Strompfs' X-Rated sets sail in search of double
RICHARD and Inga Strompf's X-Rated will start as red hot favourite to complete a line honours double in the second of Hongkong's two prestige off-shore races when competitors set sail from Deepwater Bay at noon today in the biennial Dunhill San Fernando Race.
The 50-footer took line honours in last year's Corum China Sea Race to Manila from Frank Pong's Jelik.
And the Strompfs and their crew, including experienced helmsman Pat Pender, will again start short-priced favourites to beat Jelik for a second time.
Absent from the 56-strong fleet, the second biggest on record, will be Keith Jacobs' Bimblegumbie, which is undergoing $400,000 modifications.
The former IOR racer is having her hull, keel and interior modified to comply with the new IMS category.
''We just simply ran out of time, I couldn't see any point in doing a rushed job and regretting it later,'' a disappointed Jacobs explained.
Bimblegumbie was third across the line in last year's China Sea Race and Jacobs had been hopeful of giving Strompf and Pong a run for line and handicap honours.
Australian Jacobs will miss the race for the first time since 1979, according to the list of competitors at the RHKYC, who reported last night his plan to join the crew of another boat had failed to materialise.
There were four withdrawals from an original entry of 60, with a record number of 18 skippering in the race for the first time - four times the usual number.
Trish Renwick, at the RHKYC race office said: ''We always encourage people to do it for the first time because it is not such a long race and is a good one to start making the crossing.'' The race has consistently thrown up surprise winners on handicap inthe past and weather conditions look likely to play a key role in the outcome. Winds of between 20 and 30 knots, and a two-metre swell were reported by finish boat Delphian, 165 miles out of Hongkong, hours before the fleet was scheduled to set out.
Conditions were likened to those of 1991, which wrought havoc among the fleet.
The Former Whitbread Round the World racer, the Humphreys 83 Rothmans, won in 1991 in a race record two days, two hours and two minutes, eclipsing 67-footer Charley's old record set in 1987 by 12 hours.
With 20-plus knot conditions again prevailing, it is possible larger boats like Mandalay and Mad Max will figure.
Dr Ian Nicholson has been bedevilled by bad luck recently with his Banner 41, Intrigue. A broken mast is the latest of a list of problems, but when the boat is right there is none more competitive in Hongkong.
Intrigue's crew are second to none in experience and the boat performs well in a variety of airs.
A trio of Manila-based yachts are set to contest the event, Tara, a Farr 36; Kalayaan II, a Macintosh 47; and the brand new Beneteau Oceanis, Talisman.
The race will be Talisman's maiden voyage with George Hackett at the helm.
Race organisers said Tara had overcome doubts she would make the start. The Farr 36 competed in the King's Cup regatta in Phuket, Thailand, last December and had to put in to Manila for repairs en route to Hongkong, but arrived in good time to complete the pre-race formalities.
