Tomes Cup

Tomes Cup Saturday, the 25th of April, dawned with very little breeze but, fortunately, a gentle easterly of around 6 to 8 knots filled in just ten minutes before the scheduled start at 1400. This timely arrival of wind allowed the Top Dog Trophy Series 2025-2026 to reach its conclusion with the final pursuit race – the Tomes Cup – bringing the season’s series of pursuit races to a close and determining the top-performing boat overall. A fleet of 77 boats took to the waters of Victoria Harbour, enjoying fair conditions as they battled it out in the series finale.

Race officer, Barry Truhol, positioned the start line just off the club line, opting for a downwind start. The fleet sailed around Wan Chai before completing three laps between Tsim Sha Tsui and Kowloon Bay, finishing at North Point to ensure a competitive and well-managed conclusion.

In this pursuit race format, boats began at staggered start times based on their handicaps, with the slower boats starting first and the faster boats chasing from behind. The objective is simple: to be the first boat to cross the finish line. This format creates intense racing throughout the fleet, constant action on the water, and a thrilling finish where positions can change right up to the final moments.

As the wind held through the afternoon, the Pandora, Windfall, delivered an excellent performance, maintaining its lead throughout the race and taking the win at 1623 near North Point. Flying Fifteen, Mana, sneaked in for 2nd place and the Ruffian, Buster, took 3rd.

Truhol said it was a tough day for the race management team: “We started with a westerly breeze, which meant adapting a Sunset Series course for a westerly start. Then, just 10 minutes before the start, the wind shifted, giving us a downwind, down-tide start – it was completely reversed. But it worked. Boats finished well within the window, and it turned out to be fun racing. Well done to the sailors and the management team.”

The Tomes Cup is the final constituent event of the Top Dog Trophy Series, which is designed to identify the most successful boat across a variety of pursuit race courses and conditions. Following the race, a prize presentation was held at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, with awards presented to the Tomes Cup winners as well as the overall winners of the 2025-26 Top Dog Trophy Series.

Small boats stole the spotlight in this year’s Top Dog competition, delivering a standout performance as Tomes Cup podium finishers claimed two of the series’ top honours. Leading the fleet was Pandora, Windfall, superbly helmed by Tom Ho, securing the overall title, with Leigh Riddell’s Flying Fifteen, Mana, sailing into 2nd place and KW Chair’s Pandora, Solstice, completing the podium in 3rd – rounding out an impressive and hard-fought season.

Tom Ho, skipper of Windfall, expressed his delight at winning the overall Top Dog Trophy, saying: “This is our first time taking the Top Dog overall title. We were fortunate to have relatively steady wind conditions during the two pursuit races, and we also performed well in the Around the Island Race. I’m incredibly grateful to our crew for their consistent and committed effort throughout the series. Without them, lifting this trophy wouldn’t have been possible.”

- photos RHKYC / Guy Nowell