The Queen strategized and served as the navigator in the three-day sailing competition, leading Thailand to first place on the leaderboard and distancing the competitors, ahead of the gold medal contest tomorrow (18 Dec).
On 17 Dec 2025 at 09:58 GMT+7, Her Majesty the Queen traveled to the Ocean Marina Pattaya Hotel in Sattahip District, Chonburi Province, to receive a briefing on the daily sailing competition and to join the third day of sailing races for scoring in races 6 and 7 of the SSL 47 keelboat class at the 33rd SEA Games, held from 15-18 Dec at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club competition venue in Sattahip, Chonburi.
Today marked the third day of scoring in the keelboat SSL47 sailing event. Her Majesty the Queen led the sailing team aboard SSL47 sailboat number 6 to compete in two races, races 6 and 7, in the Gulf of Thailand. They competed against athletes from four countries: Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Myanmar. With a determined expression, the Queen aimed to bring home the first gold medal in the keelboat category, a sport newly added to the 33rd SEA Games, for all Thai people.
Today, Her Majesty the Queen also played a crucial role on the boat as the strategist and navigator, positions of great importance. She planned the team’s game strategy to align with the sea’s wind and wave conditions, because accurately calculating wind direction provides a significant advantage to guide the boat swiftly to the finish line.
Amid the changing sea waves and unpredictable winds—the greatest challenge for every sailor—Her Majesty the Queen performed excellently aboard the boat. She used a compass to observe and analyze advantages and disadvantages, planning the wind’s direction to decide the best course for the boat. She alternated by assisting all team members in various roles, including vigorously hanging off the boat to maintain balance. This demonstrated advanced skills including strength, precision, and teamwork, as the SSL boat lacks safety ropes unlike the TP52, making every second spent hanging off the boat extremely dangerous.
On the third scoring day in race 6, the Thai national team finished second, just 17 seconds behind Malaysia. However, after revising their strategy, in race 7 the Thai team took first place. This led the Thai sailing team to a commanding lead over the other four competing countries with a total penalty score of only 10 points from 7 of 8 races. They led second-place Malaysia with 17 points and third-place Myanmar with 21 points. This unofficially secured Thailand’s first gold medal in the keelboat SSL 47 sailing event, a sport newly introduced at the 33rd SEA Games, marking a proud achievement.
On 18 December at 17:00 GMT+7, His Majesty the King will personally attend the award ceremony to present medals for the SSL 47 sailing event at the 33rd SEA Games (33rd SEA GAMES Thailand 2025) at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club Pattaya, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province, to encourage and honor all athletes.
The public can join in cheering and supporting the Thai national sailing team in race 8, the final race of the 33rd SEA Games, by watching live on the YouTube channel.Star Sailors League
