BANGKOK, Thailand — Racing action continues in the second day of the Volvo Fireball World Championship. Thailand?s Damrongsak Vongtim posted a third in Race One and an eighth in Race Two, according to the Bangkok Post. There was no wind at the scheduled starting time of 11 a.m. and when the wind did appear, it was ominously out of the north. Nevertheless, by mid-afternoon Wednesday, it shifted through west and then settled out of the south. The relatively light Thai team thrived on the conditions. Winds were 10 to 15 knots for the first race, while a 15-to 20-knot sea breeze materialized for the second race. A tight fleet of forty boats vied for the top mark, making for exciting racing action. Four races later, Britain?s DJ Edwards & Vyv Townend were in the lead over the Thai team, followed by another British duo Ian Pinnell & Matthew Flint.
For Vongtim, the racing was heavily laden with déjà vu. Three years ago, almost to the day his father challenged a large fleet of visiting Europeans to become the first Thai to win a world yacht racing championship, with crewmember Niwat Triyot, who is also currently crewing for Vongtim in his latest attempt at victory.
Louis Smyth, Commodore of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, noted the diverse field of competitors. "There are some 55 participants from Australia, the Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan and Norway and some 10 entries from the host country Thailand.
One interesting entry is Helge and Christina Altens who, in the 1980s were an unbeatable Fireball team. Helge is also here on behalf of sponsor Volvo of where he is the CEO of Volvo Event Management in the UK, the sponsor and organizer of the 2001-2002 the round-the-world race.
The Altens were not exactly covered in glory on the opening day but, as Helge said after a capsize in Race Two, "we are gradually becoming familiar with the Fireball after a 15-year absence. It is the bones and muscles that will require a little more tuning," he said after a weary day on the water.
Another Fireball veteran, Jens Overgaard, crewing with Neil Semple, fared a little better and was positively beaming as he confessed: "I can think of no better place to spend my fifth-cycle, 60th birthday than in a Fireball in a world championship and in Pattaya."
Placings after two races were:
1. Edwards/Townend (GBR, 2, 1 = 3 points)
2. Vongtim/Triyot (THAI, 3, 8 = 13.7)
3. Smith/Smith (GBR, 15, 3 = 20.7);
4. Pinnell/Flint (GBR, 1, 23 = 23)
5. Morrison/Wagstaff (GBR, 10, 14 = 24)
6. Macfarlane/Payne (AUS, 14, 10 = 24)
7. Hope/Hextall (GBR, 8, 20 = 28)
8. Gibbs/Gibbs (GBR, 16, 16 = 32)
9. Wade/Morgan (GBR, 20, 13 = 33)
10. Davy/Scott (GBR, 23, 12 = 35).

First lady helm, Heather Macfarlane (AUS); second, Penny Gibbs