Longtze "Belle" takes out Hong Kong Typhoon Series 2009!

During the summer, both Exocet and Longtze Belle had been leading the marks in Hong's Kong's Nautica Typhoon Series, an intriguing and challenging mix of geometric courses and races around the picturesque islands in eastern Hong Kong.

Longtze BELLE, skippered by Jamie McWilliam, winner of Hong Kong’s Round the Island Race 2008, took off with the clear intention of putting on a good show and of winning the events.  And she didn’t disappoint.  Longtze BELLE won the Typhoon series out of a fleet of twelve Magic 25s.  A fantastic performance!  “The difficult thing in the Typhoon Series, is to be consistent over a long period of races,” explains Jamie McWilliam.“The Typhoon series lasts from the end of June to the end of August.  The real challenge, is to maintain your level.  But we sailed well, fought well, and the Longtze is perfectly suited to this period of light winds in Hong Kong ( 5- 8 knots between April and September).”   “We are unbeatable in these conditions,” confirms Gaétan Verhegge, owner of Exocet, “We take off like a rocket while the Magic 25s are still stuck on the water.”

The suspense lasted till the final race 10 with a fierce battle between Black Magic (Magic 25 helmed by Peter Backe) and Longtze Belle, the latter successfully steered to overall victory by Jamie McWilliam. “I have a lot of fun on the Longtze, explains the Irish skipper enthusiastically, and we win all the sportboat events that we enter.It’s a boat that is super easy to sail, super fast and with enormous potential.  And I’m sure I can still greatly improve on our performances.When you are on board, it’s the most incredible feeling, we are going faster and faster, it’s really extraordinary.”

As the season openers are progressing the Longtze teams are getting prepared for the next major events: China Cup (Oct 30th - Nov 2nd, Longsheer Yacht Club Shenzhen) and Hong Kong's Round the Island Race on November 23rd.

Longtze Belle Crew:

• Jamie McWilliam
• Patrick Pender
• Denis Martinet
• Jonathan Hodgson

Biography of Jamie McWilliam:  fulltime sailor with impressive experience in dinghies, light keelboats and big boats.

• Irish Olympic Squad ’86 to ‘92
• Cowes Week Winner ‘92, ‘93, ‘94, ‘96, ‘05, ’06, ‘07
• Cork Week Winner ’96 to ‘00
• 3 times top 10 Etchell worlds
• HK Etchells Champ 6 times out of last 12 years

More information about Hong-Kong Nautica Typhoon series: click here