#a-yao saw a shark today

[holyshitanotherblog]

[goldencorecrunches]

@lady-of-the-lotus I’ve done it. I’ve written, G-d help me, YaoYang fanfiction. I hope you’re happy. I hope you forget about your soup on the burner and it scorches. (Also on AO3 for fancy linked footnotes)

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Must one dread what others dread?

--Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

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What have I done? Sweet Jesus, what have I done?

--Jean Valjean, Les Misérables (Musical)

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Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.[1]

 --Jewish blessing said prior to eating an olive-bulk or more of bread (unless, of course, you disagree).

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It was a bright and balmy day, the third of the cultivation conference, and Sect Leader Yao was being insufferable. He was well outfitted for it. He had woken from his insufferable, snoring sleep and demanded an insufferable breakfast, the specifications of which made the most highly-ranked, honor-festooned cook in Jin Tower break down into tears and resign on the spot. He put on his most insufferable underpants on under his most insufferable robes, and tied back his hair in the insufferable style that he favored, the one that made him look like a badly turned rotten beet.[2] He had even spent fifty minutes manipulating his face in an insufferable series of facial expressions in the mirror, involving him at several points “losing” his own reflection only to “find” it again at the corner of the polished bronze, much to his own amusement—though not, it might be stated, to the amusement of the junior launderer he demanded watch his performance.

The hall had been surprisingly vacant of other unoccupied servants, when Sect Leader Yao had checked. All that scurrying and burrying! Well, servants should be busy, anyway: that was the way, and the way was right, HRRGNH. “That Was the Way, And The Way Was Right, HRRGNH,” was the latest of the updated mottos Sect Leader Yao had thought of for his sect. Though it was an excellent guiding principal and pure poetry upon the senses, it had two drawbacks. The first was that the tonally-important HRRGNH at the posterior end of the phrase was obtained by means of thrusting the hips forward, curling the torso, and letting the resulting force of air displaced escape through the mouth. This was, Sect Leader Yao allowed, not very dignified.  

Still, all was not lost. Sect Leader Jiang had scowled upon seeing it, but he was always scowling so he didn’t count. Sect Leader Lan had looked intrigued. Sect Leader Nie had applauded, and asked whether it would be possible to pass gas from below at the same time; a very tactless comment, Sect Leader Yao had thought, considering the gastrointestinal distress he was so often plagued by, which Sect Leader Nie should know about, as Sect Leader Yao had described it to him at length, frequently. He had reminded Sect Leader Nie of this with appropriate grace. It was good to show these young sprites how to conduct oneself with the proper manners. The second problem was that Sect Leader Yao did not, and had not for several years, have a sect. It was not something Sect Leader Yao liked to think about, so he largely didn't.

On the way to the discussion hall Sect Leader Yao felt a whisper, on the back of his neck. It was the slimiest whisper anyone had ever felt, and it carried with it the vague sense that someone had been watching you, through a crack in the wall, the last time you were alone in the bathroom. It also carried the powerful scent of moldy incense. Sect Leader Yao turned and spread his arms wide. “Sect Leader Ouyang!” It was his best, insufferable, friend. His worst friend, too, being his only, but Sect Leader Ouyang took on both roles with ease. They’d stabbed each other, once, over a hunk of demonic metal. Ah, memories were truly the jewels of life. Sect Leader Ouyang grimaced like a dead cat, which was his version of a pleased smile, and bowed. Sect Leader Yao bowed back. When he rose he waggled his eyebrows. Sect Leader Ouyang snapped open his fan and wafted, with the gentle flutter of a category five hurricane, several lungfuls of moldy incense. They had totally sucked face last night. It had been swag.[3] “What’s on the docket for today?” “I believe it is something to do with that Jin boy. An honor ceremony he’s attempting to put together. If he expects my sect to pay for it, I’ll want to know why.” Sect Leader Ouyang sniffed. He did that a lot. Sect Leader Yao lovingly passed over a handkerchief.

The Jin boy’s proposal was indeed the first major case discussed, after the necessary canapés and complaints about the accommodations had been passed around.[5] It was a matter the boy had clearly put much thought into, and one dear to his heart; he presented it with an earnest timbre that would have swayed a petrified forest. Unfortunately, earnestness was outside of Sect Leader Yao’s testicular-sized sphere of understanding. “He’s grubbing for money, you’ll see,” Sect Leader Yao said, in an overtone[6] to Sect Leader Ouyang. Sect Leader Yao considered himself wise to the ways of the conniving, since he, the aforementioned, sometimes cheated at cards. His friend-now-daring-conquest nodded and glared across the room. He was aiming for the Jin boy, but missed, and caught a rather startled wine-pourer on the side. “You ought to say something,” Sect Leader Ouyang said. That was an excellent idea. It was always, in Sect Leader Yao’s opinion, the right time for him to be talking. “Hey!” he shouted, waving his arms over his head like an extremely drunk aircraft marshal. “Hey! What’s this got to do with Wei Wuxian?” “It…doesn’t,” said the Jin boy, who was in fact Sect Leader Jin, and who while admittedly young outranked Sect Leader Yao to a degree that would make you wince and say whoee it’s a scorcher if you saw it on an outdoor thermometer. “Ridiculous!” Sect Leader Yao said. “We all know it does! Stop trying to bamboozle us with dacquoise!”[7] Sect Leader Jiang had stopped scowling in approval and had begun to scowl in apparent constipation. The history between him and Wei Wuxian was somewhat rocky.[8] “Exactly as he says!” Sect Leader Ouyang, the most and least loyal of Sect Leader Yao’s comrades, cut in. He leapt to his feet; several of his neighbors checked, instinctively, to make sure their pants were still up. “You won’t catch us sleeping!” “Hear, hear!” Sect Leader Yao thundered. “Please don’t shout,” Sect Leader Nie hangovered. He had one hand clasped around his temples, the other clutching a cup of water. Sect Leader Yao was surprised he was so bad off. He’d seemed quite sober when he’d stumbled across the totally swag face-sucking betwixt Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang. Speaking of. Sect Leader Yao turned to look sideways conspiratorially at Sect Leader Ouyang and shoot him finger-bow-and-arrows.[9] Sect Leader Ouyang mimed catching one. Damn, Sect Leader Yao was for sure going to propose marriage after this Wei Wuxian dacquoise was smoked out.

Oh yeah, it was all comin’ up Yao, baby. That was the way, and the way was right.

HRRGNH.

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1This blessing has no relevance to the contents of this work. “Honestly,” the author said when questioned, “I’m just trying for all the help I can get.”[return to text]

2A confusing feat, as this was China prior to the year 1000 BCE, Gregorian, and beets had not been invented yet.[return to text]

3“Swag” is neither a genre- nor period-accurate term for the emotion Sect Leader Yao was feeling. However, translation is an art rather than a science,[4] and more atmospheric words fail to communicate to modern English-speaking audiences the true depth of Sect Leader Yao’s douchebaggery. Thus: swag.[return to text]

4"An art rather than a science” is a common phrase used by people who are neither artists nor scientists to describe what they believe to be the difference between these disciplines. One might as well say “a boot rather than a canary”—that is, not the same, but having more in common than people might think.

5There was nothing wrong with the accommodations, and especially nothing any of the poorly-used common folk the attendees lorded over would have found, but if there is one unifying factor among humans it is that they love to complain.[return to text]

6Like an undertone, but the opposite.[return to text]

7A word Sect Leader Yao thought meant “deceit,” but which in fact refers to a tasty meringue-and-cream French pastry.[return to text]

8If by “somewhat rocky” you mean “a high-speed chase over deadly-fast rapids between simultaneous avalanches, and also, there are sharks.”[return to text]

9Small handheld firearms, aka “guns,” had also not been invented yet.[return to text]

[infraaa]

On a peaceful Saturday morning, the three stooges some of the most popular men within Nanjing University share a morning together they thought they never would. As they thought they would spend their time tranquilly, they notice that the newbies have gotten themselves in trouble again.

“Hey, Gao. Good morning.”

Song Yu walked into the kitchen of their suite style dorm quite gracefully for a morning as early as this one. His dark brown hair, up in a bun, his eyes as dark as the blue sea at night. He made himself a cup of tea before sitting at the table that his roommate, Gao Changgong, otherwise known as the ever so strong Prince Gao was sitting. The captain of the men’s athlete club, he partook in track and field every week, as well as fencing and boxing. He was reading a novel, drinking his morning coffee and sighing through his nose. “We actually picked up the newspaper today, and we thought you might want to take a look at it.” Gao looked up from his book and raised his thick eyebrows, slim brown eyes blinking. He snorted through his nose, taking a sip of his black coffee before going back to his novel. “And why would I want to anger myself on purpose at seven in the morning?” Song Yu chortled and started to flip through the pages of their school newspaper, taking a drink of his dark tea in the process.

“Don’t be like that, come on,” Song Yu smiled as he continued to scan the monochrome pages, “there’s actually some interesting stories that the Newspaper Team organizes. I think it’s cool how they have the capacity to just walk up to people and start interviewing them like it’s just a casual thing.” “And the one that says that is a social butterfly.” Gao mocked, causing his friend’s eyes to dart upward. “Hey I may be good at parties, but it’s not like I can just waltz up to people and start a conversation.” The two college students heard a dark laugh emanate from the hallway that lead to one of the bedrooms. Out walked the other member of the dormitory, already dressed, hair neatly brushed. “Oi, redhead!” Gao chanted out as he saw his roommate make himself a cup of coffee. He took out an AirPod that he had in his ear and shot Gao a look. “Not this morning, please,” he started as he took his place at the table, “but yes, you made a point, Song. You’re shy but not that shy.” He chuckled and drank his coffee.

For a few minutes, they sat in silence, enjoying the peacefulness of the morning that they were sharing. Occasionally, Pan’An would change the song that would be playing in his solitary AirPod and quietly bop to himself as he checked his Facebook. There wasn’t many mornings where they could spend time together, as Pan’An’s only off day was Saturday and both Song Yu and Gao worked seven days a week. Vacation time was always an angel to those two.

However, something else was going on this lovely morning.

“Leave my cousin alone! She did nothing wrong!” Lin Yao cried as he hugged his confused cousin in his arm. She turned to face him with reddened eyes and a red mark across her face. Lin Ruo, the woman in question, looked at the three women standing in front of them; the Vice Presidents of the Student Body Council— Nian Suyan, Xiao Lianyi, and Miss Peace. Once again, the little freshmen have gotten themselves back into another surreptitious romp. Yao took out his phone, sneakily tracing it out from out of his pocket behind his back. Nian saw this movement of his and laughed. “Silly freshman! Do you honestly think you can stand up for your “cousin?” She mocked, quite sickly. “If anything,” Xiao started, crossing her arms, “she broke the rules of the University and deserves to be penalized.” She started to fume at her own words. “Now, calm down. Relax, start breathing.” Miss Peace actively tried to mediate the situation, however, she was just doing it to seem like a good person— she was just as bad as her protege and her group leader of sorts. “What did she even do?” Lin Yao asked as he took his phone and put it in his cousin’s pocket. “She offended the council. She offended Mu Lingchen, the supreme leader!” Nian boomed, her voice reaching the universities’ heights. While she boomed on and on about how she believed Lin Ruo was a bad person, Lin Yao took his phone and immediately started to type once he unlocked it. He knew exactly who to contact at this point.

“Help us, please..! North Plaza, Nian is trying to be fake again. I know you can be here for us, right? Please tell me we can trust you. 😰”

“How many times have I told you that you can in fact trust me? When I show up, they’ll grow quiet. Count on that.”

“Who are you texting? You know it’s rather impolite to be distracted while someone is talking to you, young man.” Xiao said condescendingly. He turned his phone off and snickered, “well it’s also rather impolite to be nosy in other people’s cellphones, is it not?” Xiao glared Lin Yao down, her pupils shrinking in anger. “Enough of this nonsensical talk!” Nian interrupted,” we know that she is guilty! Fess up, Lin Ruo, or you will face the consequences of the Student Body Council.” Lin Ruo gulped and pried free from her cousin’s hold. She held a finger up to her chin, like a little thinking fish, deep in thought in a sea full of sharks. “I honestly don’t know what I did wrong, and if I said something offensive, I didn’t know that it was or it just slipped out in conversation. We all say things we don’t mean and even if I said it I didn’t mean it. I don’t recall saying anything offensive, nor do I recall ever offending you three, so if you could please cut me some—“ “Hah! Liar!” Nian interjected, interrupting Lin Ruo mid sentence as she stumbled back against her cousin’s chest.

Suddenly, Lin Yao felt a little colder. Not because of the breeze, but because of the sudden chill in the environment. He felt his red headed friend walk up by him, to the triplet’s dismay, it’s someone they didn’t want to see right now. All the sudden, it was them that looked so tiny, sharks shrinking down to sucker fish in the company of a whale shark.

“Pan’An, please be gentle.” Lin Yao whispered. He only smirked as he eyed the three women in front of them, almost with a predatory glance. “Out here causing trouble again?” He asked darkly, letting the tenor in his voice come out. Xiao put her head down, Nian put her hand in front of her chest as her eyes widened, and Miss Peace averted her gaze as she felt her cheeks redden and heat up. “No, Pan’An. No… no we aren’t,” She cleared her throat as she continued to speak, trying to avoid the lump that formed, “But she—“ “But she what? What did she do? More specifically, what did she do to you? Or the lot of you for that matter?” He bit through her words like butter, seeing through her instantly. “Nian, be gentle, be polite. Is this the person behind the curtain that’s helping run the Student Body Council? The person that people look up to?” Song Yu and Gao followed slowly from behind the trees of the courtyard. Song just laughed playfully, “Look! The vixens of the Student Body Council..! You’re out to play again, huh?” The three women just shrunk in embarrassment as they felt the eyes of the most handsome men in the school beating down on them like hammers and nails. Pan’An smiled almost sadistically as he adjusted his golden glasses on the bridge of his nose.

“Oh, when will you three learn your lesson?~” Pan’An chirped, mocking them, “I’m sure that Mu would love to hear about this—“ “No! No, no, no no no!” Miss Peace intervened, “you don’t have to tell him, we’ll… we’ll..” Before she could finish, she felt her arm being dragged along by Xiao, right alongside Nian, as they forcefully retreated.

“H… How..?” Lin Ruo whispered under her breath, being taken by Pan’An and his group. The wind blew against his light pink cardigan beautifully, making him look like an emperor. His protege turned to face Lin Ruo and put a hand to her shoulder. “Hey, you must be Lin Ruo. Yao’s cousin, right? I’ve heard plenty about you. I’m Song Yu, by the way.” He crossed his arms, disheveling the white tufts of faux fur on his leather jacket. Her eyes sparked as they looked into the darkness that resided within Song Yu’s dark blue eyes— reminiscent of the dark side of the moon. In her mind, he looked to be straight out of a shounen jump magazine. She only nodded as an answer, she was too flustered to speak. Lin Yao laughed at his cousin. “It really seems that you three live up to your reputation quite heavily.” Song Yu let out a nervous chuckle, “Oh yeah, yeah we do. You should talk to Pan though, I mean, he’s got stalkers, I’m pretty sure.” He turned his head back to look at the group behind him, nodding. Eyes similar to ice pierced Lin Ruo’s eyes of brown. “It can be rather inconvenient.” He whispered. She felt his voice go into her ear even though he wasn’t close to her.

“Thank you, Pan’An. You’re proving yourself to me every step of the way, ya know?” He raised his crimson eyebrows and walked towards Lin Yao, playfully patting his shoulder. “Hey, I’m still your senior. Remember that, yeah?” He shyly nodded. “Sorry about that”

[levysoft]

“Si-può-fare”. Tre parole. Tre parole che, grazie al compianto Gene Wilder nel ruolo del professor Frederick von Frankenstein, sono divenute l’affermazione introduttiva a qualunque impresa prima ritenuta impossibile. Tre parole, le quali probabilmente risuonarono in lingua mandarino anche il 12 settembre 1980 in quel di Shanghai, nel reparto maternità dell’ospedale numero 6.

Ci troviamo in Cina, quattro anni dopo la scomparsa dello storico portavoce e presidente del Partito Comunista: Mao Zedong. Uomo dalla personalità controversa, ad oggi una delle figure più influenti nella storia della superpotenza Asiatica, che prima di passare a miglior vita pronunciò una singolare esortazione testamentaria ai propri sostenitori:

Arruolate i giovani geneticamente più dotati nella macchina sportiva cinese.

A che pro? Vincere, e farlo sempre.

Sulla base di questi presupposti, le autorità governative comuniste combinanole nozze di due astri “superdotati” del basket Orientale. Lui è Yao Zhiyuan, un giovanotto ben quartato con gli occhi a mandorla di 2,08 metri. Lei è Fang Fengdi, un’amazzone alta 1,86 metri con un passato da soldatessa intransigente. La loro storia d’amore non è di certo materia da romanzo alla Jane Austen, ma l’accoppiamento “a tavolino” dà i frutti sperati quando nasce il “piccolo” Ming Yao.

Piccolo per modo di dire. Sì perché il neonato quando viene alla luce pesa il doppio di un normale bebè, ha il cranio squadrato ed un allungamento articolare da bambino di tre anni. Ed è quando Yao apre gli occhi per la prima volta che riverberano le sopracitate parole del professor Frankenstein. L’utopia di Mao, l’esperimento superuomo è riuscito. Dall’incontro di due persone straordinarie, è stato generato qualcosa che trascende la specie: un gigante delle favole alla fine della pianta di fagioli.

A soli 13 anni Yao è già alto 2 metri. Le autorità di Shanghai dunque gli impongono di lasciare casa e famiglia, per trasferirsi negli appartamenti dell’Istituto dello Sport, un eufemismo per indicare una vera e propria fabbrica di fenomeni. Per otto anni il ragazzo viene sottoposto fisicamente e mentalmente ad allenamenti al limite del sopportabile, costantemente monitorato da istruttori e scienziati. Yao non è più un uomo, ma un cyborg in via di sviluppo con il solo obiettivo di diventare Il migliore. E come spesso accade ad un leone a cui si domandi se apprezza la gabbia, Yao affermò:

Il basket non mi piaceva. Ho continuato solo per rispetto nei confronti dei miei genitori.

Il giovane talento Orientale continua sì, e lo fa per davvero. Tant’è che milita per tre anni fra le fila degli Shanghai Sharks, arrivando a vincere il campionato cinese nel 2001 con cifre immaginifiche: 32,9 punti di media e 19 rimbalzi a stagione.

Yao è pronto, la sua progettazione ultimata, ed è arrivato il momento di sbarcare nel più importante palcoscenico cestistico del mondo. Agli Houston Rockets non par vero di potere chiamare con la prima scelta assoluta un “Wilt Chamberlain giallo” che svetta sopra tutti, anche in una Lega di Golia come la NBA.

Le voci e le indiscrezioni che lo precedono hanno quel gusto di leggendario che solo un uomo fuori dal comune può portarsi dietro. Non mancano però gli scettici, quelli che non vedono come un ragazzo di soli 22 anni possa riuscire a controllare un corpo di 140 chili per 226 centimetri.

Il giorno del suo esordio in NBA il Toyota Center è il Barnum Circus del famoso Greatest Show on Earth. Il sold-out è cosa scontata. Non importa con chi si scontrino i Rockets (Indiana Pacers, ndr), non importa che vincano o che perdano, ciò che importa è uscire dal palazzetto ed avere una storia da raccontare agli amici al bar.

«Today I saw a Chinese giaiant playing basketball»

«Was it strong?»

«At all»

Già. At all. Per niente. Perché Yao nella sua prima partita NBA segna 0 punti e cattura appena 2 rimbalzi. Ma Yao è una macchina, che se oliata a dovere fa cantare il motore dentro di sé. Chiude la stagione da Rookie con 13.5 punti e 8.2 rimbalzi di media. E’ Stoudemire però ad aggiudicarsi il premio di giovane dell’anno.

Dal 2003 la musica cambia. Yao si adegua alla perfezione al nuovo ambiente Statunitense, così diverso dalla sua amata Cina. Approda all’All Star Game come riserva di Duncan e diviene presenza fissa nella lista dei migliori Big-Men della Lega. Nel 2004 il maxi scambio fra Orlando e Houston fa arrivare in maglia bianco-rossa niente di meno che T-Mac: l’uomo della schiacciata Rewind, e molto presto l’uomo dei 13 punti in 35 secondi.

Nonostante un’accoppiata del genere, i Rockets faticano ad andare oltre il primo turno di Playoffs. McGrady ha una schiena simile ad un campo minato e Yao, già nel 2005, comincia ad avvertire i primi sintomi che saranno premonitori di infortuni ben più gravi.

Si può dire che il suo punto di forza, l’altezza, sia stato anche il suo punto più debole. Non è facile portare in giro una mole così pachidermica senza stressare le articolazioni di ginocchia e piedi. E quando Van Gundy iniziò a chiedere accelerazioni ad uno come Yao, fu come inginocchiarsi di fronte al colosso di Rodi ed implorarlo di correre. Tuttavia, i problemi fisici sono ancora arginabili e la stagione 2006-2007 è la migliore dal suo arrivo in NBA. I Playoffs per Houston finiscono ancora al primo round contro i Jazz di Sloan, ma in Gara 7  Yao dà prova di quanto è stato creato per fare. Segna 15 punti nel solo ultimo quarto, sfiorando un’insperata vittoria.

Nella successiva stagione, quella della consacrazione, Yao conclude la regular season senza guai fisici con 19.7 punti e 9.9 rimbalzi. Porta sulle sue ampie spalle i Rockets sino al secondo turno contro L.A, sponda Lakers. Quella serie sarà per Yao il crocevia fra Paradiso e Inferno, propendente al basso. In gara 3 si infortuna gravemente al piede sinistro e non ricomparirà nella Serie, poi vinta dai Lakers.

Madre Natura dà e Madre Natura prende. Nel caso di Yao probabilmente ella è stata quanto mai impietosa, perché il centro Cinese tornerà sui parquet NBA, ma solo per 4 gare, dopo le quali un altro infortunio alla caviglia farà calare definitivamente il sipario sulla sua carriera.

Pochi giorni fa, Yao è stato ufficialmente inserito nella Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Stando al parere di molti, ingiustamente. Certo, soffermandosi al mero dato statistico, non si può dire che la carriera di Yao abbia rispettato i presupposti. Ma la Hall of Fame è qualcosa che trascende il campo da gioco. Yao è stato un eroe di due mondi. Un gigante che in un passo ha fatto da cordone ombelicale fra Stati Uniti e Cina. E’ stato il fulgido simbolo annunciatore della grandezza di una Cina in espansione. Ed è giusto ricordarlo come merita, con la bandiera rossa sulle spalle ai Giochi Olimpici di Pechino 2008, a guidare un Paese enorme, accompagnato dal boato delle solite tre paroline: Si può fare.

[sailinginasiapacific-blog]

The Bay Regatta 2017 Day 2 Nothing but blue skies and good wind

The Bay Regatta 2017 Day 2 Nothing but blue skies and good wind

Remington on their way to another win in Cruising Class B. Photo by Scott Murray.

In the the Racing Class results were a carbon copy of yesterday with the Russian skippered Megazip adding a second win to their tally and now hold a two point lead over Gary Baguley’s Fujin.

By easily winning the Cruising A Class today, Garry Smith’s Baby Tonga jumps into first place overall with three points, while Hellmut Schutte’s Aquavit 6 second place today puts them in second place overall. Third place on the day was Gavin Wellman’s Rascal. Yesterday’s winner was forced to retire from the race, registering a DNF, but Tintin hopes to be back on the race course again tomorrow.

In Cruising B Class Canadian Jim “Yee Haw” Ellis’s Remington continued their winning ways with a second win for them in the series while the Gillow-skippered Poco had to settle for third today behind Piccolo, skippered by Robert Camera.

There as on change in the Bareboat Class as Kinnon skippered by Stanislav Pechenkin finished ahead of Alan Bower on All Sail Asia in second, and All Sail Venus Hunter, skippered by Russel Waddy, finished third.

The Bay Regatta takes sailors through the three provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi allowing participants to experience the best of southern Thai hospitality and the unrivalled sailing grounds in the area, sailing amongst 200-metre high karsts and past hidden bays on their way to a party under-the-stars on an idyllic beach.

In the deep channels between the spectacular, vertical rock walls, The Bay Regatta’s philosophy of fun-amidst-beauty shines through for all to see. The hallmark of this event is a casual, fun-filled atmosphere. Many friends join together to sail the four-day event and while the sailing is serious for many racing class yachts, a large number of cruisers join for the experience of sailing through some of the world’s most amazing maritime scenery.

Fergus Wilmer’s Thor claimed line honours again in the Multihull Racing Class, blasting off as if shot out from a cannon and never slowing down. However, after corrected time they had to settle for second place behind John Newnham’s Twin Sharks. Thor still leads the class with three points while Twin Sharks moved into second overall ahead of Alan Cawardine’s Asia Catamarans Hurricane who finished third on the day.

Multihull Cruising saw Sergei Dikanov’s Fenix and Aussie Rick Fielding’s Mojo swap first-and-second place finishes from yesterday leaving them tied on the leaderboard with three points. The Chinese Sanya Yomovo sailing team on DaVinci, with the help of Libby Boyd, repeated their third-place finish of yesterday and that’s where they sit in the standings. After missing out yesterday, Graham Tucky’s Optoloi II competed the race today and finished fourth overall while Hugh Thompson’s Sahm Loy did not start for the second straight day.

Racing continues tomorrow.

For more information, visit www.bayregatta.com or www.facebook.com/bayregatta.

The Bay Regatta 2017 Day 2 Nothing but blue skies and good wind was originally published on Sailing, Shipping and Yachting Asia Pacific