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Rolex China Sea Race

ROLEX CHINA SEA RACE - starts Wednesday 27 March 2024
OFFICIAL EVENT WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

This 565nm Category 1 Offshore Race is run under the auspices of RORC, and takes competitors from Hong Kong, China to Subic Bay in the Philippines.

HISTORY

It all began when Sim Baldwin took his 40-foot S&S centreboard yawl Morasum to Manila in December 1959 through the heavy seasonal weather. He had tired of the confines of Hong Kong's cruising grounds and wished to prove the seaworthiness of his boat. His cruise a success, he returned with the germ of an idea to race the same course. His enthusiasm was infectious, and a small committee was formed to organise it.
Excerpt from Great Yacht Races - Bob Fisher

On 7 April 1962, three yachts from RHKYC, one from Manila and one from Japan crossed the line at the start of the first China Sea Race. The yachts were escorted over the first 100 miles of their 600-mile journey by two minesweepers of the Hong Kong Royal Naval Reserve.

The finish was off Corregidor Island, crossing a line formed by vessels of the Philippines Navy, to be met by members of the Manila Yacht Club who had co-operated most generously with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in all the arrangements. Due to no radios being on board the yachts, Chris von Sydow's Reverie crossed the finish line after six days' racing to find out that they were in first place.

The China Sea Race was subsequently held as a biennial event. In 1964 it attracted 12 entries and in 1966, 13, including the famous ketch Stormvogel. With each successive race, the event grew bigger. In 1968, it was included for the first time in the newly organised World Ocean Racing Championships and in 1972 it was officially recognised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

Since then it has continued to attract interest and, as an undisputed Asian blue-water classic, has served to draw the attention of the international yachting fraternity to Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. In 2016, RP66 Alive broke the 16-year-old Monohull Race Record by just under 12 minutes, finishing in 47h 31m 08s. In the 2018 edition, Karl Kwok broke the multihull record on his Mod Beau Geste with an elapsed time of 38h 30m 07s.

Follow the Race on our Facebook page!
www.facebook.com/RolexChinaSeaRace

And also www.facebook.com/RHKYC

Sunday Telegraph Trophy

LINE HONOURS
Boat Owner / Skipper Year
Reverie C.F. Von Sydow 1962
Reverie C.F. Von Sydow 1964
Stormvogel C. Brunzyeel 1966
Green Beret R. Bartlett 1968
Chita III H. Yoshida 1970
Mamamouchi R.J. McAulay 1972
Mamamouchi R.J. McAulay 1974
Ballyhoo J. Rooklyn 1976
Kialoa J.B. Kilroy 1978
Mile High J. Ma 1980
Mamamouchi R.J. Mcaulay 1982
Nirvana M. H. Green Jr. 1984
Sidewinder D. Rumble 1986
Charley J. Leet 1988
Corum L. Gelisseau 1990
X-Rated R. Strompf 1992
Millennium F. Pong 1994
Beau Geste K. Kwok 1996
FfreeFire S. Chan 1998
Beau Geste K. Kwok 2000
Jelik F. Pong 2002
Jelik F. Pong 2004
Boracay P. Morton 2006
Hi Fi N. Pryde 2008
Hi Fi N. Pryde 2010
Genuine Risk G. Hill 2012
Ragamuffin 90 Syd Fischer 2014
Alive Phillip Turner 2016
Mod Beau Geste Karl Kwok 2018
Standard Insurance Centennial 5 E. Echauz 2023

China Sea Trophy

WINNER ON CORRECTED TIME
Boat Owner / Skipper Year
Reverie C.F. Von Sydow 1962
West Wind II D.E. Westerhout 1964
West Wind II D.E. Westerhout 1966
Snow Goose II E. Holm 1968
Chita III H. Yoshida 1970
Mamamouchi R.J. McAulay 1972
Clarissa A. Briddon 1974
Ballyhoo J. Rooklyn 1976
Uin-Na-Mara III H.H. Ross 1978
La Pantera C.W. Ostenfeld 1980
Red Baron R. Schmitt 1982
Tsunami J.S. Cains 1984
Maiden HK F. Pong 1986
Sunstreaker N. Pryde 1988
Corum P. Briand 1990
Lethal Weapon H. Kaye 1992
Intrigue Dr. I. Nicolson 1994
Beau Geste K. Kwok 1996
Subic Centennial E. Echauz 1998
Beau Geste K. Kwok 2000
Red Baron R. Schmitt 2002
FfreeFire S. Chan 2004
Mandrake N. Burns/ F. Kinmonth 2006
Subic Centennial M. Fidel/ E. Echauz 2008
Hi Fi N. Pryde 2010
Zanzibar J. Mahony 2012
Hi Fi Neil Pryde 2014
Black Baza Anthony Root 2016
Mandrake III F. Kinmonth / N. Burns 2018
Whiskey Jack N. Southward 2023
RECORDS
BOAT OWNER/SKIPPER RACE FINISH DISTANCE NM YEAR ELAPSED
MONOHULL          
ALIVE PHILIP TURNER / DUNCAN HINE SUBIC BAY 565 2016 47:31:08
BEAU GESTE KARL KWOK SUBIC BAY 565 2000 47:43:07
BEAU GESTE KARL KWOK SUBIC BAY 572 1996 75:53:56
NIRVANA MARVIN H. GREEN JR. NICHOLAS SHOAL 610 1984 79:23:13
MAMAMOUCHI II R.J. McAULAY NICHOLAS SHOAL 610 1982 80:12:40
KIALOA J.B. KILROY CORREGIDOR 599 1978 83:45:21
MAMAMOUCHI R.J. McAULAY CORREGIDOR 599 1972 86:37:03
CHITA III HIROAKI YOSHIDA CORREGIDOR 599 1970 92:27:07
REVERIE C.F. VON SYDOW CORREGIDOR 599 1964 100:22:43
REVERIE C.F. VON SYDOW CORREGIDOR 599 1962 107:29:57
MULTIHULL 
MOD BEAU GESTE KARL KWOK SUBIC BAY 565 2018 38:30:07
ATMOSPHERE BENOIT LESAFFRE SUBIC BAY 565 2000 48:01:47
CONTACTS

RHKYC Sailing Manager, Ailsa Angus at Ailsa.Angus@rhkyc.org.hkor (t) +852 2239 0395

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

RHKYC PR & Communications Manager, Koko Mueller at Koko.Mueller@rhkyc.org.hkor (t) +852 2239 0342