“We’re Out to Finally Win It” - FreeFire at the Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race 17 October

Oct. 7, 2013 - PRLog -- While there isn’t anyone on board who has competed in all five of the previous editions of the Race, Sam Chan (who has done four HKV Races) and Gray Gibson did compete in the first Race in 1996 on the original FfreeFire 70, winning Line Honours. Gordon Gregor and Russ Parker have done every Race since then and 2013 will make it their fifth, together with Sam. With this Race, Russ Parker is reaching a milestone - this will be his 30^th Cat 1 race across the South China Sea - surely something to celebrate!

The Hong Kong to Vietnam Race hasn’t been an especially lucky one forthe teamas Russ explains “in 2006 on the white TP (FfreeFire 52), the front wall of our brand new mast failed under compression from the spinnaker pole - we retired but carried on.  In 2011 the bowsprit broke off FreeFire on the first night, however we continued at a slightly slower SOG until about 60nm out, when the rudder stock tore in torsion and we had to retire!”  Here’s hoping their run of bad luck has finished.

FreeFire is certainly looking to win this Race - as Sam says “We’re out to finally win it – it’s the only Asian offshore Cat 1 title to elude FreeFire so far.”  Whilst Sam and Russ admit there’s not much they can do about the 90’s (Ragamuffin and Chivas), they predict they’ll “have a good race with OneSails Racing and Lucky, the other two TP52s entered.”

We did ask them what they were looking forward to the most with the request that they didn’t just say “finishing and winning” but that’s what they did come back with and, given the bad luck they’ve had before, it’s rather apt!

FreeFire has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/freefire.racing

About the Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race

First conceived in 1996 when it was run at Lunar New Year, this 656nm Category 1 offshore race is now a biennial fixture in the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club sailing calendar. A constituent event of RHKYC’s popular China Coast Race Week, the race makes the most of October’s prevailing north east monsoon to give competitors a thrilling, predominantly downwind race from Hong Kong to Nha Trang on Vietnam’s eastern seaboard. The 2013 edition will see a sixteen-strong fleet chasing the current race record of 42h 45m 41s, which was set in 2004 by Grant Wharington’s Skandia.

Official Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race website at: http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/hkvietnamrace.aspx

Follow the Race on the Club’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/rhkyc

Spectators can also track the race via Yellowbrick tracking at: http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/hkvyellowbrick.aspx

Armchair sailors can take part in the Virtual Audi Hong Kong to Vietnam Race by signing up for free at www.sailonline.org

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 Audi Hong Kong

Audi Hong Kong officially started its operation in 2013 for the Audi brand and the import business of Audi automobiles in Hong Kong and Macau, with brand marketing as its first and foremost responsibility.  The new wholly-owned sales office emphasized Audi Group’s dedication to this growing market and the company’s vision to become the leading premium automobile brand.  Audi Hong Kong achieved record first half-year results in 2013, delivering more than 40 percent year-on-year increase with 1,922 cars sold – one of the strongest performances among the markets worldwide after its official inauguration. Best-selling models included A5 sportback, A4 and Q3, underlining Audi’s values as a progressive, sophisticated and sporty premium brand.

In 2012, the Audi Group delivered 1,455,123 cars of the Audi brand to its customers, generated revenue of €48.8 billion and achieved an operating profit of €5.4 billion. The Audi Group is globally present in more than 100 markets and produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Győr (Hungary), Brussels  (Belgium),  Bratislava  (Slovakia),  Martorell  (Spain),  Kaluga  (Russia),  Aurangabad  (India), Changchun (China) and Jakarta (Indonesia). The brand with four rings will produce cars also in Foshan (China)  as  of  late  2013  and  in  San  José  Chiapa  (Mexico)  starting  in  2016.  AUDI  AG’s  wholly  owned subsidiaries include quattro GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy) and the sports motorcycle manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy). The Group currently  employs  more  than  70,000  people  worldwide,  including  around  50,000  in  Germany.  Total investment of approximately €11 billion is planned by 2015  – mainly in new products and sustainable technologies. Audi lives up to its corporate responsibility and has strategically established the principle of sustainability for its products and processes. The long-term goal is CO 2 -neutral mobility.