Vega Rudder Race 2024, Thailand
by Sail World Asia 22 Apr 21:29 PDT
19 April 2024
Vayu. Vega Rudder Race 2024 © Team Vayu
Last December HM Queen Suthida of Thailand participated in the Phuket King's Cup on board Kevin and Tom Whitcraft's TP52, Vayu. Clearly this was a happy experience, as last weekend Her Majesty was back on board for the Vega Rudder race, a 57nm straight line dash from Hua Hin (actually, the Regent Cha-Am Resort in Phetchaburi) across the Gulf of Thailand to Toey Ngam Beach, Sattahip.
The Vega Rudder race commemorates the occasion when the late King Bhumiphol Adulyadej, an enthusiastic sailor, completed the same crossing in an OK dinghy in 1966, and this year attracted eight boats and competitors from Thailand, Great Britain, Australia, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
The race started at Cha Am beach in Phetchaburi province, with a finish line at Toey Ngam Beach, Sattahip district of Chonburi province, with a timing gate 30nm out in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand. Team Vayu crossed the finish line after a little over 4 hours, with Her Majesty at the helm all the way, to claim Line Hours and a win on handicap. Kevin Whitcraft has made the crossing before - in a Fireball and in a 470, and reports that "a TP52 is definitely the way to go."
At an Awards Ceremony, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn presented the Queen with the Vega Rudder Trophy, and all competitors received commemorative medals.