Rolex China Sea Race 2020

(Photo by Daniel Forster)

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club has released the Notice of Race (in both English and Chinese) and opened entry for the 58th Anniversary of the Rolex China Sea Race. The Race will start on 8 April 2020 in Hong Kong’s iconic harbour and take competitors 565nm across the South China Sea to Subic Bay in the Philippines.

2020 marks the 30th edition of this biennial Offshore Category 1 Race organised by the multi-faceted and cosmopolitan Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC), one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs in Hong Kong. Rolex has partnered with the Club since 2007, as well as its flagship Race, the Rolex China Sea Race, since 2008.

As a blue water race, it has a bit of everything from a spectacular start in Hong Kong harbour, through the lumpy, challenging conditions on the first night to the deep blue water as you near the northern Philippines. On paper, this event might look like a drag race with a predominant easterly breeze and trade winds of 70 to 90 degrees, but the reality is often different with the infamous ‘Luzon hole’ often causing the fleet to compress and effectively restart as they near the coast of the Philippines. The net result is that many boats that have the chance of lifting the trophy under IRC – all depending on how they play their approach to the Philippines.

29 yachts from seven territories raced in the 2018 edition, with 266 sailors hailing from 22 territories including, Australia, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Germany, Philippines, France, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

Fred Kinmonth and Nick Burns’ GTS 43 Mandrake III took the IRC Overall win in the 2018 edition; this was the second overall win (2006) for the longtime competitor. Karl Kwok’s MOD Beau Geste 70 took Line Honours and broke the race record which now stands at an impressive 38h 30m 07s. 2018 also marked Kwok’s third Line Honours win and record-breaking race, having sailed his way to victory in both the 1996 and 2000 editions.

The Notice of Race can be found on the official Rolex China Sea Race website at the following link https://www.rolexchinasearace.com/competitors

About Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) is one of the oldest sports clubs in Hong Kong and is proud of its rich, colourful history, which stretches back over 160 years of social and competitive sailing and rowing. RHKYC organises a full calendar of local and international racing for both keel boats and dinghies, ranging from round-the-cans to Category 1 offshore races. The Club also provides sailing courses for members and non-members at various levels to nurture the development of sailing. For more information on the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club please visit www.rhkyc.org.hk.

About Rolex

An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise Rolex, a Swiss watch manufacture headquartered in Geneva, is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products. Its Oyster and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. Founded by Hans Wilsdorf in 1905, the brand pioneered the development of the wristwatch and is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism invented in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Through philanthropic programmes and a broad palette of sponsorship activities, Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports and exploration, and encourages the spirit of enterprise, as well as the conservation of natural environments.

For enquiry:

Koko Mueller

PR & Communications Manager

Tel.: +852 2239 0342 / +852 9488 7497

Fax: +852 2838 5738 +852 2572 5399

email: koko.mueller@rhkyc.org.hk

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

Kellett Island, Causeway Bay

Hong Kong

RHKYC website: www.rhkyc.org.hk

Naomi Walgren

Assistant Manager - Sailing and Promotion