This month sees the third running of the Transworld Platu Regatta, to be sailed from February 9-12 out of the beautiful Ocean Marina Yacht Club located just south of Pattaya. This is fast becoming known as a ‘must do’ regatta for One-Design sailors and will be the first of a 4-regatta series to determine the overall Platu Champion of Thailand 2017.
The Platu Worlds are always held in central Europe so this event was introduced to provide top quality racing here in Asia. Crews from Australia, Russia, Japan, Estonia, Latvia, Malaysia and Thailand will enjoy 4 days of intense racing in beautiful surroundings and ideal yachting conditions.
The Platu is a 25-foot racing yacht designed by Bruce Farr and especially suited for the waters here in the Gulf of Thailand. All the competing craft in the Transworld Regatta are identical racing Platus and have to conform to strict One-Design rules. This makes the competition very close and exciting with some races decided by inches, unlike mixed fleets, where boats can be miles apart by the end of a race and results calculated on a handicap system. In One-Design, first over the finish line is the winner.
The inaugural Transworld Platu event was won by Mati Sepp from Estonia and last year the Australian, Scott Duncanson, just beat his fellow countryman Chris Way. Unfortunately Scott cannot be here to defend his title this year but the quality of the entrants will ensure another close battle. The Royal Thai Navy, fresh from their win at the famous Kings Cup Regatta in Phuket will be racing and Mati Sepp and Chris Way are returning to renew their close rivalry.
This year a new format will make the racing even more intense with six short races per day followed by a double-points final race. This format is used in world class events now and provides the opportunity for mixed results with each race keeping the final scores undecided until the end.
To help foreign crews get used to the conditions here in the Gulf, a one day 3-race regatta will be held on Feb. 9 followed by the three-day Transworlds.
For more information about the event, contact Kev Scott, Platu class co-ordinator for Thailand on 087 825 0011.
