Beneteau Cup-Hong Kong 2023: Sailing at its finest
by Beneteau Asia Pacific 11 Nov 2023 07:29 GMT
28 October 2023
Another successful edition for the Beneteau Cup-Hong Kong took place on October 28th, 2023 amidst the gorgeous settings of Aberdeen Boat Club (ABC) Middle Island. This regatta was organized by our dealer in Hong Kong Simpson Marine, hosted by ABC and fully supported by Beneteau Asia-Pacific.
Since its birth in 2021, Beneteau Cup-Hong Kong has run three editions, becoming one of the most anticipated regatta in the city's Beneteau owners community. It combines competition and fun on water, as well as social elements, most of all, serves as a strong bond of the growing local sailing community.
19 Beneteau sailing yachts with happy owners and friends signed up for this year's vibrant regatta. The versatile line-up reflected Beneteau's models have won pervasive and persuasive approval among Hong Kong sailors, ranging from a Beneteau First 265, WHITE RABBIT all the way up to a Sense 51, TRACY, as well as a First 36 and a Figaro Beneteau 3, ROSY SKY and etc.
The event was divided in two divisions, A & B, with 70% of the crews being local Hong Kong sailors. This is a significant indication of the rising popularity of sailing among local community.
On the racing day at 10:30 am, all yachts gathered at the Round Island start line and set off racing on Eastern Course number 7. The course ran through Chesterman Gate, passing Castle Rock then to a Tai Tam Club Mark, before returning to Castle Rock and through Chesterman Gate, finally finishing off nearby Round Island (12.29NM total). After a beautiful morning of sailing with Northeasterly winds up to 15 knots all the teams were back at Middle Island ABC Dock by early afternoon to enjoy some relaxed time on the docks.
Congratulations to teams TRACY and EASY BREEZY II, a Beneteau First 41s5, for winning in their respective division, with the overall championship going to EASY BREEZY II, second year in a row.
The celebrations lasted until after sunset, providing a spectacular reward for the busy day at sea. The crews left for their respective home ports in the evening, continuing to share their enthusiasm for the race and the time spent together long afterwards.
"We are thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the Beneteau Cup, marking another remarkable event that brought together Beneteau owners and friends from the region. This 3rd edition took place in a vibrant atmosphere where sailors enjoyed racing and partying all day long. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all participants, sponsors, the Simpson Marine Team, and the Aberdeen Boat Club team for their contributions in making this event a great success. We look forward to future editions of the Beneteau Cup, where we will continue to celebrate the joy of sailing and the enduring spirit of the Beneteau community." - Erwan Her, Beneteau Sales Director, Asia Pacific.
"It was a good day of sailing with steady northerly breeze. The start was a bit hectic as we turned on the radio late and thought there was a windward mark, ended up sailing too high. Fortunately, the crew were more focused than usual and the constant trimming and balancing contributed significantly to boat speed and we moved up the fleet. This 90s Beneteau is like a vintage Ferrari! On the last broad reach leg we took the gamble to hoist the brand new spinnaker, there was a bit of fiddling, but with the extra power we managed to keep up with the bigger boats. After the finish we knew it would be close, and we were very pleasantly surprised to be awarded the win by a small margin. We will be back to defend the title again next year!" - Alfred Lau, Co-Owner of Easy Breezy II, Division B Winner and Overall Winner of the Beneteau Cup Hong Kong
"It was a pleasure to see 19 Beneteaus with their owners and crews taking part in the 2023 Beneteau Cup. We were blessed with perfect sailing conditions, a good easterly breeze and sunshine sailing. The racing was close and competitive as usual and the Beneteau Cup lived up to its reputation as one of the best fun sailing regattas in Hong Kong. With great on the water sailing and a spectacular après sail party with prizes galore. Thanks to all the sponsors and the teams taking part, we all at Simpson Marine and Beneteau love this event and look forward to next year's edition." - Richard Allen, Group General Manager, Simpson Marine
Heartfelt gratitude goes out to our sponsors for their generous support. The Cup's 5G Communications partner, China Mobile Hong Kong, enabled the crews to experience the future of maritime communication with 'SailaWave 5G', and Marine Partners ePropulsion shared their innovations, empowering people with clean and sustainable technology. Other Marine partners included Aon, helping navigate better decisions with financial services and solutions; Raymarine, allowing owners to set their course into the unknown with the tools to navigate with reliable marine electronics; Peters & May, celebrating 50 years as a world leading provider of international logistic services across the globe - from air, sea, road and rail.
Special thanks to a whole host of luxury lifestyle brands that made up this year's award partners. These include Amore Pacific, Aesop, Cleanmax, De'Longhi, Devialet, EME, Fortnum & Mason, Frette, HILX, Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy, Humansa, Koot, L'Imperatrice, Minuty, Oliver James, Paul Lafayet, Supergoop!. Each of these brands adds a sense of style and indulgence to the winners and their guests, making the regatta even more memorable.
As the regatta's charity partner, Splash Foundation continues to play its part in helping raise funds and awareness to give more people the opportunity to swim. By connecting those who can swim with those who want to learn, Splash has taught over 6000 adults and children how to swim and be water safe and helped foster a deeper appreciation for the environment and the protection of Hong Kong's iconic coastline and water resources. Libby Alexander, CEO & Co-Founder of Splash Foundation, fellow Co-Founder and marathon swimmer Simon Holliday shared in the regatta celebrations adding even more meaningful purpose and ambition to the regattas community.