Preview

Saturday 12 October sees the start of the 2002 China Coast Race Week, a major event on the Asian sailing calendar which consists of a 3-day inshore Regatta in Hong Kong waters, followed by a gruelling 355nm offshore downhill dash to Hainan.

China Coast Race Week is organized by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and has been an annual event since 1995. This year, the Regatta will be contested from Oct 12-14 starting at 11:00am daily, with IRC entrants being tested over three windward / leeward and two island courses while HKPN Division races a geometric course and three islands courses.

The 25 Regatta entrants will moor off RHKYC’s Middle Island sailing centre in Deepwater Bay for the duration of the Regatta. The Hainan race will start at mid-day on Wednesday 16 October.

Frank Pong’s Jelik (HKG) will mount another bid to win line honours again this year and attempt to break the current race record of 29:55:03 held by Sam Chan’s Ffree Fire (HKG) who, whilst still being outside the record last year, finished second on corrected time.
Last year’s winner, the Sydney 38 Stella (Fred Kinmonth), will be defending her Hainan overall IRC and IRC Div A titles against seven other boats.