Jelik storm to victory at Samui Regatta

Jelik storm to victory at Samui Regatta

Opening win seals title for Hong Kong skipper

SAMUI : Frank Pong's Jelik of Hong Kong won the IRC Zero title on the penultimate day of the Samui Regatta yesterday.

Jelik claim the IRC Zero crown yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUIPICS.COM.

Jelik won yesterday's first race but struggled in the second with a fifth-placed finish. However, the results were enough for Pong and his crew to take an insurmountable lead with only one race in the class on the final day today.

Hong Kong's Freefire, skippered by Sam Chan, scored second- and third-place finishes while Ben Copley's Katsu of Australia finished fourth and second. Freefire were second overall and Katsu third.

Foxy Lady 6 (Singapore) had a two-point lead before yesterday's competition but their fifth and third places opened up the IRC One battle with two final races scheduled for today.

Foxy Laday 6 and Steve Manning's Walawala 2, also of Singapore, were tied for first place overall after yesterday's races.

Hong Kong's Elektra, skippered by Marcel Liedts, secured fourth- and first-placed finishes to stay third overall, just two points off the lead.

In the IRC Two, Australia's Ichi Ban, skippered by Scott Duncanson in Matt Allen's absence, continued their winning ways with two more wins. They have won all seven races and are almost unbeatable going into today's final day.

Gary Baguley's El Coyote (Thailand) finished second twice and were second overall.

Simpson mourned

In London, family, friends and Olympic champions were among the mourners who came together on Friday for the funeral of British yachtsman Andrew Simpson, who died in a training accident in San Francisco earlier this month.

The 36-year-old's funeral was due to take place at Sherborne Abbey in the southwest English county of Dorset, followed by a private family burial.

Simpson wold gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver at last year's London Games in the Star discipline alongside his best friend Iain Percy, who was one of the pallbearers.

Four-time Olympic sailing champion Ben Ainslie, another long-term friend, was also among the pallbearers. Simpson's hometown of Sherborne, a market town with a population of around 9,000, was bedecked in red, white and blue bunting for the occasion.

Mourners were also invited to bring photographs of Simpson to create a 'memory wall', which a family spokesman explained would be "for people to share and his family to treasure".

Jan Paterson, the British Olympic Association's deputy chef de mission at London 2012, described Simpson as a "highly respected British Olympian" and an "inspirational figure" who will be "greatly missed".

Simpson, nicknamed 'Bart', died after becoming trapped beneath his AC72 catamaran when it capsized during training with Artemis Racing for the America's Cup on May 9.

He is survived by his wife, Leah, and sons Freddie and Hamish.

His family plan to establish a grassroots sailing charity in his name.

"As many people have told me in the last few weeks, Andy has accomplished more in his 36 years than most people do in their lifetime," his sister, Amanda, told British press.

"We have been deeply moved by all the beautiful tributes received during this immensely sad time.

"Andrew's presence will be greatly missed by our whole family and we look forward to setting up the charity to carry on inspiring grassroots sailing in Andrew's memory."

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