Rolex China Sea Race: Hong Kong trio reunite for offshore adventure, with ‘very rare’ weather expected to decide outcome
- Former 2014 Asian Games teammates Dominic Law, Owen Wong and Jono Rankine sailing together on Happy Go
- Teams face rare upwind out of city and Rankine expects a slower pace this year
A trio of former Hong Kong sailing team members have reunited for the first time in nine years to compete in this year’s Rolex China Sea Race, which starts on Wednesday.
Dominic Law Yat-fung, Owen Wong and Jono Rankine are part of the 12-man crew that will sail on the TP52 Happy Go from Victoria Harbour to Subic Bay, in the Philippines.
And the former 2014 Asian Games teammates said the “very rare” upwind weather would play a significant role in determining the outcome of the race.
“Despite my previous experience, sailing upwind towards the Philippines is probably a first for me,” Law, who first sailed in the race in 2008, said.
“The forecast says there are two low-pressure troughs in the South China Sea and a high-pressure trough in the middle, the wind direction to the west of the Philippines is going to be chaotic.
“It is very rare for us to be dealing with wind from the south after setting sail from Victoria Harbour, usually the wind came from the east, or the northeastern side.
“Depending on the weather system being eastward or westward-bounded, the wind direction is going to change drastically.”
