Pattaya Mail — Sports

SEA Games Yachting; the inside story

by Peter Cummins

Now that the dust has settled at the end of last month’s 19th edition of the South East Asian (SEA) Games held in Indonesia, it is worth a closer look at the performances of our own Pattaya sailors.

Although the 700-strong Thai team fared rather poorly at the Games, our sailors from Sattahip and Pattaya did very well, indeed, to garner five golds, two silvers and four bronzes - a total of 11 medals out of the 13 events sailed. Quite a remarkable performance, really.

Sattahip Navy men Damrongsak Vongtim and Prasertsak Moolprasert, familiar figures around our Pattaya waters, absolutely demolished the competition, to win, in 10 straight races, the Hobie Cat 16 class event. Kid sister Wandee Vongtim, with crew Teeranoot Wongrak, won the gold in the women’s 420 class and windsurfing champions from Jomtien Beach Amara Wichitong and Arun Honraruen both won golds in their respective women’s and men’s lightweight windsurfing divisions.

Elsewhere, in the Raceboard Mistral Light-weight division, Phanuth Ruamsip and Pradap Rangaphit made it Thailand’s fifth gold.

Photo: Patrick Helms: The first Thai sailor to win an Olympic Gold? (Photo by Peter Cummins)

But our hero - or, in this case, our heroine - at the SEA Games was undoubtedly Pattaya’s own Royal Varuna Yacht Club teen-age star, Bianca Helms, whose sailing prowess has featured several times in the pages of the Pattaya Mail. This fifteen-year-old school-girl finished second, winning a silver in the Europe dinghy division, being beaten only by Singapore’s Tracey Tan, acknowledged as one of the region’s best and most experienced lady sailors who is also several years older than Bianca.

Yet, in spite of these fine individual performances, there was something seriously amiss in the sailing camp. One can only look askance at the organization, when it is learned that the Thai sailing squad spent the first week at Ancol Beach, the venue for the SEA Games yachting section, just sitting around: there were no boats. It could be compared to a skier who goes to the slopes without skis or a golfer who goes to the links, forgetting the golf clubs.

But there was another factor which reflected badly on the Thai team management: while little Bianca was out sailing to bring honour to the Kingdom, big brother Patrick - one of Asia’s best Laser sailors - was sitting on Ancol Beach. While it is not to say that Patrick would have won a gold: nevertheless, in the strong winds which well suited his fine physique, he would have been very hard to beat. On the contrary, the Thai Laser sailor, whom Patrick has soundly beaten in every encounter, was totally inadequate for the conditions and turned in a most dismal performance, the worst of the Thai team.

Patrick, the youngest sailor ever to win the highly-competitive Laser National Championships of Thailand in 1995, while still only 15 years old and, now, at 17, he is again champion, pausing along the way to come third in 1996 and win the OK Dinghy National Championships that same year. And, just last weekend, he won the 1997 Laser District Championships of Thailand sailed off the Royal Varuna Yacht Club.

At the time of SEA Games selection trials, Patrick was sailing at the First Radial Youth World Championships off the Moroccan coast, finishing an extremely well placed 46th out of 121 competitors from 31 countries. In the fifth race of the 10-race championship, Patrick had 120 Laser sailors in his wake, just losing first place at the finishing line.

Watching this performance, a senior Laser official was heard to remark: "that young fellow, with more experience and international competition, could well be Thailand’s first Olympic yachting gold medallist - Sydney 2000 - unless I am much mistaken."

Nevertheless, as a ‘gesture’, the SEA Games selectors ‘offered’ Patrick a place as a team reserve. It should be noted here that the Helms siblings attended the SEA Games - as all other events in which they have represented the Kingdom in yachting - at their parents’ expense and not through public funding.

One can only surmise what kind of woolly thinking goes on inside the heads of officialdom which is usually too busy assuring itself of being invited to the next round of championships, to concentrate on the job of garnering the maximum number of medals and most honour for the Kingdom.

Leave Patrick on the beach because he was not present at the SEA Games selection trials? Rubbish! Many countries use the placings in national championships as the criteria for selecting teams for international events.

Last weekend’s Laser District Championships of Thailand were a further vindication - if one was necessary - of this poor judgement at Ancol Beach. In the prevailing light-to-very light conditions, which certainly did not suit him, Patrick won easily from a top field with three first and two second placings out of the five races sailed. Who came second, in a fleet of aggressive, macho males? That little lady, Bianca.

Let’s hope that next year’s 13th Asiad, where the yachting section will be held at Sattahip, will be more indicative of who’s who in yachting Thailand.

Volvo Women's Open finals this weekend at Dusit

The final rounds of the Volvo Women’s Open, Thailand’s largest women’s tennis tournament, will be played this weekend on the courts of the Dusit Resort Pattaya.

The main draw quarter final round is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Friday, November 21, followed by a pro-am tournament at 7:00 p.m.

The main draw semi-final round is scheduled for Saturday, November 22 beginning at 3:00 p.m.

The singles main draw final round is scheduled for Sunday, November 23 beginning at 3:00 p.m., and will be followed by the doubles main draw final round.

At stake this year will be the highest purse ever for the Open, a total of US $107,500, with the singles winner taking home $17,700.

In last week’s Pattaya Mail it was reported that Yayuk Bazuki from Indonesia would enter the tournament as the top seed. After press time, however, it was revealed that Yayuk withdrew from the tournament to play in New York.

Photo: Last year's Volvo Women's Open Tennis singles champion and this year's top seed Ruxandra Dragomir from Romania warms up for last year's finals at the Dusit Resort Pattaya.

It was also reported that last year’s winner Ruxandra Dragomir from Romania would not be back to defend her title. She is, however, back. Ruxandra replaced Yayuk as the top seed.

Thai hopeful Tamarine Tanasugarn is also back after nearly missing victory in the championship round last year. After a Cinderella run through the tournament, Ruxandra Dragomir tamed Tamarine with a powerful straight sets victory in the singles final.

Tournament sponsor Swedish Motors PCL (the sole distributor of Volvo automobiles in Thailand) has been associated with tennis in Thailand since 1989. Volvo’s objective is to offer Thai players the chance to be a part of one of the world’s greatest events, which significantly helps them improve their skills, performance and ability. This event will also help to promote Pattaya as one of the most famous tourist resorts in the region.

Other major sponsors include Tero Traffic Corner Co., Ltd., Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand under His Majesty’s Patronage, Shell, Wilson, Singha, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Dusit Resort Pattaya, Pepsi and Thai Airways.

Roy “Tiger” Mitchell earns PGS 3rd Season Trophy

Roy "Tiger" Mitchell earned his third Pattaya Golf Society seasonal trophy as the PGS 1997 3rd season came to a close on Tuesday, November 11, at Khao Kheow.

Roy outplayed 29 PGS members taking part in the season’s competitions, and winning for the third time, earned the right to keep the hardware.

PGS Chairman Peter Johannson finished in second place over the series of tournaments, followed by the hard-charging Les Winch in third.

Brian Kelly won the final tournament played in perfect conditions at Khao Kheow with a net 5 under par 65. Brian earned his second PGS victory with a glistening 101 off his 34 handicap. Brian is now one of the favorites for the upcoming PGS championships.

Tony Davies, coming back after an 8 month absence, finished second on the final day of the season. Tony carded 4 pars (as well as an 11 and a 9) for a scratch 105, net 6 over par 78.

Peter Johannson placed third after an up and down round with 9 good holes and 9 not so good. Peter finished with a net 7 over par 79.

Alan Lamb, a new member of the Society, played for the first time with a handicap and finished fourth with a net 8 over par 80.

Swedish heavyweight Jocke Hansson was the story of the day after shooting the round of his life. Nearing his first ever chance of breaking 100, Jocke barely missed out when he carded an 8 on the final hole. Earlier in the day, however, Jocke carded four pars and a birdie at the short par 4 283 yard C-4. After a 170-yard drive in the middle of the fairway, Jocke canned an 8 iron to within 1 foot of the pin for an easy tap-in birdie. It was his first birdie ever and he was not shy about letting the rest of the league hear exactly how he accomplished the feat.

Nearest to the pin prizes were claimed by Peter Johannson on A-5, Brian Kelly on C-3, and Tony Davies on C-8.

Cheers astride and atop other intellectuals

What was the family name of Papa and Baby Doc? On average, does a grizzly bear or a lobster live the longer?

Cheers Bar, a center of academic excellence in South Pattaya, is cock-a-hoop after gaining a top dog position in both trivial pursuits quizzes. For the moment anyway. So great is the lust for knowledge in the hostelry that it has been found necessary to replace The Daily Sport and Penthouse by the Wall Street Journal and Shakespeare in the house library. Instead of the usual bar chit-chat about whether the rainy season has actually ended or how long it takes to get to Bangkok airport on a Monday morning, Cheers regulars are to be seen daily arguing about the origins of the Hundred Years War and testing each other on the moons of Jupiter. It does make you wonder.

On November 9th, Cheers managed a good score of 80% even though Rising Sun pipped them on 81%. Bob’s revitalized warriors also managed 80%, with Tippy’s and Poteen Still bringing up the rear in the mid fifties. A question which defeated most bars was, "How many spikes are there on the Statue of Liberty’s crown?" You can find the answer below. Still, this was only week two of an eighteen week season, so anything can happen and probably will.

The rival Wednesday quiz ends phase one on December 3, but then repeats the rota for fourteen weeks. Early notice that there will not be a Wednesday quiz on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. Britannia Bar has changed its name to The Billy and Da Bar. Answers to the questions above are Duvalier, grizzly bear and seven spikes.

Sunday Quiz

Cheers 166 points
Bob’s 162
Rising Sun 161
Pleasure Dome 152
Palmer’s 140
Billy and Da Bar 136
Londoner 136
Mick’s 128
Tippy’s 115
Poteen Still 112

Wednesday Quiz

Cheers 26 credits
Rising Sun 26
Billy and Da Bar 22
Bob’s 21
Fawlty Towers 21
Palmer’s 19
Rovers Return 14
Sixties 9

PSC Golf next week

The week begins on Monday the 24th with fixtures at Green Valley from Cafe Kronborg and Bangpra from the Green Bottle.

Soft Rock Cafe go to Khao Kheow on Tuesday and on Wednesday a choice of Natural Park Resort from Green Bottle or Pattaya Country Club from Hare House playing a Texas Scramble.

On Friday the Splinter Group from the Green Bottle play their monthly Diana Group sponsored Medal at Rayong Green Valley and Hare House go to Siam Country Club.

Another important annual Tournament is taking place this week - Papa Ray Roger’s Thanksgiving ‘Turkey Day’ at Pattaya Country Club on Thursday the 27th of November, followed by the traditional Thanksgiving Supper hosted by Papa Ray back at his house. Book early at the Cafe Kronborg and watch out for the commemorative shirt, kindly donated by Ray, with the special 1997 ‘Turkey Day’ emblem.

For more details of November fixtures visit our Web site at www.pattayasports.org

Roger Smith takes two out of three

Monday, 10 November, Natural Park Resort

This being one of the most popular monthly venues, there was a strong turnout. The in-form Roger Smith, playing off a 12 handicap, won the A flight with a net 71.

Stroke play is always that little bit harder than Stableford, particularly when playing such a course as N.P.R., but on the day scoring was of a very high standard.

In B flight, Jim Savage, playing off 24, murdered the course with a net 65.
A flight:
1st: Roger Smith (12 handicap) net 71
2nd: Neil Cameron (8 handicap) net 71 (lost on count back)
B flight:
1st: Jim Savage (24 handicap) net 65
2nd: Ken Bukowski (28 handicap) net 68

Wednesday, 12 November, Great Lakes

Gerrard Lambert, only a few days after returning from France, came straight into the frame with 39 points off his 16 handicap. Nonetheless, he fell in the wake of the ever-consistent Steve Bullock, who took the course by the scruff of the neck and ran up 43 points, a magnificent score.

1st: Steve Bullock (19 handicap) 43 points

2nd: Gerrard Lambert (16 handicap) 39 points

3rd: Stan Fry (13 handicap) 38 points

Friday, 14 November, Khao Kheow

Roger Smith, playing as good a golf as he has ever done here in Thailand, put the rest of the field into shell-shock, as he had done earlier in the week at N.P.R. He came in with 42 points, winning by four points from his nearest rival. With Saturday’s CAN-AM looming, watch out guys!

1st: Roger Smith (12 handicap) 42 points

2nd: Jim Savage (24 handicap) 38 points

Pattaya Mail Charity Cup

Pratheep Malhotra, Editor of the Pattaya Mail, announced that the Pattaya Mail and the Pattaya Rarn Koo Restaurant are co-sponsoring a charity soccer tournament to provide help for needy students at the Pho Thong Temple school.

The tournament will be held from November 23 - December 13, 1997, at the Jom Tawan football field in Soi S.S. Villa.
The proceeds from the match will be donated to Pho Thong Temple to provide scholarships for needy students.
The tournament will consist of 16 teams. Each team will have the standard 18 members, with eleven playing.
There will be 4 main prizes: A grand prize of 12,000 baht, a 1st prize of 8,000 baht, and a second prize of a trophy and 5,000 baht.

Sponsors are still being sought for this worthy cause. For details, please contact Pattaya Rarn Koo Restaurant, Tel. 232-279, or the editorial department of the Pattaya Mail at 411-240 every day except Sunday.

Generous sponsors already signed up include Tiffany’s Show, M.J.E. Enterprise, Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, South Pattaya Auto Market, Diana Group, Thai Garden Resort, Northern Thai Group, Palm Lodge, Seaview Resort, Thai-Sikh Community of Pattaya, Classic Tailor, Bruno’s Restaurant, Grand Sole Hotel, Park Fashion, Vogue, Stylo and ISR.

Wave splashes on surf

Baseball has been described as a game of never ending sameness with an infinite number of variations. The weekly Pattaya Sports Club softball game on Sunday, November 16 confirmed the accuracy of this scenario as Jerry’s Wave and Alan’s Surf split a doubleheader.

Runs were hard to come by in the first game. Both teams played tough defense and each turned two double plays. With the surf up by two, C.F. (Fowl Ball) Macallen homered with a man on to tie the score and send the game into extra innings.

In the first extra inning, Alan (Y.B.) Baa led off with a single for the Surf, Sterling (Silver) Bechtel advanced him to second with a single to left. Montreal (Uppa U.S.) Robert then smashed a single to center scoring the winning run, giving the Surf a seven to six victory.

The second game was a very different variation on the same theme. The Surf jumped out to a quick four run lead, but Fowl Ball Macallen’s second homer of the day cut the lead to two.

In the fifth a tidal wave hit the Surf and seven runs crossed the plate. The key hit being Tony (The Hammer) Warrington’s two run homer. This may not seem like much, but as this was Tony’s first game, not just with the PSC, but that he’s ever played, it was an amazing feat indeed.

Another baseball virgin, Belfast (Keep the Bat) Davey did a good job behind the plate and contributed a couple of hits for the Surf. This one ended with the Wave washing away the Surf thirteen to six.

This week saw the final appearance of Jerry (Hi-test) Cal-Tex. Jerry has been a mainstay of the game for the past two years. Jerry is not only one of the best players on the field but a quiet leader and a true gentleman. Teddy Roosevelt was speaking of Jerry when he said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Jerry is retiring stateside, looking forward to doing some hunting and bayou fishing. He will be missed by all his friends at PSC.

Games are every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Pattaya School #7 on Sukhumvit Highway just past Greenway driving range and Cal-Tex gas station. Equipment is provided and refreshments are available. All are welcome.

Papa Ray Rogers Turkey Day Tourney

Papa Ray Rogers and the Pattaya Sports Club will hold their annual Thanksgiving Day golf tournament on Thursday, November 27, 1997. The venue will be Pattaya Country Club, with tee offs starting around 9 a.m. Transportation can be arranged through the Cafe Kronborg, Soi Diana Inn, or any of the participating Pattaya Sports Club Golf member groups. Early sign ups are encouraged for this very popular annual event. Sign up at the Cafe Kronborg, or with any of the member groups.

Papa Ray Rogers will once again be treating all his friends to a delicious Thanksgiving dinner at his home following the tournament. All his friends are welcome to enjoy the feast, whether they are golfers or not.

Following the dinner, the Pattaya Sports Club golf section will present the awards for the Thanksgiving Day Tournament at Papa Ray’s house.

Copyright © 1997 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Created by Andy Gombaez