2022 Thai Nationals, Sattahip

December 16 – 18

By the National Thai Secretary

The Thailand Open Nationals was held as part of the Sportsday regatta in Sattahip by YRAT, the national sailing authority of Thailand 16-18 December 2022.

Following a hectic last few days with organizing the final participants, the field ended up including 13 OK’s. The participants included class stalwarts, like Prayutt, Chris Biscomb, CDR.Nitasana, VADM Banpoat, Lt.Cdr.Chayapo, and Admiral Tanin, however there were also newcomers like olympic hopefulls Dylan Whitcraft (49er) and Nichapa(49FX). Another newcomer was Apple (Rotjana), who had decided after seeing the friendly crowds in Marstrand, that she wanted to also try to sail in this class.

The sailing took place on Sattahip bay with gentle to medium winds in the first 2 days, and of course 28 degrees water temperature and 30+ degrees above. As usual an exhibit of photos and objects celebrating the former King Bumipol’s sailing exploits in the Ok class was on display.

The Sailing was soo close in the top of the fleet, with the results after the first day showed K. Tanakan, CPO3 Supakorn and Morten all within one point of each other.

Following the second day it was a similar story, with Tanakan in the lead, however the two females, Nitchapa and Apple started showing their skills and finished the day with a 3rd and a 5th.

On the finals day of the event, the conditions had changed, with a cold for Thailand (25 degree C) Northern wind kicking in with 15 knots in average, but with vicious gusts close to twice that strength. This became a bit of a demolition Darby, with about 12 boats in the first race, but significantly fewer finished the final race. In the first race on the last day (race 6) Dylan took advantage of several competitors taking swimming lessons, and got his first bullet in the event, in front of K. Tanakan. This almost settled the event, however the race organizers had different ideas, and kept the fleet racing until the bitter end. In the 2 last races it almost became a match race between Morten and Tanakan, with up to 10 tacks on each beat. In Race 7, Morten crucially managed to hold up Tanakan enough to get Dylan into 2nd place at the finish. This left the 8th and final race with all to fight for. In the end Morten just managed a race win and took the winners trophy as the Open Thailand Champion 2022. Second and 3rd were former national team members Tanakan and CPO3 Supakorn. Morten was extremely happy with the win, which was won while battling influenza and despite a dangerous capsize in race 7 where he found himself trapped under the boom with the lifejacket stuck in a steel carabiner.

In the extremely hotly contested grand masters (60+) category, 3rd was won by CDR.Nitasana; 2nd by Chris Biscomb and the winner was VADM Banpoat.

Important for the class in Thailand, we now got 3 of the newly …..and almost finished YRAT built OK dinghies on the water, and the ones used by RVYC members will shortly proudly show their new builders plaques. We now have new charter boats available, so we would welcome foreign participants for next years Open Nationals.

DNC, DNS, DSQ, BFD, OCS etc: 14pts