(Hong Kong, China)- A fleet of seventeen from a 25-boat entry field
headed off on the annual San Fernando Race from Victoria Harbour on
Wednesday, April 1st but this year the fleet did not go anywhere near
San Fernando. In the “normal” race, the 480nm Category 1 offshore race
goes from Hong Kong, China to San Fernando in the Philippines. Instead,
the fleet looped back to Hong Kong because of a super typhoon that was
forecasted (and did) hit the Philippines with devastating damage.With unseasonal southerly winds of between 2 knots and 8 knots, race officer Simon Boyde set a start line in the middle of the harbour and sent the fleet off on the rerouted San Fernando Race, a 330nm challenge that was described by one sailor as, “pleasant conditions but, tactically, very difficult because of the challenging weather”.
The race has been a popular one for the Hong Kong/ China offshore community; especially since the warm reception at the San Fernando YC doubles as an enormous charity/ benefit for the children! Unfortunately, that did not happen this year because of the super typhoon.
Taking top honors in IRC Racing 2 was Nick Southward’s J/109 WHISKEY JACK, winning by an enormous margin of six hours corrected time. Having a more difficult time of the conditions but still making the most of it was Paul Leese and David Mitchell’s J/145c REDEYE, taking a 2nd in IRC Racing 1. For more Royal Hong Kong YC San Fernando Race sailing information
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