WORDS: VIVIAN NGAN | IMAGE: GUY NOWELL
The forecasted fresh north-easterly breeze did not eventuate for the second event of the Top Dog Trophy Series 2020-2021, the One Global Lipton Trophy which started on 14 November. In a weak easterly breeze of around 5kts, the regular Race Officer team of Gareth and Di Williams opted for a Hung Hom start and elected to set the fleet off on a 3.5 loops race between Hung Hom and Shau Kei Wan.
Pursuit races work with each boat or Class of boats being given a different start time based on their handicap, which in a perfect race, would result in all boats finishing at around the same target time of 1630hrs. With 67 boats on the start line, the first start was at 1400hrs for the Pandora’s and the last boat to start was foiling catamaran Flying Phantom at 1514hrs.
Pandora Panache was holding off the faster classes for the second rounding at Shau Kei Wan before being overtaken by Dragon Zephyr. The wind varied from 5 to 10 kts at Shau Kei Wan, however the easterly breeze could not fill down to the bottom mark at Hung Hom. With a strong incoming tide and only 3kts of softening breeze, most boat struggled with the upwind leg.
RO Gareth Williams shortened the course at Shau Kei Wan close to the target finish time. The beauty of the pursuit race is in the chase and it was a good day for the Etchells fleet, claiming four of the top five places. By the final gun, Etchells Reprobate crossed the finishing line at 1631hrs, Dragon Zephyr in 2nd Place followed by Etchells Les Freaks Sont Chic in third.
The One Global Lipton Trophy is the second of four events that make up the Top Dog Trophy Series 2020-2021. The first event was Around the Island Race on 8 November and the next two pursuit races are the One Global HKRNVR Memorial Vase (9 January 2021) and the One Global Tomes Cup (24 April 2021).
While this was the second Top Dog event of the calendar it was the first event ever for new Pursuit Series sponsors One Global Property Management. We would like to welcome James, Adam and the team from One Global and look forward to working together over the next few years. If you have any interest in property investment in the UK then please connect with the sponsorship team who would will be happy to introduce you.
The Club would like to thank the fabulous volunteers who ran the racing on the day, Race Officer Gareth Williams and his capable team of assistants: Anthony Root, Ben Chong, Di Williams, Elizabeth Seymour-Jones, Elizabeth Yeung, Jacky Lam, Tim Lembke, Victor Tsien and the safety team of Ernest Wong and Jason Woo.
