Contributed by Jason Lim

singapore straits regatta

30 yachts will compete in the various IRC classes, one-design class and the performance handicap class. (Photo courtesy of Jason Lim)

The 18th Singapore Straits Regatta (SSR) will take place from January 26th to 31st in Singapore and Batam.

30 yachts will compete on a new course in Singapore waters, setting sail off East Coast Park and racing towards ONE°15. After that passage race, the yachts will cross over to Nongsa Point on Batam, Indonesia, for the final two days of racing.

This year’s Straits Regatta courses include three passage races created to ensure the highest level of competition. The North-East Monsoon is expected to provide good winds.

This year’s six-day event has about 30 yachts signed up in the various IRC classes, one-design class and the performance handicap class. Yacht sizes run from 24 feet to over 60 feet. As always, there will be established teams with elite crews as well as mavericks looking to upset the pecking order in Asian sailing.

The sailors to look out for in this year’s Singapore Straits Regatta are the ones who claimed podium positions in last year’s Regatta. Gordon Maxted, who will be competing in the IRC B class, claimed the second overall position last year, despite breaking nearly everything on his boat. Christopher Lim, who managed to score six wins in a row, will be the one to look out for in the one-design Platu class.

The first Singapore Straits Regatta took place 18 years ago with pioneers Changi Sailing Club, Nongsa Point Marina and Raffles Marina, coming together with Singapore Sailing Federation (then known as Singapore Yachting Association) to organise what has become an event that has been an annual tradition that endures to this day.

A notable highlight of this year’s Straits Regatta will be the participation of past SingaporeSailing presidents. Ex-presidents and the current president will race on board Magic Dragon 2 (owned by Ng Ser Miang, a former president of the Singapore Yachting Association) and Annette (owned by Anthony Lim, Changi Sailing Club’s Commodore).

The two teams will be respectively led by Peter Lim, a former Singapore Yachting Association president and current SingaporeSailing honorary advisor, and Dr Ben Tan, current SingaporeSailing president. Their crews will comprise current and former national sailors from the 1970s.