One week to the Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race 2024

Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race © Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

After a hiatus of six years, the Hong Kong to Hainan Race returns. Eight boats will set sail from Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour at 1120hrs on 14 November marking the 14th edition of the race.

Established in 1997, the inaugural event was run on 27 December 1997, having been incorporated as part of the celebrations for the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Hainan Race was set to be a biennial alternative to the Hong Kong to Vietnam Race, however the racing schedule was interrupted, with the 2020 edition cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.

Competition in the IRC division will be fierce, with three boats having successfully competed in the Rolex China Sea Race 2024, each in different divisions and each taking a 2nd place. The head-to-head battle will be spearheaded by Nicolas Cohen-Addad's J122e Jinn. The Line Honours and IRC Overall winner of the Volvo Hong Kong to Vietnam Race 2023 and 2nd place holder in the Rolex China Sea Race 2024 IRC Division 2, Cohen-Addad's team will be up against Stefan Fillip's Neo 400+ Neo One, who placed 2nd in IRC Division 1 in the Rolex China Sea Race 2024.

Both yachts will be pushed to the limit by Henning Mueller's competitive Sunfast 3600 Zesst, the 2nd place winner in IRC Division 3 of the Rolex China Sea Race 2024. Hugues de Saint Germain's A40 RC Ocean's Five will also be close in contention. Currently lying in second place overall in the RHKYC Coastal Race Series 2024-25, their entry is also likely to stir up the competition.

Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race - photo © Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

The battle for Line Honours between Franco Cutrupia's Solaris 60 Fenice, making its debut in an offshore race, and Thomas Attenborough's Swan 56 Parnassus is expected to be tight. Meanwhile, Carl Wilkinson's Bavaria 56 Lisa Elaine will compete against fully crewed entries as a double-handed entry.

The event will also see Johnson Yuen's Zoe racing under the PHS division.

The Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race takes competitors on a 390nm - historically downwind - passage to Sanya, on the southern China island of Hainan. Sanya, known as the "Hawaii of the East," is a great finish location for a holiday and a famous hub for yacht tourism. The race record of 23h 31m 52s was set by Seng Huang Lee / David Witt's Scallywag in the 2016 edition.

For more information about Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan 2024, please visit: www.chinacoastraceweek.com/race-hainan