Commodore’s Message

And here I was thinking that we had a positive start to year, only to discover upon my return to Hong Kong that our pesky little virus and his acolytes had reared their ugly little heads again. Well I can only hope that the year of the Tiger, an animal known for its combative spirit can only bode well in our efforts to return to a modicum of normality.

I was nevertheless able to travel to Sydney where I was kindly invited by our former sponsorship manager Torey Dorsey to join the SailGP racing. I was already salivating at the prospect but my excitement was cut short as a three-day isolation was imposed on arriving travellers. Nevertheless I kept my spirits up as the Commodore of the CYCA had graciously invited me to be on the start boat for the iconic Rolex Sydney Hobart. Well you guessed it, two days before Boxing Day, the organisers had to cancel all hospitality. With cases growing exponentially, one could understand this was the only sensible decision.

Well I was able to wish fair winds to our friends on Chutzpah, who by all accounts had a great race in conditions not propitious to their type of boat! Great effort too by SHK Scallywag, first out of the harbour but plagued with incidents which slowed their promising pace. Still 3rd over the line is to be applauded in such testing conditions. My congratulations to all members who participated in this remarkable and challenging race.

Talking of racing, I was able to grab some action with the Etchells Sydney fleet thanks to absent member and crew mate James Arnold! I crewed for the Commodore himself, Christian Brook, who kindly offered me a slot. Well, I think he was short one man and I was the only option. Great afternoon out, with a 25kts North Easterly. Great action, but boy did I forget how hard crews work on these boats! We needed some relaxation after all the exertion and what a better way than hopping on a vintage motor boat and grabbing a front seat and a few beverages to watch these awesome F50, shredding the harbour! Thank you Christian and James, this was a perfect way to see off the year!

Well, enough of sailing, as, you may recall, I promised our rowing and paddling fraternity that this edition of Ahoy would include more of them and their aquatic exploits!

More about going around our fantastic Island of Hong Kong, with the Mercedes-Benz Around the Island Race 2021, with first the outrigger canoes on Saturday 20 November.

The RHKYC Men’s A Outrigger Canoe team had a very hard fought race against the VRC crew resulting in an extremely close finish – RHKYC ended up winning by one second after an incredible battle down the Middle Island Channel. Can you imagine a tighter finish, after 45kms and just one second between the two crews! RHKYC finished in 3:44:07.

The RHKYC Women’s A Outrigger Canoe team dominated their race finishing in a time of 4:23:39, 26 minutes ahead of their competition and a measly three minutes behind the quickest mixed crew. What an achievement!

Sunday 21st saw the rowers taking up the challenge of Hong Kong island circumnavigation! And boy did they take it up! Records were set galore.

First, our Mixed C2x, Club Member Winky Hui and 2016 HKG Olympian Chun Chiu-hin were the quickest rowing crew, finishing the race in 3 hours 38 minutes, more than 30 minutes ahead of the previous record. You remember Winky? She is the 2021 recipient of the Samantha Kelly award.

Not to be undone, Claire Burley beat the previous women’s C1x record, rowing the course in 5 hours and 3 minutes. For sailors such as myself, I should probably clarify that C1 means Claire was ALONE on her skiff, chapeau bas, loosely translated as hat’s off to salute such an accomplishment!

Our very own Rowing Captain Guy Parsonage and his merry rowers won the Open C4x+ finishing in 3 hours and 46 minutes. Now, whilst this is impressive to the likes of you and I, I have it on good authority that Guy was none too pleased. Well to be accurate, it puts Winky and Chiu-hin’s feat in an impressive light – the C2 faster than the C4x+!

So quite some action over these days in November, which when you include the relay racing on Sunday 28 November, means that over 348 rowers and outriggers paddlers went around Hong Kong! Congratulations to all of you and to all those that worked tirelessly as volunteers to make it happen. And a great thanks to our sponsor Mercedes-Benz!

As I write these lines, from the solitude of my quarantine room, I wish you and your families a warm Kung Hei Fat Choi, a happy new year of the Tiger, who, aptly is a Water Tiger – this must be a positive omen for our Club!