The National Sailing Centre in Singapore is the venue of the SIM 33 Singapore Open Windsurfing Championships from 22 to 26 January 2014. This RS:One Class Championship is running alongside the Asian Championships for Techno 293 (Youth Olympic Games qualifier), RS:X and Mistral One Design.

Racing started on Day One in almost perfect conditions with three races "back to back" in 12 to 18 knots and all had a chance to show their skills. Ruamsap Phanuthat from Thailand took all three bullets with Gunawardena Chameera SRI-7 mopping up all the second places.

On Day Two conditions were a little lighter than the day before ranging from 9-14 knots for the first race to 12-17 knots later in the day. Ruamsap Phanuthat maintained his domination of the fleet with another three bullets and has a perfect championship score of 5. Now five points behind on the leaderboard, Gunawardena Chameera was able to discard his third place in the first of the second day's races. Min Min from Myanmar is currently occupying the third podium place.

Full Results: RS:One After 6

What a difference a day makes!! Three more races on day 3 . . . but where was Ruamsap Phanuthat? Absent from the first two races of the day, despite assuming his customary position of first over the line in the last race, he dropped down the leaderboard to second place allowing Gunawardena Chameera, winner of race 8, to savour the top spot overnight. Min Min from Myanmar is still in the third spot overall. Sampelan Miki from Indonesia was first over the line in race 7 and surely could have secured a podium position if it wasn't for his four DNC/DNF scores during this championship.

Full Results: RS:One After 9

An Amazing Event Draws to a Close - The top three remained the same at the end of the fourth day's racing. Ruamsap Phanuthat THA-9 took the first bullet of the day, then a third place but then did not compete in the last and final race of the championship, along with all but one of the fleet. This may have been a miscalculation on his part as he ended on the same points as Gunawardena Chameera SRI-7. The Sri Lankan was awarded 1st place on the podium with the points split by taking into account the discards. In third place was Min Min from Myanmar with his best result of the championship being a win in race 11.

Final Results

All involved in staging the 33 SIM Singapore Windsurfing Championships are to be congratulated for the slick operation both on and off the water and for their wonderful hospitality. The tricky conditions not only proved challenging to the race committee but also to the competitors as tactics came into play. In the end, it was the ones who could best read the wind conditions who triumphed.

PHOTO ALBUM by Patrik Pollak

Day One photos
Day Two photos
Day Three Photos
Day Four Photos
by howie@howiephoto.com

Championship Coverage
IWA
& http://www.sailing.org.sg/