Sun Hung Kai & Co. Around W O RD S: VIVIA N N G A N | IM AGES:
GU Y N OW EL L |
VIVIA N N G A N
Feature | Sun Hung Kai & Co. Around the Island Race 2021 Hong Kong’s largest annual celebration of sail, the Sun Hung Kai & Co. Around the Island Race, started in picture perfect conditions on 14 November. 228 boats from 14 classes including seven one-design classes, sportsboats, HKPN, IRC, dinghies and beach catamarans lined up for the 26nm circumnavigation of Hong Kong Island under a beautiful blue sky.
R
ace Officer David Norton set two start lines off Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s Kellett Island Clubhouse, with the line closest to Kellett Island used for starting the day boats and the outside line for the cruisers, racer and beach catamaran divisions.
The steady breeze in the harbour enabled the fleet to sail effortlessly through Lei Yue Mun gap and enjoy a fresh 15kts north easterly breeze by Shek O and Stanley, where hundreds of colourful spinnakers could be seen highlighting the horizon.
The first start was at 0830hrs with the Pandoras, HKPN Monohulls and Multihull Cruisers setting off in a northeasterly breeze of around 8 to10kts. By the completion of the 21 start sequences, the breeze had built up to 15kts, ideal conditions for the final start of the quickest yachts, the Fast Fleet 3, consisting of three TP52s and Trimaran 40 Carbon 3 set off at 1100hrs.
A softening breeze by noon saw the fleet slow up and compress as they approached the notoriously low breeze section of the course between Ap Lei Chau and Cyberport. With 6kts of breeze making for slow progress through the Cyberport Gate, the fleet made for the final turning mark into the harbour and on to the finish.
Showcasing a breathtaking sight from either land, sea or sky, members of the public gathered at the newly opened East Coast Park precinct to catch a glimpse of this amazing spectacle of sail.
Joachim Isler and Andrew Taylor’s Mills 41 Ambush was the first boat to cross the line back at Kellett Island at 1341hrs, followed by Tiffany & Jeremy Koo’s Ker 42 Custom Seawolf 2 and Helmuth Hennig and
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| JANUARY 2022 AHOY!
