Before this race was called “From Hong Kong – Vietnam” (Hong Kong to Vietnam Race). But on Wednesday, the day of the launch, some clever person (or, rather, several smart people) had the idea to give her a new name. It turned out terribly long (and more diplomatically said) – Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Nha Trang Rally.
Start, as you know, was given at the Royal yacht club of Hong Kong. Finish – in the harbour of the Vietnamese resort of Nha Trang. Distance – 730 nautical miles. This time the race was attended by 9 of yachts, but the main focus was as always focused on “big”. Two Maxi trimarans – Italian Multi 70 Maserati, skipper Giovanni Soldini and ORMA 60 SHK Hong Kong Scallywag FUKU (first – Team Australia) led by David Whittom.
A favorite thought of Maserati, but SHK Scallywag FUKU was not a trimaran whipping: the boat and its team has, for example, a transition record between Sydney and Hobart. In the end, SHK Scallywag FUKU overcame the distance in 1 day. 6 hours, 9 minutes and 22 seconds, whereas the Maserati finished in 1 hour, 27 minutes and 22 seconds later.
This Italian trimaran almost the entire distance was found. Here’s how Soldini explained the incident on his page in Facebook:
“It was a very nice race, we were ahead and thought he had won. 50 miles to the finish line we walked at a speed of 25 knots and ahead of the opponent for a dozen miles. Under normal conditions this gap cannot be bridged, but then… On our way there was a storm front that left Maserati with absolutely no wind for two hours. And the opponent, meanwhile, calmly finished…”.
