Top of The Gulf International Regatta’ — one of Thailand’s leading regattas and Thailand’s only all class regatta — will play a major role in promoting tourism to Pattaya and will be bringing tourists back to the region.

Despite the global recession, this year's competition, which will take place during April 30 – May 4 at Ocean Marina Yacht Club Pattaya, is expected to draw approximately 500 Thai and International sailors, and more than 200 yachts from Thailand and around Asia, including Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore and the Philippines. According to Mr. William J. Gasson, Chairman of organizing committee, Top of The Gulf International Regatta, this re-confirms that Pattaya remains a popular destination and one of Asia’s best sailing venues.

First launched in May 2005, Top of the Gulf International Regatta or TOG Regatta, based in the Eastern Region of Thailand, is a multi-class sailing competition with the largest number of categories. Contestants will be competing in a total of 9 Classes including Keelboat, Cruising Keelboat, Sportboat, Beach Catamaran, Platu, Ocean Multihulls, Monohull Dinghy, Optimist and Super Mod.

The TOG Regatta 2009 will compete in the four days of daily score accumulations leading towards the final winners of each class in the last day on 4th May. The first day of the competition, 1 May, will include the races of Keelboat, Cruising Keelboat, Sportboat, Platu, Ocean Multihalls, Monohull Dinghy and Super Mod — all of which will compete in seven rounds of courses. The race of the Optimist Class, competing for the Optimist National Championship trophy, will take place from 2 May 2009 and will include 5 rounds of courses.

The objectives of the event are to promote sailing as an annual sports event in the Asian regional yacht racing programmes and make it more widely accepted among both local and international sailors and young sailing enthusiasts. The event also serves as a practicing field to improve the skills that should elevate the levels of the Thai national sailing teams to compete in more local and international events.

In 2005, 150 sailors and 70 crafts participated in the competition; in 2006-2008, the event gained 350-500 sailors and 150-200 crafts respectively.

source:tatnews.org