The IRCs and Premier Cruising boats were so tight across that two (PHOENIX and THAI RAVER) had to restart. That is, except for pretty TROPICBIRROPICBIRD who started late...really late.

JELIK had a short leash on three others of her class, heading up to the windward mark as the Multis got off with the Fireflies buzzing around them and the wind strengthened. A falling flag caused a false start for the Sports boats which had to line up again as the Racers reached down the course, Jelik and Hi Fi ahead of QUANTUM RACING, ZUHAL and FULL METAL JACKET. Meanwhile MAMBA and TWIN SHARKS were battling down the south side of the channel as MOTO INZI careened under the nose of the Starter boat trying to steal the lead. Then came the two LONGTZE boats trailing the rest of their Sports class.

As the clutter of Racers bore down on the leeward mark, JELIK slid around and ran far south followed by HI FI who tacked early to try to take the lead. Somehow MAMBA got around the lower mark first in her class but, coming up wind, it was definitely a TWIN SHARKS – MOTO INZI heat as JELIK, sailing the longer course, bore down on them like a 14-wheeler on a down grade.

She over took only after rounding the top mark and came in 13 minutes ahead of HI FI and ZUHAL with TWIN SHARKS and MOTO INZI just behind her. Next in was SO FAR SO GOOD first for the Cruising Class followed by YO 2 and Sports Boat LONGTZE LANGKAWI crossing in a flutter of sails just ahead of 99 DEGREES EAST for the Premier Cruisers and PHOENIX, the first IRC boat.

Later the Same Day

Communications chaos reigned during the break as officials tried to skew the courses into a more northerly wind. And, with the similarity of names and terms involved it got confusing. For example: "Mark, Mark Four" "Mark Four, Mark" "Mark, Mark Four, We see last Premier Cruising class at mark, LONGTZE PREMIER at my mark: 10:00, Mark Four over." "Mark Four, Mark. Read Premier Cruising no see, Longtze Premier at Mark four at ten, ten four."

But finally they got it together and even the wind helped out surging up again into the mid teens. In fact the Racers bunched up so much half the field crossed simultaneously followed by the IRCs and Premier Cruisers also calling for water and fending off as they crossed. The Fireflies and Multihulls filed out in orderly fashion and the Sports boats were lined up like soldiers. In fact there was little of the chaos of the morning race but a still stiffening breeze and white caps made an exciting start as the Racers set their kites at Mark two.

Coming down the almost six-mile down-wind leg JELIK ran a few minutes ahead of HI FI with the rest of the Racers pack another few minutes behind. And MOTO INZI beat the rest of the Fireflies to the kite locker. The entire fleet ran down the south side of the bay with full spinnakers and the two lead flies racing neck-and-neck. But the wind was falling and by the time the fleet rounded the leeward mark it was whispering at 8 knots.

Still light boats excelled and RAIMON LAND was seen flying down course ahead of LONGTZE LANGKAWI. By 1400 JELIK had established her lead over HI FI at Mark 4 and the evenly spaced Fireflies were having a tough uphill beat in what was officially called a 'flatulent' wind. As a result the finish was shortened to the up-wind Mark 2 nearest the RLYC and the classes finished with no surprises and with only 99 DEGREES EAST and RAIMON LAND seeming to relish the light breezes.