SAMUI : Walawala 2 and Jelik were the big winners on Day Two of the Samui Regatta, both extending their leads and building up commanding positions on the scoreboard.
Walawala 2 extends their overall lead in IRC One at the Samui Regatta. Samuipics.com
A 1-3 the day before for Steve Manning and his crew on Walawala 2 in IRC One gave them a solid start to the Series, and they went in yesterday full of confidence.
Enjoying the strong breeze, Walawala 2 sailed two perfect races to win two from two and take a commanding lead at the top of the class standings.
Second-placed finisher last year Foxy Lady 6, skippered by Bill Bremner and with Steve McConaghy on board, kept the pressure up and added a 2-4 to their 3-2 scoreline from the day before, leaving them second overall.
Defending champions EFG Bank Mandrake, skippered by Nick Burns-Fred Kinmonth, despite being only 19 seconds off first place on corrected time in Race One, finished third. Fifth place in the second race of the day caused them to slip down the rankings.
In IRC Zero, Frank Pong and his multinational crew on Jelik scored another win in Race One with Katsu, skippered Ben Copley, just 11 seconds behind and Sam Chan's Freefire in third. In Race Two, Pong had to settle for second behind the 72-foot Antipodes, skippered by Geoff Hill and with round-the-world yacht racer Matt Humphries on board.
Henry Kaye's Sweet Chariot had a disappointing day on Monday with a 3-DNF but found his groove in the better winds, scoring two bullets.
David Liddell's Miss Saigon fell off the pace after blowing a kite and finished with two second places ahead of Crazy Horse, raced by Team Kunta-Zanzen, with two thirds.