HONG KONG, March 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Daybreak on the second day found the Rolex China Sea Race fleet already battle-tested. After slipping quietly out of Victoria Harbour, the boats sailed straight into a potent easterly flow and building seas, transforming the race from a gentle start into a full‑throttle push across open water. Conditions built steadily overnight, with 25–28 kts blowing throughout the evening.
It was a tough night for some entries. The double‑handed team on Juice retired due to equipment malfunction, while PHS entry Jibulai later withdrew after suffering a broken mainsail.
Moonblue 2 on the other hand reported “a big night, charging through the oil rigs and ripping off roughly 170nm”, with the crew in high spirits.
For the first ever single‑handed entry, Tiger Mok aboard 2 Easy successfully completed his first night at sea: “Survived the first evening — great to see the sunset and never felt this happy and special to see the sunrise. We’ve got 20 to 25kts right now, boat is going okay. I had a little autopilot malfunction last night — a sail tie caught the autohelm, blew a fuse, but it’s working again. I hope the autopilot will be nice to me. I’ve been very gentle with it, not pushing too hard.”
By morning, winds eased to around 18kts, with 1.5 to 2m waves, offering the fleet a brief window to reset, regroup, and enjoy a well‑earned breakfast.
But the respite didn’t last long — by afternoon, winds built again, with a tired crew aboard Parnassus reporting 25 to 27kts.
Team Alive–Rampage have taken the southernmost rhumb line, aiming to avoid a patch of adverse current that could threaten their bid to break the race record. By 2000 HKT they had logged 420nm and were charging toward Subic at 15kts, holding a 25nm lead over Standard Insurance Centennial V.
The two TP52s — Standard Insurance Centennial VII and Happy Go — remain locked in close quarters, sticking nearer the rhumb line and continuing an intense match‑racing duel with only a few miles between them.
Meanwhile, in the battle for IRC Overall, Seawolf is putting on a commanding performance and remains well‑positioned to challenge for their first overall victory.
Race action is being tracked by Yellowbrick Tracking https://yb.tl/rolexchinasea2026 and is being shown live at www.rolexchinasearace.com – the Race can also be followed on the YB Race Viewer App.
For more information about Rolex China Sea Race 2026, please visit www.rolexchinasearace.com.
Photos credit: ROLEX / Andrea Francolin
ABOUT ROYAL HONG KONG YACHT CLUB (RHKYC)
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is one of the oldest and largest sports clubs in Hong Kong, with a rich, colourful history that spans over 170 years of community and competitive sailing and rowing. RHKYC provides training programmes for practitioners of all abilities and ages – both members and non-members – to nurture their development, produce elite athletes capable of competing at the highest levels, and contribute to the growth and popularity of these great pastimes. The Club also organises a full calendar of high-profile local and international race events, helping place Hong Kong firmly on the global sporting map.
ROLEX AND YACHTING
Rolex celebrates human achievement, recognizing the journey marked by milestones and emotions that culminates in defining moments – determined by a path followed, not just a trophy. Since the late 1950s, Rolex has championed perseverance and resilience in yachting across all its forms – from prestigious yacht clubs to pioneering feats of exploration, legendary offshore races, and its most successful sailors. Today, the Swiss watchmaker supports the innovative future of sailing through its Title Partnership of the Rolex SailGP Championship, the world’s leading sailing league where the best athletes compete on identical supercharged foiling F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous stretches of water. Furthermore, the brand is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events, from the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. Rolex also partners institutions that share its enduring commitment to sailing, including the New York Yacht Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Royal Yacht Squadron, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Royal Malta Yacht Club. Integral to this relationship are the towering figures in the sport and Rolex honours their unrelenting determination in the pursuit of excellence. From groundbreaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester to modern-day sailors, Rolex celebrates the individuals who embody adaptability, teamwork and precision. The Rolex family of Testimonees includes legends Paul Cayard and Robert Scheidt, the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie, and the heroes at the heart of the Rolex SailGP Championship, Hannah Mills, Tom Slingsby and Martine Grael.
ABOUT ROLEX
AN UNRIVALLED REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND EXPERTISE
Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Perpetual watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization. The word ‘Perpetual’ is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 600 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components. A fifth site, also in Switzerland, is under construction and is expected to open in 2029. Rolex carries out its own manufacturing operations, from casting the gold alloys to machining, crafting, assembling and finishing the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport, and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.
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