Thailand’s “Nong Dao” Siriporn Kaewduang-Ngam, a gold medal winner at both the Asian Youth Games in 2009 and the Youth Olympic Games in 2010, did not disappoint her fans last week as she took the top podium position in the female youth RS-X category at the 2012 Pattaya City Asian Windsurfing Championships, held from January 21-29 at Jomtien Beach. Siriporn lost only 9 points on her way to taking a well deserved first place ahead of Audrey Yong from Singapore (20pts) and Chao Kin Shing from Hong Kong (21pts).
Siriporn’s male compatriot Nakharet Watthana meanwhile took first runner-up place in the male youth RS-X competition on 15 points, just losing out on the gold medal to Cheung Chun Lueng from Hong Kong (9pts).
Sirirporn Kaewduang-Ngam won the female youth RSX category at the 2012 Pattaya City Asian Windsurfing Championships.
In the seniors divisions, local windsurfer Aek Boonsawat (29pts) put in a strong last day performance to rise up the rankings and take third position overall behind eventual champion Leung Ho Chun from Hong Kong (18pts) and first runner-up Lee Tae Hun of S. Korea (23pts).
The female RS-X category was captured by Sun Lee Muei from China, losing just 12 points, while second place went to Chan Huei Man from Hong Kong (15pts) and in third place was Chan Wai Kay from Hong Kong (18pts), with Thai windsurfer Napalai Thaansai a distant fourth after losing a mammoth 41 points.
Other category results saw Sirichai Phoosiri (11pts) take first place in the male under-17 Techno 293 class, while Shung Yad-yee captured the gold medal in the female equivalent category on 24 points.
Indonesia’s Oscar Sulaksana (right) leads Thailand’s Navin Singhsat in the Mistral One Design Asia Championship.
The Techno 293 Open was won by Thailand’s Krongkaew Sakulfaeng (32pts) ahead of Tanaka Makito in second place.
Junior (under 15) honours in the Techno 293 class went to Thailand’s Suthee Thong-onn and Singapore’s Lim C Ying in the male and female categories respectively.
Finally, the Mistral One Design Asia Championship for men saw a tight battle between Indonesia’s Oscar Sulaksana and Navin Singhsat from Thailand, with the former just winning out with 13 points to 17 over his Thai rival.
RS-X sailors race off from the start line.
The female division was won by Maah Kha Him from Hong Kong on 68 points ahead of compatriot Loh Sing Yin (78pts) while third place went to Thailand’s Sunaree Sermros.
The 2012 Pattaya City Asian Windsurfing Championships saw 12 nations compete and were seen as a warm-up event for the sailors to prepare for the 3rd Asian Beach Games in China and 30th Olympiad taking place in London in August. Some 33 awards were up for grabs during the course of the week-long event.
