But for overall winners there were some tight battles noticeably among Australian Racers YO!2 and QUANTUM RACING and HI FI out of Hong Kong and Fireflies MOTO INZI and TWIN SHARKS both Phuket boats. The battle for plaques came down to the last day in light winds on a two-mile course which brought most of the fleet running under kites into the home stretch together.

The series started against strong winds with competitors showing their underskirts and adrenaline pumping during exciting starts with only one protest (a near collision on the fourth day in which YO!2 was disqualified for endangering Kiwi boat FULL METAL JACKET). But, the Australian boat took a mulligan with her position unaffected in the final tally. Courses were laid long to windward six miles down Bass Bay on the first two days but the fourth race limped in under failing winds so the committee took its buoys south of the islands to the open sea on the third day.

The individual battles continued as MOTO INZI began usurping TWIN SHARKS for honours and the Racers got closer and closer to JELIK in the lighter airs. SOFA SO GOOD got some stiffer competition from RUSALKA in the Club Cruising class as two Chinese built sports boats under the name of LONGTZE and skippered each by America's Cup sailors began to move up in their classes as their local National Sailing Centre crews learned the ropes. But the third day second race had to be abandoned when not all competitors had sufficient wind even to start. So it was back to Kuah Harbour for the rest of the series.

The lighter conditions led to tighter formations and more critical maneuvers as the racers bunched up at the start of the 1.5-mile long 6th race of the series on Thursday and, after waiting out an early morning calm, they were all champing at the bit. This caused a number of near collisions and one solid bump in the IRC-1 class but, luckily, with no apparent damage to THAIRAVER as offender JANDI was left behind. The second race that day was so well timed the wind died as the last boats passed the orange flag. All agreed that the extra navigating required by two naval craft and a tri-master anchored in the upper harbour were a welcome obstruction spicing up what could have been a repetitive routing.

With only one race to hold on the last day, the course was extended somewhat despite still weak breezes but the fleet handled it with aplomb and with the girls on TWIN SHARKS wagging their tutus at MOTO INZI who they tied overall but lost to by committee decision. Among the Racers, QUANTUM RACING pipped lightning-fast JELIK on adjusted series results and, in IRC classes, PHOENIX, running in IRC-1, won over both MATA HARI and LUNCHCUTTER II. In the other classes the line winners RAIMON LAND, X CATRIOT and SOFA SO GOOD, all took adjusted first places as PRO Mark Pryke awarded a RLYC ensign to Start Boat commander Captain Ma'mor and then played Formula 1 in the pin boat back to the Club.