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Phuket Magazine Vol. 13.1

Where Dreams Come True
For some people, Phuket is the ideal spot for their dream house and the interior of that house is where the dream comes true

Art on the Eighth Latitude
For others, Phuket works its magic, inspiring artists to create.

King’s Cup Review - A Great Regatta
Though breezes were lighter than perfect, the fifteenth regatta proved that the show goes on in any conditions.

Investing in Phuket: A Rock Foundation or Castles in the Sand?
Phuket is not only beautiful but it’s also a safe haven in these

Ice Cream: Thai Style
Ever have ice cream on a hot dog bun? Try it — you might like it, as well as other ice cream novelties as only the Thais can create them.

Soft Lighting, Softer Music and Spicy Thai Cuisine

A Lazy Lunch at Rydges Beach Resort

Expat Diary: Jai Yen. Jai Yen Yen

ARCHIVES:

A Great Regatta Never Mind The Gods Were Offended

By Collin Piprell

"The Phuket King's Cup," according to Andrew Owen, managing director of Proteus Sports, organizer of the Asian Yachting Circuit, "is the jewel in the crown of the Circuit. This is a classic sporting event by any standards, whether we consider the level of competition and the sportsmanship of the sailors, the grace of the sailing vessels, the natural beauty of Phuket, or the natural charm of traditional Thai culture."

The 15th annual Phuket King's Cup Regatta was a masterpiece of planning and organization, and should have been one of the best ever. But the gods, perhaps offended at mortal aspirations to perfection, denied the sailors one vital ingredient.

New equipment, new rules, new courses, excellent sponsors, superb organization - they had it all. "We're readier to cope with adverse conditions than ever before," announced Andy Dowden, Committee vice president (racing) and managing director of Phuket Marina Services, at the pre-Regatta skippers' briefing.

Adverse conditions. Here's a nice example of adversity for a racing yacht, an incident reported by at least one contestant. You have your spinnaker up, sustained more by fervent desire than the slightest of breezes, and your anchor is down. No, this is not standard sailboat racing procedure; but the current is stronger than the wind, and you would otherwise be racing backwards, away from the finish line, which remains within spitting distance. In fact you stay there till the race ends, and you never do finish.

There wasn't much wind. But this being the King's Cup, all was far from being lost. There was some wind, after all. And judicious last-minute alterations to several of the courses, plus a bit of patience on all sides, meant that a good time was had by all. Not least among the consolations were the series of gala dinners and parties. The lavish soirees hosted by the Kata Beach Resort, the Evason Phuket Resort and Spa, Mom Tri's Boathouse, the Thavorn Beach Village, and the Central Karon Village Cliff Top Restaurant, not to mention the Kata Beach Soi 44 street party, provided an entire week of evening venues for discussion of fickle wind gods.

The Regatta, promoted as the largest annual lifestyle and sporting event in Thailand, boosts local Phuket tourism as well as the global image of Thailand as a whole. Sponsorship reached new highs, with principal patron BMW proclaiming itself well satisfied, and even better is expected next year. For sailors, the King's Cup is not just "the crown jewel" in the Asian Racing Circuit - for those who can take the time, it's the prelude to exploring some of the finest cruising grounds in the world, not to mention enjoying the many other attractions offered by Phuket and environs.

The King's Cup provides first-rate racing, Phuket lifestyle activities, and money for HM the King's projects and local charities. In 2000, the proceeds of the layday golfing tournament were donated to Star Aid, a charity designed to help local people suffering from HIV/AIDS. This year, unfortunately, the layday charity golf tournament had to be cancelled, what with organizers taking whatever opportunities they could to catch up the racing events, standing by for whatever winds might appear, hoping for afternoon onshore breezes at the least. Several of the would-be competitors nevertheless contributed what would have been their golfing teams' green fees. This year the King's Cup Committee members also provided money - a sum matched by one Thai Committee member - to help set up a sailing school for underprivileged sea nomad children. The idea was to help these kids find later employment in the local boating industry, which is set to boom but which remains short of qualified local people to operate it. In 2001, moreover, the Regatta, in conjunction with Phuket Governor Pongdayome Vasaputi, ran an art and essay competition, offering prizes to primary, secondary, and tertiary students in the Kingdom. Entries were to include three elements: the King, sailing, and Phuket. Prizes included both cash and a five-day Sunsail yacht sailing course.
"With the support of our sponsors and the Royal Thai Navy," suggests President of the Organising Committee Nigel Hardy, "together with the continuing participation of the yachting community world-wide, we will continue to pursue all of these goals with ever-greater success."

During the closing ceremonies, Hardy paid tribute to the Racing Committee who, under the direction of Admiral Varong Songcharoen and Andy Dowden, had worked so hard and, in spite of the "extreme" weather conditions, made the 15th running of the King's Cup a remarkable success.

Hardy also announced that the Regatta would be run from 7-14 December in 2002, the Committee having decided that, after two consecutive years of the doldrums, this change would improve the chances of favourable conditions. The Committee is also seriously considering an overnight race as well, potentially an exciting addition for the coming year.