Champion of Champions

Impala Skipper KK Lee and crew Ayden Lam continued their successful summer of racing by securing the official bragging rights of Champion of Champions for the 2021-2022 Season, at the annual running of the event by the same name on Saturday 27 August.

In superb racing conditions of 7 to 14kts under a blue sky, nine teams comprising of the Class Champion (or their next top representative), from each of the Dragons, Etchells, Flying Fifteens, Impalas, J/80, Pandora, Ruffians and Sportsboats Classes, along with an entry from the RHKYC Sharks Youth Squad to represent the Dinghies; took to the water in the Quest dinghies and raced a gruelling schedule of 30 randomly paired 2 x 2 boat - Team Races.

With impressive Team Racing play on display early in the regatta, it was clear that defending Champions Peter Britten and Oliver Merz of the Flying Fifteens were in for a hard-fought battle to retain their crown for a second year running.

Sailed right outside the Clubhouse at Middle Island, many of our class sailors had been seen honing their skills in training sessions in the lead up to the event. ARO Mark Parker had also hosted a well-attended, comprehensive team racing seminar to prepare the sailors for the days racing format, the night prior to the event.

In the heated battle of racing, all of the classic Team Racing manoeuvres were coming into play with mark traps and pass backs being executed and it was the youngest team of the Sharks Race Squad who put on a great display of their slick skills in the early part of racing. Putting in some well calculated tactical moves they got the jump on the competition early, with an impressive 100% score line of race wins by Flight 5, with 10 races sailed. Despite a loose toe strap in Race 28, which saw two of the three Sharks sailors in for a swim, an outstanding recovery was executed as they clawed their way back into 2nd place by the last mark, after a display of some great teamwork with their fellow blue teammates, the Impalas. The Sharks exhibiting a real force to be reckoned with in the future!

After much whistle blowing and flag waving by both the umpires and sailors, it was down to the wire in the last flight of the day to decide the Champion. Race 30 saw the Sportsboats start on port while fellow Yellow Team member - the Flying Fifteens, held out the Blue Team, putting them in a commanding position for the rest of the race, which they went on to win. Unfortunately, it was just not enough of a win for the randomly paired combination to lift the Flying Fifteens into a backto-back win, and the Impalas were the eventual overall winners. Followed closely by the Etchells in 2nd place, the Flying Fifteens had to settle for 3rd place, securing the position from the Sharks on a count back.

On announcing the winners at the end of the day, Race Officer Ian Fleming congratulated the Impala team on their great win while praising all the sailors for getting through the schedule, an exhausting but rewarding day for all involved. In wrapping up the day the RO felt it necessary to give the nod to a “RO awarded - most memorable moment on the course” which went to the J/80 team, highlighted as the best swim of the day as they capsized while in a fierce dual….. with their own teammate!

Etchells Class secretary Elizabeth Wai crewed for the Etchells Class Team with Skipper Richie Allen and expressed their “ thanks to Mark Parker, Flemo and the remainder of the race management team, judges - all the volunteers, who organised a very challenging though enjoyable event. We were amazed at how seamlessly the team pulled off 30 races! There were a few of us competing, including myself, that had never done team racing before. Not only did we learn a lot, but also made new friends with some of the other classes we don't normally mingle with. It’s time to let the rest of the club know more about team racing and about everyone's efforts behind the scenes!”

A huge thanks to all our sailors and our great volunteers for the day: RO Ian Fleming, ARO Mark Parker, Race Management Team Mark Dowding, Stephen Leung, Julian Fung, Bonnie Cheng. Umpire Team: David Fan, Virgile Bertrand, Felix Ng, Josephine Cheng, Patrick Kwan, Niclas Rydin, Andrew Moore and to Denis Martinet for the Facebook Live coverage- a great day out on the water had by all.

*See you all at the next Team Racing event, the Interclass Festival on 27 and 28 May 2023.