Skipper Pong on cloud nine

Frank Pong's Jelik wins in IRC Zero Class in the Phuket King

Jelik takes King's Cup honours after 5 years

Hong Kong-based Frank Pong's Jelik took the line honours in the 10th and final race of the IRC Zero Class yesterday and underlined its supremacy in the 26th Phuket King's Cup Regatta.

Pong and his experienced crew superbly controlled the huge Jelik, launched in 1998, to cross the finish line first yesterday for an aggregate 14 points from 10 races. The win in the race helped him and his crew to land the prestigious King's Cup for the second time. He first won the event with the yacht in 2007. Last year, Pong skippered Jelik II, but failed to make his mark.

"It's great to win the King's Cup again. The 10-knot breeze was very good for our last race. On Friday night, my crew and I discussed and decided to clean up all the trouble to win the final race. And finally, we could make it," King's Cup stalwart Pong said.

In second place in the IRC Zero Class was Kevin Whitcraft's Wan Ma Rang with 17 points. The Thai-registered yacht finished second in yesterday's race. Mohamad Hazali Mansor's Royal Malaysian Navy came in third place overall with 23 points.

"To win the Cup, we needed to claim the race today and at the same time Pong's Jelik must finish fourth place. Unfortunately, we tried hard but we just managed to finish second in our last race and Jelik took the line honours. Our overall points are not good enough to win the Cup," said veteran Jarae Thipsuk, the Thai skipper in Whitcraft's Wan Ma Rang.

Australian David Fuller's Ichi Ban captured the IRC1 Class with 18 points, with Bill Bremner aboard Foxy Lady 6 taking the second place with 22 points and Steve Manning skippering Walawala 2 to finish third place with 24.5 points.

In the IRC2 Class, Australian Matt Allen's Ichi Ban did not start in yesterday's final race, but still reigned supreme with 13 points overall. Royal Thai Navy 1, with former Thai national sailor Wiwat Poonpat at the helm, took the second place with 19 points, while Briton Peter Dyer aboard Kata Rocks claimed the third spot with 24 points.

Russian Kirill Sakhartsev, skippering Sail Plane, remained the best in the 23-yacht Bareboat Charter Class after collecting eight points from seven races to capture the title.

The Premier Class honours were taken by Briton Richard Dobbs and his Titania of Cowes team with 10 points from eight races, while Scott Duncanson's Thai-registered Tuay Lek clinched the Platu One Design Class with 16 points from 10 races.

Irish Tim Costello helmed Patrice III to win the Modern Classic Class with 10 points from seven races, with Peter Wood's Windstar in close second spot with just one point behind.

Taking the Multihull Class was Peter Wilcox aboard Mojo after collecting 13 points from 10 races, while Aussie Andrew Stransky's Fantasia was in second place with only one point short.

Hans Rahmann and his experienced crew aboard Voodoo captured the Firefly 850 Sports Class with the minimum 12 points from 10 races overall, while Australian William Lo's No Name did not compete in race 1 and 2 on the first day, but came up in top gear to win every remaining race. Lo had 11 points from seven races to win the Cruising Class honour.

Admiral ML Usani Pramoj, privy councillor and royal representative, yesterday presided over the awarding and closing ceremonies to present the prestigious King's Cups to the overall winners in respective classes.

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/09/skipper-pong-on-cloud-nine/