Inaugurated in 1995 to celebrate the sixtieth birthday of Peter Cummins, the renowned Pattaya Mail scribe and 10th commodore of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club (1979 – 1980), the Pattaya Mail PC Classic quickly established itself as one of the most eagerly anticipated yearly sailing festivals in this still fledgling but rapidly developing maritime city.
After taking an unforeseen hiatus for a couple of years, the Classic had new life breathed into it in 2012 as it returned to form a key part of the pre-Olympic multihull extravaganza, held at Royal Varuna Yacht Club in February last year.
Ib Ottesen -Jomtien Boathouse (right).
In 2013, the Pattaya Mail PC Classic had further kudos bestowed upon it as it was entwined with the Singha OK Dinghy World Championships, held in Pattaya and indeed Thailand for the first time, from March 31-April 5. The event was blessed with tremendous weather, with PC Classic day itself, April 4, benefitting from the strongest winds of the week. Many accolades followed from both the sailors taking part and the OK Dinghy organizational committee and news spread rapidly through the international yachting media.
Prince Malhotra – Pattaya Mail Media Group (left).
Thanks to the input from the many generous local sponsors who came onboard, namely, Bakri Cono Shipyard, Pattaya Self Storage (PSS), BBX Thailand, Norwegian Properties Group, ASAP Marine Trading, Jomtien Boathouse, SKAL Eastern Seaboard, the Singha Beer Corporation, and the Pattaya Mail Media Group, proceeds raised at the event will be set aside to help those less fortunate in the community. Too often, the sponsors are the first to come forward but the last to receive recognition, so this week we put them squarely in the spotlight.
Peter Cummins (right).
Below are a few words from the man himself, Peter Cummins, now a septuagenarian but still going as strong as ever and looking forward to many more PC Classics to rival this year’s success.
Photos: Our generous sponsors presenting PC Classic trophies to the winners.
Bernard Lamprecht – Bakri Cono Shipyard (right).
PC Classic trophies await the victors.
OK Dinghies race for home.
Tony Malhotra – President Skal International Pattaya & East Thailand (right).
Jan Olav Aamlid – Pattaya Self Storage (right).
Berne Lamprecht – ASAP Marine Trading (right).
Gudmund Eiksund – Norwegian Properties Group (right).
Peter Malhotra, MD Pattaya Mail Media Group, recounts the story of the PC Classic to guests and sailors.
Peter Cummins stands tall with Dan Dorothy, Executive Editor Pattaya Mail (left) and Martin Bilsborrow, Asst. Editor Pattaya Mail (right).
“The Singha OK Dinghy World Championship, held last week at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, was not only most successful but it allowed us to “resurrect” the “Pattaya Mail PC Classic”, as an integral event in the competition.
To say the very least, due to Peter’s (Malhotra) hard work and enthusiasm and the sponsorship that he was able to solicit at short notice, the day was a superb success. According to the OKDIA press officer, Robert Deaves, the 16th sailing of the PC Classic was “a highlight” of a great week’s sailing and was enshrined in the hearts of the 80 competitors from nine countries who participated.
I personally thank Peter, the “Pattaya Mail” staff and all our sponsors who revived this classic event and, no doubt, it will now continue to promote Pattaya, Thailand generally and, particularly, the many of our less fortunate denizens of the Eastern Seaboard and elsewhere, who are the beneficiaries of the sponsorship that the “Classic” attracts.
I felt particularly proud, especially among the boys’ marching band, the army of fellow-sailors and our sponsors.
I think we can look forward to further editions of the “Pattaya Mail PC Classic”, in the years to come.”
Peter Cummins
