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5th Singapore Regatta – Day 2 Report

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The Next Factor Wins the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy

by Scott Murray, SEA Yachting Magazine

The winner of the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy for the 2025–26 season was already decided before the fleet set sail for the Fifth Singapore Regatta. The Next Factor, skippered and owned by Rolf Heemskerk, claimed the coveted trophy after winning all three preceding events in the series: the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, and the Royal Langkawi International Regatta.

Unfortunately, Rolf and his crew were unable to participate in the Singapore Regatta and could not attend the awards ceremony to collect the 103-year-old trophy. One crew member, Mark Chapman, made a valiant attempt to be present, but a delayed flight prevented him from arriving in time.

The second and final day of the Singapore Regatta comprised three short, sharp windward-leeward races sailed in a brisk north-easterly. There was no shortage of drama across all classes: a lost halyard at the leeward mark (Forever Young), a capsized catamaran (Chop-Chop), and even a massive red commercial vessel cutting through the racecourse. Sunday’s racing was certainly not for the faint-hearted.

IRC Division

The six-boat IRC division saw defending champion and last year’s Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy winner, Lee Yimin’s Jolt, cede bragging rights to Thomas Reckefuss’ Born in Fire. Richard Grant’s Adona, winner of Saturday’s passage race, finished second overall—just one point behind—while Jolt settled for the bronze this time around. The X-99 improved on her third-place finish at SR25, a result Thomas and crew can be proud of.

Born in Fire’s victory sends an encouraging signal to the fleet. Jolt’s dominant performance at SR25 had made her appear almost infallible coming into this regatta. With hopes of an even larger and more diverse fleet at SR27—including the possible return of Zanzibar and this season’s Sir Thomas Lipton Cup winner, The Next Factor—competition promises to be even fiercer.

Club Racer (PY)

In the ten-boat Club Racer (PY) class, Steve Manning’s Black Baza emerged victorious, narrowly edging out Edwin Low’s Skybird. Both boats finished tied on points, but Black Baza claimed the overall win by virtue of one additional first-place finish.

The Oceanis 45, previously known as Megan, sailed her own race for much of Sunday, staying clear of the match-racing battles between Skybird, Sapphire Star, and Southern Light. This proved to be a winning strategy. Edwin Low, skipper of Skybird, was also named the regatta’s “Veteran Skipper” as he turns 70 this year. He was joined by RSYC Commodore Ramasamy Menon as chief tactician, together with a motley crew from the Royal Selangor Yacht Club.

James Sharpe’s Southern Light finished just one point behind the top two, making this the tightest class of the regatta. Manning, incidentally, is a former Sir Thomas Lipton Cup winner (2023/24) aboard his previous boat, Red Rum.

Multihull

The six-boat Multihull class delivered another close contest. Freddy Fam’s Phoenix overcame a RET in Race 3 to edge out Alice Lim’s Ding Hao by a single point overall. David Steel’s Dot Dot Dot secured third place, three points further back.

Position changes were frequent throughout the fleet, with flashes of exceptional speed from Sirius Swift and consistently strong tactical and technical sailing from all competitors.

J/24

In the six-boat J/24 fleet, Cedric Declercq and the crew of CSC’s Jellico delivered a flawless performance, winning every race to take first overall. The victory was especially satisfying after Cedric missed last year’s event due to equipment failure.

They were followed by SMUSC’s Lo Tian aboard Quarterdeck, four points back, and Norman Yip’s RSYC Tiga in third, seven points adrift. Although crew shortages and unforeseen circumstances reduced the fleet from a potential eight boats to six, competition remained intense, and organisers look forward to larger numbers on the start line next year.

Platu 25

Ng Ai Li’s Team MAS (Notus) dominated the Platu 25 class, winning all four races to secure the title. Ai Li was also named best Female Skipper of the Regatta. Ivan Boudioukine’s SMUMad finished second, while Jun Zhang’s Jiangsu Tianyi High School team sailing Boreas took third. Jiang Qian Chen’s SMUve rounded out the four-boat fleet.

In a quirky twist, each boat finished exactly three points behind the one ahead. The class may grow by one more boat next year—an exciting prospect for the Platu one-design fleet.

Beach Catamarans

All four registered beach catamarans raced on Sunday. Zaheera Hashim’s Gremlin claimed victory, winning three of the four races overall and finishing five points ahead of Jeremy Perrier’s Addiction, drop race included. Perrier’s result was particularly impressive as he sailed single-handed.

Jesse Treharne’s Chop-Chop rebounded from a capsize but eventually retired from the remaining two races, finishing third overall, seven points back. Kellie Twigge’s Twisted Creature was fourth, just one point behind Chop-Chop.

Awards and Acknowledgements

The Guest of Honour at the awards ceremony was Mr David Foo, Deputy Chief Executive (Director of Operations & Technology / Chief Data Officer) of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. Together with Changi Sailing Club (CSC) Commodore Ms Deborah Barker and Singapore Sailing CEO Mr Leslie Tan, he presented prizes to the fastest boats across the line in each class. CSC Vice Commodore Jeffrey Leow awarded prizes to the overall winners, while the Novelty Prizes were presented by Republic of Singapore Yacht Club Commodore Balakrishnan, SAF Yacht Club General Manager Teo Wee Chin, and CSC Commodore Barker.

Sincere thanks go to photographers Donovan and Fong Ling, and videographer “Uncle” Lukman, who also served superbly as Master of Ceremonies at the awards dinner. The Sultans once again kept spirits high with an energetic set of rock ’n’ roll classics during the evening.

The regatta would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Marina Technology & Construction provided vital cash sponsorship for SR26, while Tiger Beer returned on board as Official Beverage Sponsor. Zoom Sails and Marintech Marketing contributed in-kind prizes for the evening.

Above all, heartfelt thanks go to the CSC Race Management Team led by Kamal and Hafiz, together with the dedicated shore crew, for the smooth running of the weekend. Special recognition goes to CSC General Manager Choy Yi Hong, whose tireless efforts ensured the success of the regatta and the continued legacy of the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy.

Through this regatta, Changi Sailing Club has further cemented its reputation as one of the most competitive adult sailing clubs in the region. The traffic of the East Johor Straits and the infamous “Tekong Tango” test every sailor’s mettle, making each victory truly hard-earned.

The camaraderie, teamwork, and professionalism of all involved make the Singapore Regatta a pleasure to compete in. With a bright future ahead, the regatta will only continue to grow stronger.

See you all next year at SR27.

Results

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Singapore Regatta 2025 – Day 2

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Lee Yimin’s Jolt captures Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy

The second and final day of the Singapore Regatta was made of a series of windward-leeward races overseen by Changi Activities Manager Leahnnie “Jhing” Tayong. As Adona’s crewmate Claire Canning said, “Today’s biggest challenge was choosing a side. The current was a big deal as rounding the leeward mark was a serious challenge – the Tekong Tango never fails to deliver.”

The J24s and Platu 25s were the first boats Jhing sent off the line with four boats racing in each One Design Class. The J24s saw Lisette Sens’ team from the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club on Dua win every race in their class, even the race they dropped, to finish with three points overall. Three points back in second overall sat Jun Zhang’s Chinese crew from the Jiangsu Tianyi High School. Then another three points behind them sat Norman Yip’s fellow Republic of Singapore Yacht Club team on Tiga.

Similarly, Ivan Boudioukine’s SMUve took top spot in the Platu Class – winning every race in their class, even the race they dropped, to finish with three points overall. A Thai team headed by former Olympian Worrasard Saardiem and Thai National Jury member Pokpong Pattaweekongka on Notus and Luc Yee’s SMUMad finished tied with seven points overall, but Notus took second spot having finished higher in the final race.

Simon Piff’s Firstlight won the 11-boat Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) class as they also won every race in their class, even the race they dropped, to finish with three points overall. The race between second- and third-place was much tighter as Colin Clark’s Bound to Please by scoring eight points with their drop edged out Jasper Simon Knoben’s Forever Young, who left their radio on all day, by one point.

Funny enough, the first race of the day was delayed not due to lack of wind, but because Michael Chung’s Brio, who finished fifth in the PY class, couldn’t get to the starting gate on time. And James Sharpe’s Southern Light, also in the class, kissed the committee boat just before crossing the finish line in race two just to keep things interesting.

The second start of the day in the IRC division saw a redo as a couple of the boats in the PY class hadn’t yet finished their second race, thereby not keeping the start clean for the IRC racers. But when all three races were eventually completed Lee Yimin’s Jolt stood atop the podium in this class. Second was defending IRC class champion Adriaan Smit’s Adona, who with seven points edged out Thomas Reckefuss’ Born in Fire, who placed third.

The six-boat multihull class was the closest of them all as Freddy Fam’s Phoenix and Eugene Wong’s Sirius Swift both finished with four points overall, but Phoenix claimed class honours as they won the final race of the day. Gary Curtis’ Miss Visayan was third in the class.

Three beach catamarans took part in the regatta today, having not participated in yesterday’s passage race. Jeremy Perrier, sailing Addiction single-handed, won two of the three races to capture the class with Kelly Twigge’s Twisted Creature finishing second and Zaheera Hashim’s Balqis II coming in third.

When it was all sailed and done, we had a new Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy champion as Lee Yimin’s Singapore-based boat Jolt entered and placed in all four of the regattas constituting the series (the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, the Royal Langkawi International Regatta and the Singapore Regatta) to take home the 102-year-old trophy.

The guest of honour at the awards ceremony was Mr. Vince Tan, Director of Ops Transformation & Planning of the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore. He handed our prizes to the fastest boats across the line in each class.

Thanks must go to club cameraman Kit and videographer Lukman for capturing the finest moments of the regatta and to Mohd Dali bin Hamid for being such a terrific photography boat driver.

This amazing weekend would not be possible without the support from Tiger Beer and Simply Scuba – whose support through in-kind and cash sponsorship helped defray the high costs that come with running this signature event.

And last but not least, none of this could have happened without the hard work CSC General Manager Choy Yi Hong who put in so much time and effort to ensure the regatta was a success.

Through this regatta, the Changi Sailing Club solidified its reputation as the most competitive adult sailing club in the region. As discussed previously there is no end to the large moveable objects in the East Johor Straits that will test any sailor’s seamanship skills. But it’s not just that, the club is devoted to promoting sailing – that is its main purpose. Many of the club’s members – both expats and Singaporeans alike – are noted professionals (doctors, lawyers, accountants, scientists and businessmen among them) who all love sailing and cherish their weekend time on the water. They don’t come here to have high tea, they come to sail and they do that very well. The bond of camaraderie between the fellow sailors is exceptional as they lean on each other for support and guidance while encouraging those new to the sport.

Kudos Changi.

Day 2 Report written by Scott Murray, SEA Yachting Magazine

Day 2 Photos by Kit

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Singapore Regatta 2025 – Day 1

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Great Start to Singapore Regatta

One of the perks of holding a regatta at the Changi Sailing Club is that General Manager and Principal Race Officer Choy Yi Hong can stage the starts and finishes of the regatta from the Crow’s Nest of the club’s pier – how convenient is that? He doesn’t have to motor a great distance to find wind or a suitable place to drop anchor. He just wanders down from the clubhouse with a cup of coffee in his head, climbs to his perch, surveys the fleet and let loose with the start sequence.

Now for all you newbies to Singapore yacht racing, it’s certainly not for the feint of heart. At any given moment, in the East Johor Straits, you could have a container ship on your port side, an oil tanker on your starboard and a passenger ferry dead ahead and these behemoths aren’t slowing down, so you better have your head on a swivel and your wits about you, or you just might be saying bye to your boat and your health.

Luckily, the seasoned sailors of the august Changi Sailing Club (CSC) have plenty of experience dealing with this kind of heavy traffic on the water – they aren’t even slightly fazed when a camera boat gets in their way. I mean, after dealing with shipping containers and oil tankers a camera boat is like a rubber ducky.

As today’s racing was about to get underway, PRO Choy made a slight adjustment, taking into consideration fluky winds (10-12 knots) and asymmetrical conditions. He flew the U-flag at the Paku buoy, which became the new turning point as the fleet was diverted from the north angler due to the forecasted lighter winds coming from the east north-east. Once that was all sorted competitors headed out under bright sunny skies.

The J24s and Platu 25s were the first boats off the line with four boats racing in each One Design Class. The J24s saw Lisette Sens’ squad from the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club earn first place on Dua with Jun Zhang’ Chinese crew on the Jiangsu Tianyi High School team coming in second and CSC’s own Suzanne Updike placing third on Jock.

Ivan Boudioukine’s SMUve took top spot in the Platu Class with a Thai team headed by former Olympian Worrasard Saardien and National Jury member Pokpong Pattaweekongla taking second on Notus and Luc Yee’s SMUMad finishing third.

The next class in sequence was the 11-boat Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) class and today’s winner was the ever-so charismatic Simon Piff on his Beneteau First 50, Firstlight, who won on elapsed and corrected time. Second place went to Colin Clark’s Bound to Please and third place went to Michael Chung’s Brio. The tenacity award must go out to Manav Krishan out there single-handed on a boat also called First Light who kept at it and at it till the wind just died completely and the rain came.

In the IRC division, Martin Lund Jensen’s Zanzibar took an early lead, and owned it, zipping through the course for line honours (3:05:41) although they did finish fifth in the seven-boat class once their handicap was applied, and unfortunately, they did blow out their main (oops!). Winning this class today, however, was Lee Yimin’s Jolt, who is a day away from being declared the 2024-25 Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy winner (exciting times). Second in this class after handicap was applied was defending IRC class champion Adriaan Smit’s Adona, with Thomas Reckefuss’ Born in Fire placing third.

Eugene Wong’s Sirius Swift did some serious racing today winning the six-boat multihull class on both elapsed and corrected time. Freddy Fam’s Phoenix was second in the class edging out Giam Hock Koon’s Oojoo by thirty-seven seconds, who took third overall.

It was great to see the organizers of two other regional regattas on hand as Prakash Reddy, the chairman of the Nongsa Neptune Regatta in Indonesia was sailing on Zanzibar, while Irsyad Ismail, chairman of the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta was here to cheer on members of his Royal Selangor Yacht Club from Malaysia.       

Day 2 will be a series of windward-leeward races to decide who will win the coveted top honours at the fourth Singapore Regatta. Afterwards, there will be a prize-giving at the Changi Sailing Club to not only crown the winners of this regatta but the winner of the 102-year-old Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy.

Day 1 Results

SR25 Passage Race Results_MH

SR25 Passage Race Results_PY

SR25 Passage Race Results_IRC

SR25 Passage Race Results_OneDesign

Day 1 summary written by Scott Murray, SEA Yachting Magazine

Photos by Kit.

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Singapore Regatta 2025 Pre-Event Report

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Sail, Rattle & Roll as Changi preps for the 4th Singapore Regatta

The 4th Singapore Regatta welcomes competitors from local and regional sailing clubs to enjoy the prevailing northeast monsoon in one of the most iconic big boat and multihull regattas in Singapore. This regatta will take place on the 15-16 February 2025, purportedly the windiest and driest month of the year.
The picturesque Changi Sailing Club (CSC) has taken over the reins of the Singapore Regatta from the Singapore Sailing Federation. Supported by Raffles Marina, the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club and sanctioned by Singapore Sailing Federation, this signature event is a reimagined version of the Singapore Straits Regatta, borne from a vision of celebrating the best of keelboat and multihull sailing in Singapore and the region.
The Singapore Regatta is the final qualifying event for the prestigious Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy – a coveted prize awarded to the best performing IRC keelboat in the region.
The Sir Thomas Lipton Cup is a prestigious and historic trophy which dates back to 1923. It is awarded to the best performing yacht in eligible IRC categories across the following four regional events: the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, the Royal Langkawi International Regatta and the Singapore Regatta.
Why is this so important? Because since Captain Marty Rijkuris passed in December of 2019 his Asia Yachting Grand Prix (AYGP) series died with him, and the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Trophy is the first sailing series to unite the major regatta events held in mainland Southeast Asia.
Congratulations go out to CSC General Manager Choy Yi Hong for resurrecting this cherished chalice and for staging an event that has more entrees than any other regional regatta since COVID.
The 2025 event takes participating yachts on a scenic passage race route, enjoying panoramic views along the East Johor Straits. Following the passage race on Saturday, competitors will sail shorter windward-leeward races between Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong, two of Singapore’s most iconic islands. The regatta will feature a diverse group of 38 entrees with skippers from 19 different countries.
Six classes are grouped together in four divisions: the IRC Division has 7 boats competing; Club Racing (Portsmouth Yardstick) has 13 yachts sailing; the J24/Platu 25 Sports Boat Divisions have 10; & Multihulls & Beach Catamarans have 8 boats.
Who to watch for? Well, first off in the Platu 25 OD class the Singapore Management University Sailing Club (SMUSC) has entered two Platu 25s. SMUSC has long been active in the regional scene, participating in the Top of the Gulf Regatta, the Nongsa Regatta, the China Cup, and most recently, the SB20 Worlds in Singapore.
Adona, a J29, based at the Changi Sailing Club will be sailing. She is the defending Singapore Regatta IRC Division champion, and past winner of the PY Division (2022). She is skippered by Dutch national and CSC Social Secretary, Mr. Adriaan Smit.
Also, be on the lookout for Jolt, a J99 skippered by CSC member Lee Yimin; a class-three winner at the 2024 Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta. Jolt also had a second-place showing at the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2024 (IRC 2) and a third-place finish at the Royal Langkawi International Regatta 2025 (IRC1). She has the best chance to win this season’s Sir Thomas Lipton Cup.
Rolf Heemskerk’s The Next Factor is leading the Lipton Cup Series by three points over Lee Yimin’s Jolt and Nick Burns Blitz heading into the final event of the series. But as neither The Next Factor or Blitz is competing in this regatta, Jolt will most probably win the Thomas Lipton Cup. Peter Jong’s Kesini, also based at the CSC, sits five points back of Blitz, and has a very good chance of finishing third overall.
Red Rum One was the best performing IRC boat across all qualifying events during the 2023 – 2024 season, claiming the historic 102-year-old Challenge Trophy, but she will not be able to retain the trophy this campaign.
This year’s IRC Division also includes Zanzibar, a Humphreys 42, which won the 50th Rolex China Sea Race. She is based in Raffles Marina & skippered by her new owner, Martin Lund Jensen.
Sailors of note to watch out for include Xu Yuan Zhen Club Racer, a 2008 Beijing Olympics 470 Men’s Skipper. He will be sailing in the (PY) Division on Firstlight, a Beneteau 50 based in Raffles Marina. And in the Multihull Division, three-time Asian Games Medalist Teo Wee Chin will be crewing on Sirius Swift, a Corsair 880 Sport.
The guest of honour at the event will be Mr. Vince Tan, Director of Ops Transformation & Planning of the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore. After the opening and closing ceremonies, Sailors may adjourn to the Ubin Lounge for post racing drinks (2nd Floor, Clubhouse) and entertainment.

 

Written by Scott Murray, SEA Yachting Magazine

Singapore Regatta 2024 (Final Day and Closing Ceremony)

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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.

Results

SR24 Overall Results

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Singapore Regatta 2024 (Passage Race)

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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.

Results

Singapore Regatta 2024 Passage Race Results_Final

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Singapore Regatta 2024 (Pre-Event Report)

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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:

Singapore Regatta