first boat that crosses the line for the passage race. Sailors had to navigate south to TVE 5, subsequently returning to finish on a challenging up-current and up-wind leg. Sitting right at the top, Monkey Boat skippered by Vaijanth Mayavan took line honours and first blood, placing ahead of The Sidewalk Cafe and Walababy respectively. Honourable mention goes to our visiting friends from China – Schonst Sailing. Skippered by Zhang Jun, the boat sailed well to place 4th, no mean feat considering this is their first time racing in Singapore waters.
Congratulations to the top performers – rest well and see you tomorrow for the remaining inshore races and closing ceremony for the 3rd Singapore Regatta.
The Singapore Regatta was an initiative back in 2022 to revive the competitive inshore Straits Regatta of the 1990s. This race aspires to be a marquee sailing event in Singapore that will draw in skippers and crew from the region and perhaps worldwide.
Previously organized by the Singapore Sailing Federation (SSF) , the responsibility for the conduct of this event has now been allocated to the Clubs. This year, Changi Sailing Club and SAF Yacht Club are the proud co-organizers of the 2024 edition, together with the support of the Federation, partners and affiliates. The regatta will consist of 1 passage race and 3-5 shorter inshore races, sailed in the scenic Straits of Johor. Open to all Keelboats, Multihulls and Beach Catamarans, the latest edition boasts 30 boats participating across 6 classes.
Sir Thomas Lipton Cup Challenge
One of the key highlights at this event would be the reintroduction of the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup Challenge, previously used to honour attendance and performance at various marquee sailing events in Southeast Asia, culminating with the Singapore Straits Regatta. Having been absent for the past decade, the Lipton Cup marks its return with the Singapore Regatta 2024, and a Qualifying System for the 2023/24 season was designed to fairly grade the overall performance of competing IRC boats across three qualifying events: the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta (RMSIR) 2023, the Royal Langkawi International Regatta (RLIR) 2024, and the Singapore Regatta (SR) 2024.
We thank the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club and Singapore Sailing Federation for the loan of this prestigious Trophy for the Singapore Regatta 2024.
Sailing in Singapore
Singapore has long been regarded as a strong sailing nation – priding itself with success in the international arena of dinghy sailing. It is however less known for big-boat sailing, as locals cite limited water space and poor wind conditions as top reasons which restrict the growth of the sport in Singapore.
We hope that with the re-launch of this Cup, the prevailing North East Monsoon AND the strong relationships forged with our neighbours in Malaysia and Thailand – the Singapore Regatta grows from strength to strength and takes the next step to becoming an attractive sailing destination for avid keelboat and multihull sailors in the region.
Happy Lunar New Year and all the best to the participants sailing this weekend.
Singapore Regatta Registration, Race Documents and everything you need to know can be found here:
Day 2 of the CSC Catamaran Championship saw a Blade F16 join the fleet, but also marked the end of the Madfish II and Nacra 15’s campaign. Uli and Doug succumbed to equipment failure and injuries, bowing out of the regatta 3 races in. These 2 boats were replaced by Babe and Pac Man, both sailing with young crew onboard! Winds were on average gentler than the first day, perfect conditions for all skill levels.
Entering Day 2 in pole position, Addiction hardly broke a sweat for the remaining 3 races – completing a clean sweep of the series to retain the championship title on 5 points after 1 discard. Scott McCook’s solo attempt on the Nacra 16 Square came closest to unseating Jeremy & Co., with only 27 seconds separating both boats in Race 5 on corrected time. She was a solid number 2, defending against valiant attempts by Twisted Creature to catch up with the top two. Apart from a near-capsize scare metres away from the finish line in Race 6, Twisted Creature had a better time out on water for Day 2, as she successfully closed the gap between her and the leaders.
Special mention to the boats with 2 generations of sailors onboard – Pac Man and Babe. The former overcame pre-race jitters and completed all 3 races on Day 2, a great effort by the father-son combo. Their performance rewarded Pac Man with a place on the podium for the One-Design Class, scoring 3rd out of a fleet of five. She was bested only by Addiction and Twisted Creature – a respectable result! The skipper of Babe was the only boat with 3 persons onboard, and managed to complete Race 5. Despite having sailed only 1 race, they were all smiles and hopefully had an enjoyable time being out on the course.
Kudos to the small but close-knit group of catamaran sailors. Your enthusiasm is what keeps the community active and thriving. We look forward to witnessing your growth and continued participation in future events.
Boasting the largest fleet in Singapore, it is without doubt that CSC is the place to be for some serious Catamaran sailing. Therefore it would only make sense for an annual catamaran racing event, collecting the best active catamaran sailors on a weekend to race around the cans in a 6-race series. The competitive fleet has however struggled to grow, as boat owners opt for more leisure sailing, and less of the fast-paced racing stuff. Nevertheless, the Club continues to support this small but enthusiastic group of adrenaline junkies, crawling out of the woodwork just for the prevailing NE Monsoon.
The problem with only racing in the NE Monsoon is that … most sailors do not get the opportunity to test their rig before racing. The windy conditions left some boats with equipment failure, thus reducing the already small fleet of 6 to 4. Last year’s 2nd runner-up Madfish II was one of them, having to quickly rush back to shore after retiring on the first downwind leg of Race 1, and eventually making it in time for the start of race 2 on a Nacra 15.
*Amended – 3 Feb, 1820hr*
At the end of Day 1, 2023 champions Addiction leads the fleet with a clean sweep of 3 bullets from 3 races. The Viper F16 skippered by Jeremy Perrier successfully fended off a strong challenge from the Nacra 16 Square, sailed solo by the venerable Scott McCook. The margin of victory was close, and we look forward to witnessing these 2 boats cross swords on the course tomorrow. The remaining F16 in the fleet was Twisted Creature, sailing a safe race each time to secure two 3rds and a 4th in race 3 to complete Day 1 in 3rd with 10 points. Having missed out on Race 1, The Nacra 15 skippered by Uli Braun has her work cut out for Day 2, but a strong finish in Races 2 and 3 does mean that she has a good chance of a podium place if she continues to perform well in the remaining races.
Enjoy the photos and stay on this page for more updates.
