Despite the heavy downpour experienced in the week leading up to the race, the prevailing NE monsoon wind allowed us to make an excellent Saturday Twilight race. An indication that the wind is changing direction really soon. However, as the race goes on, wind has started to shift, a massive cloud formation was seen everywhere, which made the race committee decided to shorten the course. Lucky enough, all boats managed to finish their races right in the nick of time for another round of heavy rain!
A total of 10 boats were seen at the start line comprises of 4 IRC, 4 PY and 2 Trimaran boats. The highlight of the race was in the IRC division, displaying very good tactics and skillful maneuvers. It was a constant swapping of positions between Jong Dee, Adona and Simba. The latter managed to maintain the lead all the way up to the top mark (Changi Buoy). The wind picked up slightly, pushing the boat forward with increased speed. The crews took the opportunity to adjust the sails, optimizing for speed in the last upwind. However, Adona managed to steal the lead from Simba as they made a regrettable judgement while rounding Changi Buoy. Meanwhile Jong Dee having rounded third at the mark, decided to maintain sailing on a higher angle and windward, covering both Adona and Simba.
As they were approaching to the finishing line, Jong Dee triumphantly crossed the finish line 1st leaving the 2 boats behind with only 28 secs! A heartbreaking and nerve-racking finish between Simba and Adona, only 1 second apart! What an exciting finish for these boats! It has been a while since we had this exciting scenery of switching places at the finish line. Everyone was happy with their performances and deserved a chilled beers at the bar! After corrected timing, Adona took the 1st place, with 1 second apart Simba in the 2nd place and Jong Dee was happy on the 3rd place. Not forgetting, Minx was 20 seconds behind Jong Dee! These gentlemen deserved an applause for putting up a good show!
In the Keelboat Club Racer (PY) Basil Byrnes on Birregurra finished the race with great speed and consistently leading the fleet. It however wasn’t enough to clinched the 1st spot, leaving her to settle for 3rd. Skipper Paul Sneesby – Remington sailed really well in yesterday’s wind condition, delivering a strong performance in the upwind leg approaching the finish line to put her in 2nd place after corrected time. And the winner in this class, was sailed excellently by Nick Lord on Jock, claiming the top spot, 1st in her division!
In the Trimaran division, a clean and quick race for Damien and Xavier on Kaze – finishing the race in 1hr and 20mins which put them easily on the 1st place in podium. A fast and steady racing skill by the skipper and crew leaving a huge gap from her contender.
It was a great day of racing and hearing everyone’s stories being shared at the bar while enjoying the cold NE-NW wind. See you all next weekend for the back-to-back Finale of Twilight and Sunday Series!
https://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_0937-scaled.jpg8001200CSChttps://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/changi_sailing_club_logo_round.pngCSC2024-11-25 16:57:582024-12-06 15:43:41CSC Twilight Series III 2024 (Race 4)
As we inch closer to the finale weekend on 30th November-1st December, the Club sees a significant reduction in participation at the regular Sunday and Twilight Series races. This could be due to a number of reasons, such as the commencing of the school holiday season, regional regattas (RMSIR & PKCR), and perhaps just an extended recovery period post-Ambassadors’ Cup. Nevertheless, it was still good vibes and great weather at the 4th Sunday Series Race III, also the penultimate Sunday Series Race for 2024. A total of 10 boats were on the start line, with 3 teams representing each class and Addiction flying solo in the Beach Catamaran class.
After a horrid late morning thunderstorm, the skies cleared in time for a delayed start, with winds picking up from the west. Race Organisers played it cautious, and flew the pennant 2 course, which takes sailors on a journey to Squance and CSC 1, for three loops. The strong tides eventually forced a shortened course after two loops, allowing all boats to finish well within the time limit.
In the IRC Class, a strong showing from Jong Dee on the first beat to Squance caught their rivals by surprise, prompting the other two Js to switch things up a notch on the downwind leg. The lack of sufficient crew to fly their spinnaker proved to be the J35’s ultimate downfall, as she lost significant ground and subsequently got overtaken. Adona settled into a comfortable groove to take top spot by a comfortable 10 minutes over 2nd placed Jellico.
Hot on the tail of the IRC fleet was the whizbang team onboard Waka Tere, joined by a crew more familiarly found on Bound to Please – Colin and family. Waka Tere extended their lead to take first place in the PY Class comfortably, but that was not all. She had sailed superbly to catch up with the IRC fleet, whizzing past Jellico to finish amongst them. The remaining two PY boats tussled for 2nd place, with Birregurra dodging multiple commercial vessels in the channel while deploying the right tactics to counter the strong currents – earning herself a well-deserved place on the podium.
In Miss Visayan’s absence, Dot Dot Dot, Bula and Kaze battled hard – leaving it all on the course. Kudos to Dot Dot Dot for sailing solo and even leading the fleet for a significant time! SHe was neck and neck with Kaze all the way to the finish line, with Kaze taking the win for Race 4. Bula’s best efforts just could not match up with Dot Dot Dot’s superior performance, leaving her without a shot glass for the weekend.
Congratulations to all winners, and thank you everyone for joining us! You may find attached the current standings for the overall 2024 Sunday Series leaderboard. Due to the poor attendance from the Beach Catamaran fleet, the challenge trophy will not be presented this year. See you on 23rd November for the penultimate race of the Twilight Series, and the following weekend for the Club Series Finale!
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We’ve returned for another session of sailing with our friends from Rainbow Centre!
Changi Sailing Club has been in collaboration with Rainbow Centre Singapore since 2016 to provide meaningful sailing experiences for students and caregivers, with the support of our Members and their sailboats.
The Rainbow Centre is a social service organisation in Singapore. It operates three special education schools Margaret Drive School, Yishun Park School and a third one at Woodlands, for infants, children and youths with special needs like autism, intellectual disability, developmental delay, and multiple disabilities. Learn more about Rainbow Centre here: https://rainbowcentre.org.sg/
Our last session was in June 2024, where we had some wet weather and enthusiastic participants! In this most recent edition, we had a total of 9 boats supporting the event, hosting a group of 35 students and caregivers. The day was fortunately blessed with clear skies and a light breeze. Despite a minor hiccup at the end of the sailing experience resulting in very hungry participants 🤣, it was a most enjoyable and memorable experience for sailors, students and their caregivers. It was heartwarming to hear of how being on water had a calming and positive effect on some of the students, and also to witness students and caregivers having the opportunity to helm a sailing yacht!
Big thanks to the following skippers and yachts for taking the time off on a saturday morning to provide a meaningful experience for our friends from Rainbow Centre:
En Dian (Kok Wah)
Birregurra (Basil)
Southern Light (James)
Waka Tere (Kurt)
Ikaroa (Christian)
Dot Dot Dot (David)
Firefly (Stefan)
Jock (Luke)
Calyndrix (Russel)
We’d also like to acknowledge and thank Aunty Sharifah and her team of teachers/facilitators for their dedication to special education! We look forward to organising the next one in 2025.
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The post-COVID continuation of the Ketam clean-up saw 13 enthusiastic volunteers from NUS Seafarers, along with five boats from Changi Sailing Club, tackling a mountain of sea trash around the mangroves at Pulau Ketam. Together, they collected nearly 300 kg of maritime waste.
A big thank you to the skippers who offered their boats and expertise to guide the eager NUS students and alumni. It was a pleasant beam reach to Ketam Island, with The Dash, skippered by Wolfgang and his NUS crew, dashing ahead of the pack. Skybird and Calyndrix followed at their own pace, while Prof. Martin brought up the rear in Bobo Chacha with the remaining students. Not a race, of course—but who’s counting?
The students appreciated the experience, emphasizing the role of community service in keeping our waters clean. “It was humbling,” said I Made Timothy, “to be surrounded by mountains of trash.” His sardonic remark captured the group’s shared realization: despite collecting a significant amount, the clean-up only scratched the surface. Clearly, the work of maritime conservation and anti-pollution efforts needs to begin at the source.
Once again, many thanks to the following boats for their support. We hope to see even more hands on deck for the next clean-up: • The Dash • Skybird • Calyndrix • Bobo Chacha • Southern Light
The inter-monsoon season is upon us, and sailors struggled with capricious wind and weather conditions for Race 3 of the Twilight Series III. It has only been a week since the 23rd Ambassadors’ Cup, where participants also had to brave challenging winds and tides to complete the race. The difficulty was brought up a notch this weekend, as the winds were brought down a notch. Faced with glassy conditions and a significant tide, we think this may be the first club event whereby race organizers had to apply the AP, N and S signals in a single afternoon.
In the Multihull Class, 4 Corsairs participated, and the fleet managed to complete a race to squance and back, before officials shortened the race at the Club line. Dot Dot Dot made the right calls on the first leg to squance, overtaking leaders Bula and Miss Visayan midway to Squance. She successfully defended her lead on the return leg, scoring Dot Dot Dot’s first victory for the series. Bula and Miss Visayan were evenly matched, leaving it to a difference of seconds across the finish line. Skipper Mike Flecker prevailed in this race, sailing Bula to an inspiring single-handed finish. Sirius Swift thrives in the heavier air, and yesterday’s conditions really left the Corsair 880 trailing the fleet. Nevertheless, good effort from the team, as they made the most of the conditions to finish well within the time limit.
The battle between Adona and Jong Dee returns in the IRC class, with the latter entering this race in high spirits. Skipper Paul Kendall had a successful Ambassadors’ Cup campaign, helming the J35 to victory with the Finnish Ambassador onboard. Adona was a close 2nd, and was also the previous winner of the Ambassadors’ Cup in 2023, sailing with Panama. They were joined by another illustrious skipper, Lucas Van Maarschalkerweerd. Lucas sailed Minx to victory at many of our signature events, and is certainly not a lightweight in the IRC Class. The eventual winner of this 3-way clash was the J29, Adona. being the lightest boat in the fleet, she had the advantage over her rivals in staying nimble on the course. Couple with good teamwork and strategy, she placed first across the line and on corrected time. the fight for 2nd place was eventually won by Jong Dee, leaving Minx to settle for 3rd.
With a postponed start, abandoned start and an eventual successful start at 1715, the PY Class faced the biggest challenge to complete the race in daylight. The race to squance saw Waka Tere and Birregurra neck and neck most of the way, with Waka Tere pipping the Hanse 415 at the shorten course finish line. When the numbers were crunched, Jock stealthily claimed her place on top, her handicap working to her advantage on short courses. Birregurra placed 2nd ahead of Waka Tere, with the latter only just managing to secure her spot on the podium by a mere 10 seconds ahead of new entrants Boreas on corrected time.
Congratulations to all winners! I look forward to having everyone back with us next weekend for the Rainbow Centre Joy Sail and Sunday Series III Race 4 on 16 & 17 November respectively.
https://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_0261-scaled.jpg8001200CSChttps://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/changi_sailing_club_logo_round.pngCSC2024-11-10 12:07:462024-11-10 12:10:45CSC Twilight Series III 2024 (Race 3)
We were keen to get a short cruise in before Barbara and Stuart departed Singapore for Spain, so some serious planning was undertaken by Skybird and Birregurra and crews at CSC.
And so at 7:30am on the 3rd of October, we were lined up at Changi Point Ferry Terminal again. Mayling had done her usual magic to help with the clearance out and the Indo Cruising permit and the Green books and the 1980’s software!
We set off after 8pm and motor-sailed down the channel for a very uneventful trip across to Nongsa. As soon as we dropped the sails to enter the marina, the wind kicked up to 20kn making for a challenging berthing, but we managed to tie up securely and settle into marina life. It’s a somewhat expensive but very smooth check in process now.
A few jobs, a bit of a walk around, and we were in the bar for the 6pm happy hour with Prakash. I’m not sure what it is about this bar, but it’s a very friendly and inviting place, and over the course of the night, you get to talk to everyone in the bar, including the owner of Rona – a 130 year old classic sailing yacht, and a couple of solo round the world sailors with some really interesting stories.
“Rona”
Coffee and breakfast on board, and our Indo clearance came in and we were good to go. As soon as Edwin had organised emergency supplies of Bintan for both boats! We headed out and hugged the Batam coast east then south and after about 18NM anchored at the very south of Batam between Tanjong Piayu and Pulau Piayu.
It’s not a very wide channel but it very well protected. A GnT or two just to make sure the anchor was well bedded in, then into Skybird’s tender and ashore for a fabulous crab and seafood dinner at the restaurant on the water.
I’m not sure if James was worried he might not be fed on Skybird for the rest of the trip, as he loaded up on the chilli and black pepper crab (but at a fraction of the price of Jumbo’s). We made it safely back on board for a great night’s sleep as the boats gently swung around with the tide.
Next morning we headed off after breakfast to the first of the famous six bridges of Batam. It’s quite a story and the first bridge is a quite spectacular cable-stayed bridge 642M in length and with varying clearances listed above highest astronomical tide.
The lowest of these seemed to be 25M, so even with a 19.5M mast we had plenty of room to spare, but it’s always a bit nerve wracking. We must have gone through around slack water so no issue, but we found out in the Nongsa bar on the return that the tide can rip through here at 6-7kn, so if you’re planning to go that way, check the tides!
We tacked across the south west between a Mosque on one island and Christian church on another. Then it was south east for the 34NM sail to Abang Besar, where we anchored opposite Pulau Ranoh resort. Barbara tried to go for a snorkel but the current was a bit much and she wasn’t ready to go back to Singapore!
So we followed the boat’s ritual of a GnT whilst making sure we were securely anchored. Stuart flew his drone which always makes me very nervous (I have seen a drone become a submarine on an earlier trip). He got some great pics and somehow managed to land it on the swim platform safely.
Edwin and James came aboard for drinks and an excellent evening was had by all. And of course, James brought along his music box with all the hits from the 80’s – just fantastic.
The next morning, it was very showery and windy, but we held well in a great anchorage. Breakfast and then we were off with the wind directly astern as we headed east/north east.
We arrived at Pulau Tunjuk late afternoon. We anchored between the distinctive lighthouse and a fishing village on stilts in dead calm waters.
A few more nerve-wracking drone moments but again Stuart managed to safely get it back on board.
The skipper of Birregurra thought it would be a good idea to go for a swim. The current was fairly ripping through but he thought how strong can that be?
As it turned out, very, very strong, and despite my best freestyle efforts, Stuart had to throw me a line to get back onboard. If I’d have missed the line, I would have had to grab Edwin’s anchor chain as otherwise I would have been headed to Johor at 3+kn! We had a great Masaman curry thanks to Barbara and another excellent night at anchor. The light from the lighthouse wasn’t super bright and we had a very calm night at anchor.
After breakfast, we made good use of that north running current and covered the 19NM back to Nongsa in less than 2.5hrs. The skies opened as we came into the marina, but we quickly had the boom tent up and enjoyed the cool conditions.
We’ve got this place worked out now, and it was an early dinner onboard and we were sitting at the bar for the start of the Bintan draft happy hour. More sailing stories with our new found mates in the bar and another cracking night at Nongsa.
After breakfast, whilst waiting for our clearance papers, Stuart helped me download software system updates for the chart plotter and auto pilot. He tried to help update the Triton instruments, but this requires inserting a thumb drive in the back of the device. I have no idea how he got his huge frame into that locker!
We set off about 11am local time, whilst Edwin stayed another day to do some work on a Skybird hatch. As we exited the marina, the clouds filled in behind us, and then down it came, and Barbara wisely decided it was time to make lunch downstairs!
Strong winds, seas starting to build and torrential rain all the way across the channel. Visibility was less than 100M and so we relied on AIS to ensure we had plenty of space between us and the 300M tankers doing 15kn. Back up the channel onto our trusty mooring at CSC around 2:10pm, with a total of 147NM on the log.
Mr. Chua collected us in the bum boat and we checked in at Changi Point, then back to the club and back onboard to clean up, and have a final GnT after we were all packed up. A couple of beers in the bar then we were off home. Skybird came back the next day on the same incoming tide.
It was a great little trip. 6 days, 5 nights, three of which were at anchor, and two in Nongsa marina. No overnight passages so very relaxing and very doable for most yachts at CSC. There is a lot more to explore around Batam and Bintan. We also had a good chat with Warren Blake (Four Friends) in Batam. He is currently surveying Pulau Mapur, which is east of Bintan, about 50NM from Nongsa. Although the charts say the western side is all reef, he has found a navigable channel through the reef. A quick look at Google Earth confirms the possibilities. We’ll have to discuss this one and do some more planning at CSC for a future cruise.
It was a pleasure to sail with Stuart and Barbara, and I learnt a lot from Barbara about provisioning and cooking. Things like Marks and Spencer croissants that just need heating up in the oven. Fairprice pancake mix that doesn’t even require refrigeration. Pre-prepared meals like masaman curry and cinnamon rolls. We were more than well catered for. And of course its always great to sail with Skybird. All the very best to Stuart and Barbara for their big move – they will be missed by all at CSC.
Article by Skipper Basil Byrnes of Birregurra
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https://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Picture1.jpg306408Basil Byrnehttps://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/changi_sailing_club_logo_round.pngBasil Byrne2024-11-08 11:42:472024-11-08 11:47:17Abang Besar Cruising Trip – A Report by Birregurra
At the end of October 2024, Royal Varuna Yacht Club (RVYC) in Pattaya hosted an intense four-day ILCA 6 clinic, designed to bring together master-level sailors for focused training.
Participants included ILCA Masters racers Rohit Behl and Cameron Hunter from Changi Sailing Club (CSC), alongside fellow sailors from Constant Wind-SG+SAFYC.
The clinic was led by experienced Thai coach Veerasit Puangnak, known as “Lim,” who represented Thailand in Laser class at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Coach Lim focused on enhancing the sailors’ technique, strategy, and race preparation specifically for ILCA (International Laser Class Association) dinghy racing.
With only 12 participants, the camp provided personalized attention, making it a valuable experience for all involved.
RVYC, a club renowned for fostering international sailing partnerships, has a formal reciprocal relationship with CSC.
This collaboration promotes skill development and encourages cross-club participation in various dinghy events.
The synergy between RVYC and CSC has created a robust platform for racers from both clubs to excel in both optimist and ILCA class racing, the most competitive dinghy categories worldwide.
This clinic reflects RVYC’s commitment to advancing dinghy-racing excellence in Asia-Pacific, providing opportunities for partner clubs, including CSC, to participate in high-caliber training and international competitions.
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Learnings from the ILCA Clinic
Zones in ILCA Dinghy Racing (Upwind Strategy)
Navigating upwind in ILCA dinghy racing involves distinct zones, each with its own focus:
-Zone 1: Right after the start line, the goal is a strong, clean start and optimal positioning in the first few seconds to avoid being blocked by competitors and to get clean wind.
– Zone 2: Known as the “control zone,” where tactics like “tight cover” and “loose cover” are used:
Tight Cover: Sailing close to and directly upwind of a competitor to block their wind.
– Loose Cover: Staying upwind but farther away, controlling competitors while maintaining course and speed.
– Zone 3: final part of the upwind leg focuses on positioning for the next leg. This includes preparing for mark rounding and anticipating wind shifts to approach the lay line efficiently.
Starting Techniques in Waves, Chop, and Swell
– Balance and Boat Trim: Adjust body position continuously to prevent the bow from dipping into waves, which can slow the boat or cause instability.
– Timing the Start: Account for waves that may lift or push the boat, affecting acceleration. Aim to cross the start line at full speed.
Holding Position and Accelerating off the Start Line
– Holding Position: “Park” the boat , with minimal drift by balancing sail trim and steering. Backwind the mainsail to hold position.
– Acceleration Timing: As the countdown nears zero, trim the sail and shift body weight to generate forward momentum for a powerful, on-time start.
“Coffin Corner” – The Port End of the Start Line – High-Risk, High-Reward: Starting here offers advantage but is risky due to crowding and possible penalties. Dubbed “coffin corner,” it requires precise timing and skill.
“Go Early, Go Ugly” – This phrase underscores the importance of securing position and speed over perfect technique, especially on a crowded start line. In challenging conditions, a solid start—albeit imperfect—is often better than waiting for a flawless opportunity and falling behind.
Coach Lim’s Five Essentials for Success
– Constant Sail Trim
– Boat Trim
– Boat Balance
– Daggerboard Settings
– Course Made Good
Coach Lim emphasized using the kicker or vang and the differences in settings between ILCA 7 and ILCA 6, highlighting the nuanced adjustments needed for competitive performance.
Overall, this clinic was a rewarding experience filled with learnings and camaraderie with RVYC’s members. The club’s outstanding food menu and well stocked bar also added to the enjoyment.
We stayed on-site at RVYC in their spacious family rooms and feasted on huge breakfasts each morning before we launched for training.
We’re looking forward to returning to Pattaya in 2025, with imminent plans to perhaps bring CSC’s youth squadron’s ILCA team to benefit from RVYC’s excellent training environment.
https://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/WhatsApp-Image-2024-11-04-at-17.51.20-1-scaled.jpeg1200901CSChttps://www.csc.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/changi_sailing_club_logo_round.pngCSC2024-11-05 13:54:152024-11-05 13:54:56CSC Masters at ILCA 6 Clinic : Building Skills and Camaraderie
Changi Sailing Club’s signature sailing social event returns in its 23rd form, this time presided by a country steeped in sailing history – New Zealand! Home to some of the best sailors in the world, The Kiwis have most recently triumphed at the 37th Americas Cup, held in Barcelona. Team Emirates New Zealand bested Team INEOS Britannia in the finals to win the Cup 3 years in a row – an impressive record!
In Singapore, the NZ High Commission led by H.E Gabrielle Rush, together with the NZ Chamber of Commerce took the plunge to lead the 23rd edition of the Ambassadors’ Cup, organizing a total of 19 Ambassadors and 29 Embassies for a day of sailing and revelry. Paired with a total of 52 participating boats, this is easily one of the largest yacht regattas in Singapore. The event is traditionally held in November, where winds can be unpredictable – setting the stage for an eventful and challenging race.
True to the above preface, the winds were all over the course yesterday, and sailors also had to contend with strong outgoing tide. A downwind start to North Angler made for an exciting spectacle, and all 52 boats barreled through the channel in a fresh westerly breeze. Their joy turned to dismay as the winds switched off in the vicinity of North Angler, leaving participants battling strong tide in the light air. The dismay was short lived, as skippers, crew and Embassy guests were well prepared with food and drinks onboard. The relaxed atmosphere also meant that many teams chose to retire early, getting a head start on the evening revelry. Nevertheless, half the fleet for the Ambassadors’ Division and 6 boats from the Non-Ambassadors’ Division managed to finish the race – albeit with a shortened course for all.
First to finnishfinish in the Ambassadors’ Division was the Finnish team, sailing on Jong Dee! H.E. Juha Markkanen even had the opportunity the helm the J35, which sailed superbly in the challenging conditions. Skipper Paul Kendall made some good calls on the return leg to the Club, ensuring the chasing pack were well behind to also earn Jong Dee the Tony Siddique Memorial Trophy – awarded to the first keelboat that crosses the finish line. The icing on the cake had to be that she also managed to stay ahead of the quickest beach catamaran in the fleet, Addiction! Winners of the 22nd and 21st Ambassadors Cup also made it to the podium this year – Adona and Born in Fire. The J29 sailed with the European Union onboard, while the X99 sailed with Denmark. H.E. Iwona Piorko Bermig and H.E. Jakob Brix Tange were all smiles as they disembarked, unknowingly completing a #TeamEurope triumph together with Finland for the 23rd Ambassadors’ Cup.
In the Non-Ambassadors’ Division, 23 boats filled the startline, but only 6 boats managed to complete the race within the extended time limit. Kudos to Notus, Balqis, Jellico, Bound to Please, Skybird and Kesini, as they finish the race in the same order on corrected time. Interestingly, the 3 winners did not have any delegates onboard – great effort from the short-handed teams! Representatives from the Embassies of Korea and Japan were the only ones that made it through to the top 6, sailing with Bound to Please and Kesini respectively.
Representing the Trimarans were 6 closely matched corsairs and one brand new dragonfly. It was great to see a large number of Trimarans slowly getting back into a regular sailing routine, and refreshing to watch the newest addition to the fleet “fly” through the course. While Oojoo did not bag a spot on the podium, Skipper Giam and his wife managed a respectable 5th, not bad for his first Ambassadors Cup outing! The usual suspects loitered at the top, As Miss Visayan, Dinghao, Kaze and Dot Dot Dot sparred on the course to claim a place in the top three. It was eventually a victory for Miss V, successfully navigating through the tricky conditions while fending off advances from Kaze and Dinghao. Dashing their way to Paku Buoy to finish between the S flag and the Buoy, Kaze notched a comfortable 6 minute lead on Dinghao in 3rd.
The three beach catamarans that raced last year returned to challenge for division honours, with Addiction holding on as defending champions. While not her best performance, Skipper Jeremy still managed to stay well ahead of Balqis II and Twisted Creature to make 3 consecutive wins. Twisted Creature’s lack of water time may have been the reason for her lackluster performance, struggling to grasp the wind and tide situation on the return leg.
Back on shore, sailors were treated to Après Sail drinks and hors d’oeuvres, courtesy of Tiger Beer, Juno Gin and the team from Georges. Juno Gin was a highlight of the event, an award-winning, New Zealand artisan spirit brought in specially to showcase NZ produce. Gin & Tonic is a drink synonymous with sailors, and perfect as a sundowner. After nearly 4 hours out on water, the drink station was an easy crowd pleaser, commencing the evening festivities. Due to the extended time limit, many sailors returned to shore late, thus prompting organizers to delay the closing ceremony to 7pm.
The weather was kind to us for the evening, and Commodore Deborah Barker delivered her welcome speech eloquently. In the absence of H.E. Gabrielle Rush, Deputy Keith Conway welcomed participants and shared his experience sailing with Waka Tere while acknowledging NZ partners and sponsors for their contributions to the event. It was also worth noting that the NZ team sailed really well, just missing out on a podium finish in 4th.
The rest of the evening unraveled uneventfully, as hungry sailors formed a buffet line, winners were announced later in the evening and Nation One got the party going till late. Somewhere in the middle of all that a Lucky Draw was conducted, with prizes kindly sponsored by Air New Zealand, Marintech and Juno Gin. The top prize of 2 business class tickets to Auckland sponsored by Air New Zealand went to the very lucky – Firstlight! The handheld GPS sponsored by Marintech was won by Notus and a bottle of delicious coffee vodka by Juno Gin was claimed by Feiyu. Congratulations to all the winners!
Thank You
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the following sponsors that have helped make this event possible:
Title Sponsor
Invisiron
Supporting Sponsors
ANZ Bank
Air New Zealand
Thiam Construction
KC Chng
Stabilis
Asia Pacific Breweries (Tiger Beer)
The Luxury Network and Diplomatic Council
Marintech
Juno Gin
This event would also not have been possible without the strong support from our friends at Singapore Armed Forces Yacht Club, Republic of Singapore Yacht Club, Raffles Marina, One Degree 15 Marina and Marina at Keppel Bay. Big Thank You to Millennium 2, Premier Cru 1, Pascal Go, Firstlight, Sirius Omega, Rainbow Dream, Bound to Please and Sitka.
Not forgetting our wonderful VIP boats – Blueyez, Grand Banks and Ganesh. Thank you for the yearly support!
Last but not least – thank you to all participants for sailing and enjoying the day with us.
See you next year for the 24th edition of Bringing the World Together.
“Rona”
The next morning, it was very showery and windy, but we held well in a great anchorage. Breakfast and then we were off with the wind directly astern as we headed east/north east.
