1. ecognized throughout the eastern
hemisphere as the premier sailing
event of its kind, the Phuket King’s
Cup Regatta once again put on a spectacular
display of the finest sailing talent from around
the world, competing in Andaman seas to win
the “must-have” racing trophy in all of Asia,
from 1 to 8 December, 2012. In addition to the
Regatta’s gravitas in attracting sailors from 34
countries and some of the fastest racing vessels
in the region, it is also an important event for
the island in terms of development and
commerce.
The fleet of the 2012 Phuket King’s
Cup Regatta comprised a broad mix of boats
crewed by an international assemblage of
sailors from 34 countries. In all, the fleet has
grown to encompass an extraordinary 168
entries this year. Among them were 78 ocean-going
racers and cruisers, 50 dinghies and 40
windsurfs. The jewel in the crown of the Asia
yachting circuit, the Phuket King’s Cup
Regatta’s reputation for world class competition
draws entrants from every corner of the globe
year-on-year, and its growth in diversity of racing
classes is adding to its international appeal.
The Regatta enjoys a very high level of
participation in its Bareboat Charter class, a
class in which the boat is chartered and drive by
the charterers. It is up to the skipper to crew the
boat and make it race-ready. This year’s Regatta
attracted 23 boats in this class, with many
R

2. PKCR 2012
Regatta kicks off 26th race with strong fleet
Overall Series
Results
IRC 0
1. Jelik
2. Won Ma Rang
3. Utarid
IRC 1
1. Ichiban
2. Foxy Lady 6
3. Walawala 2
IRC 2
1. Ichiban
2. Royal Thai Navy 1
3. Kata Rocks
Firefly 850
Sports
1. Voodoo
2. Dyer Straits
3. Twin Sharks
Multihull
1. Mojo
2. Fantasia
3. Sweet Chariot
Platu One Design
1. Tuay Lek
2. The Beaver
3. Sakura
Premier
1. Titania of Cowes
2. Pine Pacific
3. Xena
Bareboat Charter
1. Sail Plane
2. Agility International
3. Sarawadee
Modern Classic
1. Patrice III
2. Windstar
3. Emerald Blue
Cruising
1. No Name
2. Linda
3. Sansiri (Ooo La La)
different boat types and nationalities taking part,
including the largest number of Russians taking
in the Regatta, ever. In addition to monohull
boats, the Regatta also featured catamarans and
trimarans – fast and stable, the quickest are
generally the one-design, Phuket-built, Firefly
850 Sports catamarans.
The 2012 Regatta saw the reintroduction
of the Platu One Design class: a 25-foot sailing
yacht, popular in Asia and Europe, it is a small
easy-to-handle racer with surprising power and
speed, and yet not prohibitively expensive to
buy. Owners of these yachts compete in several
series in South East Asia, and its addition to the
Phuket King’s Cup as a specific class has
broadened the diversity of the Regatta yet further.
Firefly start, photo by Guy Nowell.
Other classes included Premier,
Modern Classic, Classic and Cruising;
perennial favourites among the worldwide
sailing community, and classes that broaden
the accessibility of Regatta competition to as
many people as possible. Kevin Whitcraft,
President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
Organising Committee, said, “It is the belief of
the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising
Committee that the sport of sailing should be
supported and developed wherever possible,
and the hosting of a diverse class structure
allows a great number of international teams of
various sizes to take part. It creates a magnificent
occasion with very close racing throughout the
classes.”

3. From the large keelboats and
multihulls, the Regatta includes a number of
small dinghies, including in 2012 the
Optimist, the Laser and the Topper. The
Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing boat
usable by children up to the age of 15 – an
internationally recognized one-design youth
racing class. The Laser is a simple, fast and fun
one-man racing boat, an Olympic class, and is
sailed in waters all over the world – over
250,000 have been sold since its introduction
in 1974. The newly added Topper class is an
11-foot sailing dinghy, and has been a popular
training and junior racing vessel for over 30
years.
The dinghy classes have been an
important part of sailing in Thailand since the
late 1970s, teaching essential seafaring skills to
young and grass roots sailors. It continues to
play a vital role in evolving Thailand’s success
as a sports sailing nation, and dinghies have
featured in the last four Regattas, helping to
empower the progression of youth sailing.
Predominantly Thai participants, 2012
welcomed international sailors to the Optimist
and Topper fleets – from China and Australia.
For 2012, the Regatta welcomed the
return of the Windsurfing class, providing an
injection of cool to the event and growing the
diversity further. The class attracted
windsurfing stars from around the world,
including Thailand’s own Ek Boonsawad and
Siriporn “Dao” Kaewduanggam, and the
Ladies 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist Marina
Alabau Neira from Spain. Ek recently
represented Thailand at the 2012 London
Olympics, while Dao won the 2010 Youth
Olympics in Singapore. They competed with
the best the windsurfing world has to offer,
with Hong Kong and Thailand leading the
standings and demonstrating their superiority
in the sport.
The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2012
also featured a Dinghy racing as part of its roster
of international events. Its inclusion has played
a part in the development of youth sailing in
Thailand, encouraging more young sailors to
take up the sport, and empowering the
Ichi Ban on her way to victory in IRC 1 class, photo by Joyce Ravara.
From left: Kamolwan Chanyim, winner of Laser class; Auckarapong Chayim,
winner of Laser class (Phuket Dinghy Series); Admiral Apiwat Srivardhana,
Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Committee; Kamonchanok Klahan, winner of
Optimist Girls; Anapat Ngarmdee, winner of Optimist (Phuket Dinghy Series
Boys); Admiral Tarathon Kajitsuwan, Commander-in-Chief; Pongsapat
Poomyam, winner of Optimist boys.

4. development of talented and aspiring skippers.
The reputation of Thailand as a sailing nation
continues to grow strongly with the Phuket
Dinghy Series functioning as an essential
proving ground for competitors wishing to
progress to full-scale cruisers and racing boats.
Windsurfers and dinghies competed for four
days (2nd - 5th December) while keelboats and
multihulls competed over five days (3rd – 8th
December, with the 6th December a rest day).
Kevin Whitcraft, spoke of the role this
classic race plays in the development of
Thailand as a sailing nation and sailing
destination: “We are very proud that the
Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is able to take a
regional role in contributing to the growth of the
Thai sailing community and the yachting
industry in Thailand, reinforcing its position
as one of the world’s premier sailing
destinations. It serves as an inspiration for new
and improving Thai sailors, giving them a
superb opportunity to experience international
competition. From a wider perspective, it is
hugely beneficial for Phuket, a part of Thailand
famed for its beautiful surroundings, legendary
hospitality and suitability for hosting Asia’s
ultimate Regatta.”
The Phuket King’s Cup is also famed
for its series of legendary beachside parties,
attracting over 1,500 partygoers who enjoy the
live music, great atmosphere and food and
drink provided by the Regatta’s sponsors. In
this respect, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
also functions as a high-quality platform for
event partners looking to grow their profile
nationally and engage directly in an experiential
way with the sports sailing community and the
general public.
One of the longest running
international sporting events in Phuket, the
Regatta generates a great deal of revenue for the
local economy, bringing with it sports tourists
with disposable income and around 40
million baht in tourism receipts, according to a
survey by the organizers. It serves to the great
benefit of Phuket’s hotels and restaurants,
which enjoy a surge of custom before, during
and after Regatta Week.
Sailpast, Phuket King’s Cup Regatta.

5. Kevin Whitcraft, owner and
crew member of Wan
Marang and President of
the King’s Cup Regatta
Organising Committee talks
about the development of
Thailand as a sailing nation,
and one truly classic
Regatta.
Kevin Whitcraft,
President of the Phuket
King’s Cup Regatta
Organising Committee.
1. Who is the skipper of your boat this year?
Our skipper, Jaray Tipsuk, is a sailor who has won two silver medals
in the Sea Games, and a gold in the J24 Sea Games in Singapore in
1996. When he was very young, he had a relative at the Thai Naval
base and he used to go watch the kids training in Optimist boats. The
then Captain Sunan invited him in and he was the best kid there. He
went on to the World Championships immediately. That was around
1979. He began helming at Royal Varuna Yacht Club in the early 80’s
and joined the national team in 1987 – the first year of the Phuket
King’s Cup Regatta.
2. Is it easy or difficult to find highly competent crew
members in Thailand?
We have an almost wholly Thai boat crew for the 2012 Phuket
King’s Cup Regatta, including a few Westerners who hold Thai citizenship.
It’s relatively easy, in fact, to find skilled Thai sailors. We have a lot
of history of sailing here in Thailand, with most of our crew competing
on and off internationally for over two decades, myself included;
consequently, many of the crew have been racing together for a long
time. Some of the other team members are, or were, a part of the
Thai national team, of which I was a part for six years. The Royal
Varuna Yacht Club has been instrumental for developing experienced
Thai sailors.
3. How do you gauge the level of improvement in
experienced and new Thai sailors?
It’s definitely getting broader. I think the Optimist programme has
been strong since the late seventies, and of course Thailand has
maintained a strong reputation in sailing thanks to His Majesty the
King. Many of us have over the years put in time coaching Opti’s
(Optimist, a small sailing dinghy) – and some of our crew have taught
this for over ten years. We’ve got a culture and history of sailing in
Thailand, so there’s quite a lot of improvement already there.
4. Does having a Thai speaking crew help in terms
of communication and teamwork?
We panic in Thai! Definitely when things get intense the language
is occasionally in Thai because it’s faster (laughs)! But we speak in
English as we have an American bow-man and a couple of Kiwis on
the crew, so to give them half a chance, we talk in English.
5. The Phuket Dinghy Series has been effective in the
development of young Thai sailors. Do many of them go
on to crew large racing boats?
Not a large percentage, actually. The biggest ‘problem’ in terms
of the development of sailing in Thailand is that Asian kids are focused
more on studies when in their teens, and so they switch their focus
to school following the growth of their experience in Optimist. The
Yacht Racing Association of Thailand has tried to get the sport into
universities so they now have sailing programs and they recognise
qualifications in their student assessment activities. My kids are
former Optimist champions, but have continued to compete internationally
in the 29er class. People tend to fall away from sailing for a bit due
to their studies and later due to their work commitments, but some
come back and many of the crew out of Ocean Marina were former
Opti sailors.
Action in Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, photo by Guy Nowell.
Utarid (Royal Malaysian Navy) racing in IRC 0 class, photo by
Guy Nowell.
When travel, excursions and repeat visits during
the year are factored in, the economic contribution of the
event is likely to be in the region of 300 million baht. The
event is strongly supported by local authorities and
Phuket Province, who work together with event organizers
to make the Regatta an annual success for everyone on the
Island.
SAIL BY
The whole Phuket King’s Cup Regatta fleet took
part in an inspiring sail pass outside of Nai Harn Bay
before the start of the third day of racing. Royal Thai Navy
yachts lead the procession of Regatta boats from around
the world, as they sailed past three Royal Thai Navy ships
positioned off Nai Harn Bay. Sailors of 34 nationalities
and Royal Thai Navy personnel saluted as they passed.
This spectacular tribute was held in honour of His
Majesty the King of Thailand’s 85th birthday.
Thousands of spectators, media and members of
the public also gathered on Phromthep Cape view point
to watch the sail pass and gun salute, followed by a
procession of the Royal Thai Navy ships, paying their
respect and showing their love and support of
Thailand’s Monarch, himself a gold medal-winning
sailor.
Following the sail pass and subsequent racing,
sailors enjoyed a lavish poolside party and prize-giving
ceremony at Phuket Orchid Resort & Spa hosted by Kata
Group. The popular resort also held a beautiful candlelit
ceremony in honour of the Regatta’s Royal Patronage.

6. FOLDING SAIL
Optimist racing. Day 2 of the International Dinghy classes at the 2012 Phuket King's Cup Regatta, photo by Joyce Ravara.
Beautiful sunshine, blue skies and
consistent winds marked the final day of the
2012 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in fitting style
as teams and their boats assembled at the start
line in a final bid to resolve their class contests.
Some results had effectively completed
yesterday, but a majority of classes were
anticipated to host some thrilling final day
action.
Frank Pong and his Jelik team
powered home in first place in IRC Zero
class, ahead of Thai team Won Ma Rang. Less
than three minutes separated them at the close
with the Hong Kong team eventually coming
out on top after a week-long battle. His Jelik
boat had raced at and won the Phuket King’s
Cup Regatta before, in 2007. He said, “We
decided last night just to have a good clean race
and keep out of trouble. Won Ma Rang
crossed ahead of us, but we picked up more
wind on the opposite side. It was a close race
but we had a point score advantage going into
the final round. I have to say, Won Ma Rang
has really come forward compared to two years
ago. They practice hard and have great people.
We’re both here every year, and I’ve been here
four or five times with this boat. It’s been four
years since our last win! We’ve been blessed
with six perfect days – even the reserve day had
good wind! Deservedly, the Phuket King’s
Cup is itself the King of Regattas in Asia.”
Jaray Tipsuk, skipper of Won Ma
Rang, said, “The conditions were great for
racing, and it was a very enjoyable challenge.
This is my 25th Regatta! So I know the race
well and always expect a strong challenge.
The crew will be the same next year when we
return to race in next year’s Phuket King’s
Cup Regatta. Our next race is in the
Singapore Straits so we will prepare for that
now.”
Steve Manning’s Walawala 2 team
performed very strongly in the final IRC1
clash, finishing first by three minutes.
However, the victory wasn’t enough as David
Fuller’s Ichi Ban team took the overall
honours by four points with Foxy Lady 6
taking the runner-up spot.
In IRC2, the second Ichi Ban team
lead by Matt Allen was also victorious. They
finished ahead of CPO.1 Wiwat Poonpat’s
Royal Thai Navy 1 boat by six points. By way
of consolation, Wiwat’s crew won the final
race today in round ten. Royal Thai Navy 2
skippered by Commander Peera Sagurtam
finished the week in fourth place.
In Platu One Design class, there’s
been an enjoyable week-long contest between

7. Kevin Whitcraft and crew in action on Won Ma Rang.
6. Is sailing a prohibitively expensive sport for most
people?
Yes, it can be. You would regularly see 140 Optimists and
Lasers competing in domestic events; then it (sailing) becomes
more expensive and the field gets a lot smaller not just in Thailand
but internationally. It’s possible for a group of individuals to split
the cost for a small keelboat, so there are ways and means for
newcomers to access the sport, at least at entry level. To get to
racing class it’s pretty expensive, although there are a large number
of Thai owners in the Platu class, but it’s not that costly as a hobby.
It’s reasonable, rather than affordable.
7. Please can you tell us about your boat?
The boat is from Croatia, and has been raced throughout the
Med for about 18 months. It arrived the day before the Phuket
King’s Cup Regatta four years ago. It’s very light – 4.5 tonnes and
we’ve worked on it over the years. Downwind we are pretty fast –
it’s our fourth year on board so we’re pretty used to it, with all the
new components we installed performing well. We’ve had a few
practice weekends which have helped us achieve strong finishing
in 2012’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta.
8. Please can you explain how you divide your attention
between your roles?
When I’m out there on the water, I don’t even think about the
Phuket King’s Cup Organising Committee responsibilities much; the
Committee, the organisation, the structure, sponsorships and so
forth. I’m just focused on being on the water and having fun,
competing and challenging, pushing as hard as we can and being
successful. And the jury, the organisation and structure all help me
in my capacity as President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
Organising Committee. We have an excellent PR team with Vivaldi,
and the organisational teams do a great job with the course, and
in providing international standard race management. And needless
to say the parties are well organised as well.
9. Why do you hold the Regatta at Kata Beach?
Kata Beach Resort & Spa is a strong supporter of the Regatta,
and a great host sponsor. You have to consider the number of
rooms available, facilities, the award ceremony, etcetera, so Kata
Beach Resort & Spa is perfect in many respects. It’s located in a
beautiful bay and the resort is popular with Regatta competitors.
10. Is Phuket Thailand’’’’s leading destination for sports
sai l ing?
Not just for sailing, but for runners, divers, surfers, windsurfing;
it’s an adventure sports playground. It’s such a beautiful area in
which to be outdoors and living life to the full – a large reason
behind why so many people come here, return here, and enjoy
being here.
11. What would you say to newcomers who want to take
up sailing?
It’s about getting started, so follow the advice of Nike and “just
do it!” Get licensed, get your basic training down, and most importantly,
get time on the water. That’s the key. Same as when I coach
Optimist sailors; it’s about experience and time spent getting out
there and sailing.
Wan Ma Rang (004) and Sansiri Katsu (003), racing in IRC Zero.
Photo by Joyce Ravara (top). Ek Boonsawad, Laser action on Day 3
of the dinghy classes racing. Photo by Joyce Ravara (above).
Thailand’s Tuay Lek and three Japanese boats. Junichi
Ishikawa won today in the final race, skippering The Beaver
to take the win, with Tuay Lek coming home in second.
The class finished with Tuay Lek on top by just a two-point
margin. This class has hosted a magnificent title fight this
year, and Thailand’s “home team” have come out on top.
The Premier class has also seen a great contest
unveil itself over the course of the week. Pine-Pacific won the
final two races, but it was Richard Dobb’s Titania of Cowes
that won the class, making it back-to-back Phuket King’s
Cup Regatta wins for the British team.
In the final Modern Classic class race, Peter
Wood’s Windstar team performed well for the victory,
ahead of Tim Costello’s Patrice III. However, Patrice III
won the class by a single point.
Mojo, skippered by Peter Wilcox, came first in the
final Multihull class, beating nearest rival, Fantasia
skippered by Andrew Stransky. The boats have been neck-and-
neck all week, and at the end of the final race, just a
single point separated the two teams in the class with Mojo
taking the overall title.
Han’s Rahmann’s Voodoo team have been on hot
form all week, and recorded another strong victory in the
final race of the Firefly 850 Sports class. There was a ten-point
gap between them and runners-up, Dyer Straits, at
the end of the week.
In the Cruising class, William Lo’s No Name won
by a clear margin. The boat was the largest in the class and
powered to victory in the last five races, making for an
undisputed class win.

8. Bareboat Charter class saw the
Agility International (Venture) team lead by
Graeme Sheldon win again, but it was not
quite enough to take the title from Sail Plane
skippered by Kirill Sakhartsev. The Russian
team have delivered a sterling performance all
week, and took the class win by two points.
Jelik won the splendid permanent
trophy, designed by Mom Luang Tri
Devakul and graciously bestowed by HM the
King, features nine silver sails rising up from
a silver sea, super-imposed by the symbol of
H.M the King, called the Tra Sanyalak, along
with the King’s initials, and the Thai nine.
The Royal Crown over-arcs the total trophy,
indicating the King’s Royal Patronage.
The 26th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
will be remembered for a week of great sailing
conditions, close racing and a magnificent
fleet comprising of 168 entries. Across most
of the classes, point scores came down to the
wire with many classes seeing three-way
battles going into the final day.
Kevin Whitcraft, President of the
Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing
Committee, said, “This Phuket King’s Cup
has been excellent and genuinely inspiring; a
lot of fun for everyone involved, partly
because the weather has been so excellent for
most of the week. We’ve seen some
spectacularly close racing, in some cases
down to just a few seconds after times have
been adjusted for handicaps. This is part of
the reason why the Phuket King’s Cup
Regatta is so regionally renowned. The party
series has been great too, and I would like to
thank all of our sponsors, partners and party
hosts for their support in pulling off this
superb Regatta.”
Excellent tropical sailing conditions,
close racing and highly enjoyable beachside
parties, reinforced the Phuket King’s Cup
Regatta’s reputation as Asia’s premier sailing
event. With close racing across many of the
classes this year and the reintroduction of a
windsurfing class, the level of quality just
gets better and better with each Regatta. The
2012 Regatta has been a resounding success,
and competitors will soon be thinking about
preparation for next year’s sure-to-be-legendary
Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2013:
30th November to 7th December 2013.
For more information, please visit
www.kingscup.com.
Facebook: http://
www.facebook.com/phuketkingscupregatta.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/
PhuketKingsCup
YouTube Channel: http://
www.youtube.com/phuketkingscup.
IRC Zero champs Jelik, photo by Guy Nowell.