Hong Kong, 22 February 2017: Excitement is building as teams from Hong Kong and Macau go through final preparations ahead of next week’s Boase Cohen & Collins Inter-School Sailing Festival.
A total of 22 teams from 16 schools – three more than last year – will compete for honours on 4-5 March at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s Middle Island facility. Given favourable conditions, it is anticipated the young sailors will contest up to 144 matches in two categories – Division A for RS Feva dinghies and Division B featuring Laser Pico dinghies.
Boase Cohen & Collins is title sponsoring the regatta for the second year in a row, the firm having extended its support for the event through to 2020. “We are anticipating two days of intense and exciting racing coupled with the chance to entertain our guests and meet many friends, both old and new,” said BC&C Senior Partner Colin Cohen.
“Such was the excellent experience of our initial title sponsorship last year, we were delighted to extend our partnership with this regatta, an event which showcases sportsmanship and competitiveness in equal measure. We are looking forward to a marvellous weekend.”
On the first day of the festival, BC&C will host around 40 guests to a clubhouse buffet on Middle Island followed by a luxury yacht cruise back to Central.
The regatta is Hong Kong’s only team racing competition for schools and is firmly established as one of the most prestigious youth sailing events held in the territory.
Three schools are competing for the first time – Tai Po Regional Squad, the ISF Academy and Creative Secondary School. Looking to take at least one of the trophies “overseas” will be Macau Anglican College, who will fly the flag for the former Portuguese territory.
The line-up includes French International School, who will be defending the Division A crown they captured last year, while King George V School will be seeking to retain their Division B title.
Each team comprises a minimum of six sailors who man three dinghies in a team racing format against their opposition. The results for each boat in a team are combined, so the format neutralises the benefit of having one good sailor in a team. Tactics feature heavily, with competitors strategically delaying opposition boats to help boost their team’s aggregate score.
The inaugural Inter-School Sailing Festival was organised in 2002 by the RHKYC’s parent-led Youth Sailing Class to encourage more sailing and sail training in Hong Kong educational establishments.