The Singapore Straits Regatta came to a conclusion yesterday (Sunday) at the Changi Sailing Club on the north-east coast of this seafaring nation. The Straits Regatta is the premier sailing event in Singapore, part of a regional circuit and now in its eighth year. The third event on the Asian Yachting Circuit (AYC), the Singapore Straits Regatta this year attracted an international fleet of yachts from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The event has travelled from the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club to the Changi Sailing Club via Raffles Marina and the Riau Yacht Club. Day races of up to 40 nautical miles mixed with windward/leeward courses in the Riau Islands of Indonesia make this a true test of sailing.

The final race (Brewerkz Race) from the Riau Yacht Club to Changi was won by Neil Pryde on his Hong Kong yacht Hi Fidelity. This was their fourth victory in five races, with their worst result being a second place to fellow Hong Kong yacht and defending champion Stella skippered by Warwick Downes.

Lying second, before the start of the last race, behind Hi Fidelity was Stella and in third Karakoa from the Philippines, skippered by Ray Ordoveza. Fourth was the leading Singaporean challenger SINergy Team Singapore skippered by Paul Khor and fifth was Keith Moores Farr 40 Pla Loma.

Right from the start it was clear that, despite Hi Fidelity’s certain win, there was much racing left in the regatta and that this was important to all. If Karakoa could beat Stella then they would move up into second place. At the start Karakoa got the best start and was closely followed by Pla Loma and Australian Maid. Stella was behind in fourth and the race was on in ernest with a good 10 knots of breeze.

It was a great race to complete a successful regatta – and Stella was too good for Karakoa on this occasion winning the race with Karakoa second, SINergy Team Singapore on their new Mumm 30 in third ahead of Pla Loma and Australian Maid.

This meant that overall in the elite Racing Class A Division, behind champions Hi Fidelity (6 points) were Stella (9 points) and in third Karakoa (12 points). In fourth was SINergy Team Singapore (21 points) and in fifth Pla Loma (22 points). The winners took home trophies and specialist sailing equipment from Oregon Scientific.

Meanwhile in the Racing Class B Division it was KT2 skippered by David Low who took the overall title on 16 points just ahead of Shoon Fung Too skippered by Gordon Maxted on 18 points and Jangan Main Main skippered by Lee Sea Yean also on 18 points.

In the cruising PY Class it was Cassandra skippered by Chirs Schuler ahead of Joan Marie skippered by Graham Lind and Dondang Sayang skippered by Udo Beyer.

Winning skipper Neil Pryde aboard Hi Fidelity said: “This has been a tremendous regatta. We’ve had some really good wind and enjoyable racing. The light winds early on in the Regatta were testing, particularly that first race and there’s some shallow water around these parts that adds an extra element. We’re just pleased with the result and we’ll move on now to the China Sea Race which will be very different. We’ve won in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore – but the Hong Kong race is all off-shore racing.”

Paul Khor skipper on top Singaporean yacht and SINergy Team said “We’ve had a great regatta and we can be extremely pleased with our result. Last year we won the Racing Class B division and this was our first outing in the Racing Class A. It’s really tough out there with some great boats and crews – a real step up in all respects. But we’ve held our own and our next step, apart from competing next year at this Regatta, will be to mount a challenge at some of the other regattas on the Asian Yachting Circuit.”