Hong Kong to Vietnam Rally 2025
Alive takes both Line Honours and IRC Overall win
Alive crossed the finish line in Nha Trang on Friday at 17:11:10 HKT, claiming Line Honours in the 2025 Hong Kong to Vietnam Rally. Their elapsed time was 2 days, 5 hours, 51 minutes, and 01 seconds, marking another impressive performance following their 2017 victory, where they finished in 2 days, 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 56 seconds. On her corrected time of 3 days 12 hours 55 minutes 19 seconds, none of the other IRC boats competing could beat her time in this 673nm rally.
The last boat to complete the Rally was TongRan, Jiaqi Wu’s Dufour 500. TongRan crossed the finish line in Nha Trang on Sunday at 01:12:44 HKT, with a corrected time of 3 days 17 hours, 34 minutes 18 seconds, securing IRC Overall 2nd place.
IRC Overall 3rd place goes another Australian entry, Cookson 50 Hollywood Samurai, helmed by Ray Roberts, with their corrected time of 3 days, 17hours 56 minutes 23 seconds, they secured IRC Overall 3rd Place. Hollywood Samurai reported reaching an impressive top speed of 29kts during the downwind passage.
The Hong Kong to Vietnam Rally kicked off on 28 October at 1120hrs, with IRC Racer 2 boat Zesst and PHS entry Momentai starting in fair wind. Momentai later retired due to sail damage.
The second start began 24 hours later in an easterly breeze of 10 to 12kts, with five IRC Racer division boats joining: Alive, Hollywood Samurai, Fenice, Neo One, and Tong Ran. The start was dramatic, with Alive and Hollywood Samurai both declared OCS and forced to restart, while the other three boats got away cleanly.
Alive and Hollywood Samurai engaged in a thrilling match racing through Victoria Harbour, neck and neck until Shau Kei Wan, where Alive began to pull ahead.
The first half of the 673nm journey was dominated by strong and steady northeasterly monsoon winds, averaging 25kts, sending the fleet on an epic downwind
passage. However, as boats entered the weather transition zone near the Central Vietnam shoreline, heavier squalls and cloud activity impacted the final third of the race. Central Vietnam recorded over one metre of rainfall within 24 hours, surpassing the previous national record set in 1999.
Fortunately, conditions improved toward the end, allowing boats to approach Nha Trang on Saturday. Neo One and Fenice were locked in a tactical duel in the final 30nm. Fenice shared: “They were gybing, and we had to respond, but we were behind and needed to make up time. So we chose to goose wing and sail straight on. It wasn’t easy—the waves started rolling the boat quite a bit—but we managed it well. It was a good run to the finish.” At the end, Fenice finished just 5 minutes behind Neo One.
This Category 1 offshore rally featured a strong international contingent of world-class yachts and experienced sailors. Australian boat Alive returned with a powerhouse crew of 10, including Gavin Brady, Adrienne Cahalan, and Volvo Ocean Race veteran Justin Ferris. Prior to arriving in Hong Kong, Alive completed the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka double-handed race in just 22 days, 22 hours, 48 minutes, and 15 seconds.
Ray Roberts’ Hollywood Samurai also brought a seasoned team, fresh off their IRC Open Class win at the Samui Regatta in May 2025. Technician David Chapman shared pre-race thoughts on safety, strategy, and the hope for stronger wind conditions which they received on the first night.
From Chinese Mainland, TongRan, a Dufour 500 from Nansha Yacht Club, joined the rally. TongRan had previously taken 1st in IRC Premier and 4th Overall IRC in the 2023 Rolex China Sea Race.
Among the local entries, competition was fierce. Henning Mueller’s Sunfast 3600 Zesst had previously taken IRC Overall win in the inaugural Eastern Asia Offshore Race. Stefan Fillip’s Neo One (Neo 400+) and Franco Cutrupia’s Fenice (Solaris 60) were notable contenders, with Fenice having claimed Line Honours and IRC Overall in the 2025 Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race. The sole PHS entry, Jonathan Chan’s Hanse 470 Momentai, made their offshore racing debut.
The 2025 Hong Kong to Vietnam Rally once again showcased the spirit of offshore sailing— exciting chasing during the start in the harbour, show of strong International contingent, and unpredictable weather. With strong performances across the fleet and ideal monsoon conditions, this year’s edition will be remembered as one of the most exciting in recent history.
