8:33 AM Sat 29 Nov 2008 GMT
Thailand's Phuket Kings Cup, now its 22nd year, it's a truly international regatta and the situation at Thailand's international hub the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport and Don Muang, Bangkok's domestic airport, has thrown the travel plans for many of the participants and race organisers into disarray, but swift action from event organisers has eased the problems.
The Phuket Kings Cup racing schedule has been re-organised with the start of racing moved back until Tuesday and the midweek lay day now out, so that there will be five days of racing as planned..
Race Chairman Simon James explained it simply 'We've removed the lay day and we are started a day later. We have many people flying in from around the world, who have re-routed via KL and Singapore, where they have to have a lay over to catch flights into Phuket.
'We have a large number of people driving down from Bangkok and the event has brought down large number of event and media people down on their own chartered buses. The extra day will allow most of them to get here in time now'
Organising Committee President Kevin Whitcraft said this afternoon 'We are still looking forward to an excellent regatta. The fleet registered is encouraging in light of difficult situation in Bangkok's airport. This represents an enduring commitment from many regulars as well as keen interest from new entries that look forward to a great week of racing in paradise.
'We are fortunate that our improved registration processes which enables on line registration and payment, has been a great success so that registration at the event is very simple and quick.'
There are more than 90 entries in the regatta this year with the practice race on Monday and the full on racing for five days from Tuesday until Saturday December 6.
These days the word 'International' is often devalued when it comes to regattas, so much so that tongue in cheek use of the 'Intergalactics' to describe some very regional regattas.
One look at the Bareboat Cruising fleet at the King's Cup, shows that this is very much an international regatta
Simon James, continues 'this regatta has had strong international support amongst charterers for many years.
'Our Sunsail one Design Class is all ready fully booked for 2009 and across that and the Bare Boat Cruising fleet we have Australian, Japanese, Korean, British, Dutch, German, Dubai and Russian crews.
'These crews are managing to reschedule flights.'
The sailors agree with the organisers
Mariner Boating Holidays founder and Managing Director Trevor Joyce and a crew of five Australian clients was this afternoon preparing their Hanse 400 to race in the Bare Boat Charter fleet.
'Everyone is very relaxed. Of my team I was the only one, who had a bit of a problem as my flight into Bangkok, but I managed to get a flight from Melbourne into Kuala Lumpur and I arrived in Phuket last night.
'It's a sensible decision to re-organise the schedule, it does reduce the pressure. We are looking forward to a great week.'
The crew is a mix of South Australian, Victorian and New South Wales sailors with varying levels of experience. 'Part of my job' said Trevor, 'will be to weld them together into a crew before the racing gets too series.
We are looking forward to the practice race' he continued 'and we will use that to the max to learn how to make the boat go.
'The Hanse has a self tacking jib and an A-symmetrical kite so technically it should be simple but simplicity is often complicated by circumstances during a yacht race; rounding weather marks for example', he added.
Trevor continued; 'this event is the stuff of legends, one of the more important part of the Phuket Kings Cup Regatta, by reputation, is the post race party scene, which is seriously lubricated by the event's many sponsors.
'No one I have spoken to has ever said anything negative about the event, except for the occasional comment about lack of breeze but if there is no wind a swim in the 26 degree briny will not be a hardship' he concluded.
'There is plenty of wind out here today and it looks like it will continue Trevor, but regardless of the results on the water we will have a good time and appreciate the natural beauty of the area, the fantastic food and the gentle Thai culture'.
by Rob Kothe
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