Match Racing 1

Conditions could not have been better for the Hong Kong Match Racing Championships 2025, hosted by the Hebe Haven Yacht Club. With the winter monsoon affecting southern China, Port Shelter was alive with a brisk 10 knots from the north, a sparkling sea and blue sky above. What a way to start an epic sailing event with two days of intense competition and a rousing party to end it off.

It was truly ‘international’ with two teams from Japan, two from China, one from Ireland, one from Sweden, one from Hungary and one from Moscow in the line-up. After a day’s flights and a day’s semis & finals, who would wear the crown? Last year, it was Peter Backe of Sweden. Returning to defend his title, Backe was up against some stiff competition in the form of Jamie Boag (Ireland), Lily Xu (China) and Vladimir Pavlin from Moscow participating for the first time and sailing as an Individual Neutral Athlete (INA) under a neutral flag. It was not going to be easy for Backe . . .

Racing started on time in the middle of Port Shelter. In the first flight to count, Match 3 saw Backe beat Lily Xu. Flight 4 followed with Lily Xu beating Ágoston Sipos in Match 2. In Flight 5, Match 3, Backe beat Takumi Fujii while in Flight 6, Backe continued his successes by beating Kento Hioki of Japan in Match 2. Flight 7, Match 1, saw Vladimir Pavlin beat Zhao Fei of China. In the last flight (8) of the day, Lily Xu beat Kento Hioki in Match 3.

With not enough time remaining, and the light beginning to fade, the RO decided that the Round Robins would continue into Day 2.