YACHTING; ROYAL FAMILY IN SHED; KING AND PRINCESS COMPETING IN OK CLASS; THEY RETURN TO SHORE -- KING AND PRINCESS ON BEACH; AFTERNOON RACE -- KING AND PRINCESS COMPETE AGAIN; KING IN YACHT NEAR LAUNCH HITS PRINCE BISATEJ AT STARTING LINE; KING RETURNS TO SHORE.




Initials



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Background: YACHTING AT PATTAYA BAY LAST WEEKEND IN PREPARATION FOR THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN PENINSULA GAMES TO BE HELD IN BANGKOK IN DECEMBER.....COMPETITORS INCLUDED THAI KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ AND HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER, PRINCESS UBOLRATANA, AGED 17.

IT WAS A ROYAL AFFAIR.....QUEEN SIRIKIT AND HER OTHER DAUGHTERS WERE ENTHUSIASTIC SPECTATORS.

IN THE O.K. CLASS TRIAL, PRINCESS UBOLRATANA OUTS AHEAD HER FATHER AND OTHER COMPETITORS AND WON THE HALF WAY POINT LEAD. SHE IS TRYING TO SECURE A PLACE IN ONE OF THE TWO BERTHS FOR THIS CLASS ON THE THAI NATIONAL YACHTING TEAM OF THE GAMES.

THE 41-YEAR-OLD KING, WHO IS ALSO SEEKING A BERTH IN HE COMPETITION WITH HIS DAUGHTER, CAME IN SIXTH IN THE FIRST RACE AND HAD TO RETIRE IN THE SECOND PLACE.

THE BLUE WATERS OF THE BAY PROVIDED A FITTING BACKDROP TO A CLASSIC PERFORMANCE OF HELSMANSHIP BY THE PRINCESS. SHE WAS THE ONLY FEMALE COMPETITOR IN THE REGATTA.

SHE SAILED HER FATHER'S DINGHY -- THE VEGA 1 -- WHICH MADE HISTORY OF A DIFFERENT SORT IN APRIL, 1966 WHEN THE KING SAILED IN IT FROM HUA HIN TO SATTAHEEP.

THE MORNING EVENT SAW THE FLEET GET OFF TO A SLOW START, AS THE WINDS HELD AT THE STARTING LINE. SWIFT AND SUDDEN CHANGES IN BOTH WINDS AND TIDE THEREAFTER MADE HELMANSHIP A NIGHTMARE.

THERE WERE MANY CHANGES OF POSITION AS THE WINDS AND TIDES TOOK CONTROL. THE KING NEVER IMPROVED HIS POSITION AFTER THE FIRST LEG, AND FINISHED SIXTH.

IN THE AFTERNOON EVENT, THE KING, LIKE THE FINE SPORTSMAN HE IS, RETIRED PROMPTLY ON HITTING PRINCE BISATEJ AT THE STARTING LINE, AND MADE FOR THE SHORE -- A DISAPPOINTING DAY FOR HIM.