AY Race Reports 2004 - 05 News and Views

Malaysia celebrates as Ulumulu wins Koh Samui 2005
By scoring 3 early wins in a row and tying the final race Troy Yaw's Sarawak based Ulumulu held onto a slender 3 point advantage to become the 2005 Koh Samui champions and the first Malaysian team to win in racing class against stiff opposition since Gotcha back in 1999. Frank Pong's almighty 75ft Jelik stayed up in 2nd place and Toby O'Connell's crew put in a great performance on the newly acquired YO!'s first outing to end up in 3rd place. Koh Samui Race Reports here

2004/05 AY GP Presentation News and photos
The traditional AYGP blue blazer award and victory champagne was celebrated in Koh Samui by non other than Ulumulu's Aussie skipper Ray Roberts on this occasion and proud owner Troy with his Miri team of selected International sailors. Check the photos out here...

Presenting Neil Pryde and Hi-Fidelity with the 2004/05 AYGP Sailor and Yacht of the Year award have been delayed till the end of the RMIR this year so a double champagne celebration in duty-free Langkawi is being arranged. Take a peek and see how your favorite team ended up in the AYGP Rankings Here

The AY Photo Library has been upgraded with images of the 2005 Borneo Cup, 2003/04, 2004/05 AY Grand Prix Champions party in Koh Samui with selected shots taken during the season here...

Yachting Symposium - Yangon to Manila Bay
The Inaugural Symposium Malaysia 2005 drew allot of local attention on how to develop the marine tourism sector by coming up with 8 steps for the way forward. (See Final Report)

2005 Inaugural Top of The Gulf Regatta
The Maikinson's JOD 35 Magic Roundabout ably helmed by Pook kept the fleets cleanest score sheet by recording 7 wins out of 7 races for a run away victory in the racing class. Coronation Cup racing has been extremely close as Neil Semple's crew scored a 2, 1 to seal the fate of the class and take home the cup this year. Goto AY Race Reports here

Everyone is a winner at Borneo Cup 2005
Not only is there trophies galore but competitors have won the hearts of the locals, gained some new friends and been treated to some of the warmest hospitality they are ever likely to experience. Troy Yaw's mainly home grown team on Ulumulu are emerging heroes in Miri and are forging ahead as Malaysia's only full blown racing class competitor. Check out the Race Reports here

President's Cup 2005
A slow start produced a mixed bag of results in the early races due to variable wind conditions but the in form Nick Burns / Fred Kinmonth Farr-Mills 51 Mandrake bounced back with four bullets in the final races to take overall victory in the IRC Open class from Ray Ordoveza's Karakoa and Robert Knight's DK46 Drumstick to take home the President’s Cup Trophy.

San Fernando 2005 - Ffree Fire enters the points
Last seasons AY Champion boat was Sam Chan's Ffree Fire that once again proved her pedigree by taking the daily double of line honours and the South China Morning Post Trophy during this years San Fernando Race. Fred Kinmonth’s Farr-Mills 51 Mandrake finished 5 hours behind Ffree Fire to claim 2nd spot and James Fernie's Wizard in 3rd place.

Wow! Round the World in 50 days
16 March 2005: Bravo Bruno Peyron and crew of Oange 2 as they smashed the Round the World Record to smithereens and AY Southern Ocean Gloves have helped him set a new benchmark of 50 days, 16 hrs, 20 mins and 4 secs, achieving an average speed of 22.2 knots. Fancy having the same gloves that Bruno uses or "Getting a proper grip on life" Go here...

BMW Royal Langkawi Int Regatta 2005 - YO YO YO!
After a slow start the racing picked up a notch or two with the arrival of a 20knot north easterly tradewind. Peter Ahern's Malaysian Airlines sponsored YO! raced away with the trophy for the 3rd time in succession. Armin Schmid's new Farr 36 SonnenKoenig helmed by Hannes Waimer the CEO of DK Yachts finished up in 2nd place. Troy Yaw's all Malaysian crew claimed 3rd spot on Ulumulu in the racing class. AY Race Reports here...

Rebak Champagne Run 2005
Held as a feeder event from Phuket to Langkawi by the BMW Royal Langkawi Int Regatta committee to attract competitors from neighboring Thailand to join the main event. Six stalwarts of Phuket racing started out from Ao Chalong on the 26th... Read more here...

11th SSR 05 makes it 3 in a row for Neil Pryde
A 12 to 15 knot North East tradewind provided an exciting blast reach on the final leg into Changi and the leading yachts possibly set new record times between Batam and Singapore. Nick Burns Mandrake was able to stretch their legs and get one back from Neil Pryde's Hi-Fidelity, although a little to late as Neil and his professional crew had already raped up the series. Andrew Crombie's modified Magic 25 Vertigo with wings flew down the back straight to finally take 3rd place for the race but Robert Knight's DK 46 Drumstick filled the final podium position in front of them. AY Race Reports here...

Kings Cup 04 - 2 up for Hi-fidelity
Right from the very beginning Neil Pryde's Hi-Fidelity got the better of Peter Ahern's YO! and went on to put in a very polished performance to finish up only 27 seconds behind the Burns / Kinmonth pacesetter Mandrake. The score ended up tied on 12 points apiece so after a count back Neil Pryde added another King's Cup to his collection. AY Race Reports...

Raja Muda International Regatta 2004
Neil Pryde's HI-FIDELITY added a further 2 wins in the final races to score a run away win in the Racing Class and add another prestigious silver and gold Raja Muda Cup to his already overflowing trophy cabinet. MANDRAKE skippered by Nick Burns ran a very close second and took line honours in all races except one but lacked a little speed to capitalize on a fine performance. Troy Yaw's ULUMULU skippered by Bill Nichols filled third spot overall after putting in a very consistent effort and are presently experiencing a very steep learning curve. AY Race Reports here

Asean Regatta - It's a rap, for YO!
After a short wait for the breeze to build, the final races to determine this years Asean Regatta champion got away in fine style. Bill Bremner's Foxy Lady made a late charge winning both race 6 and 7 but was not quite enough to earn him the overall title from Peter Ahern's YO! whose four early wins and three second places is just enough to earn the title for the second year in succession. Goto AY Race Reports here...

As expected Aussie Grant Wharington's 98ft Skandia also took line and handicap honours plus a whopping 19hrs and 11mins of Ffree Fire's record set in 1996 on the Vina Capital Hong Kong to Vietnam Race. The new elapsed time record of 42h 45m 41s will be a great challenge for future participants to beat. The brisk force 6 - 7 reaching conditions persisted and after applying IRC handicaps it ended up with Skandia 1st, Neil Pryde’s Hi Fidelity 2nd and Nick Burns Mandrake 3rd. More can be found here...

The 2004/05 AsianYachting Grand Prix Championships started with a bang at the China Coast Regatta (See Unluckiest Sailor Section Nov 04) giving Grant Wharrington’s Don Jones 98 Skandia the IRC A title, just one point ahead of Neil Pryde’s 47ft Hi Fidelity and five ahead of Frank Pong’s Reichel-Pugh 75 Jelik. RHKYC Race Reports at: http://www.chinacoastraceweek.com Progressive pointscores or 2004/05 Rankings over the nine selected AYGP events held throughout the season can be browsed here...

Cruising Rally Style?
The 2^nd Annual 'Darwin-Kupang-Bali' Yacht Rally has exceeded everyone's expectations this year --- including the Indonesian government and politicians involved in the events. With forty three yachts and 120 captains and crew representing 10 nations, these events have not only became a cultural introduction to the traditional island way of life for the participants but has fostered a wonderful cultural bond between the friendly Indonesian people and all the nations represented. The genuine warmth and hospitality from the government and the Nusa Tenggara Timor people will not be forgotten. For more on what to expect during this exceptonal cruising event goto: http://asianyachting.com/news/DwnKupangBali04.htm

AsianYachting Centers in Malaya?
AsianYachting has wowed to take the Learn to Sail with Asian Yachtmasters sail training scheme onto the next level and establish commercial AY Sailing Centers in Malaya later this year. We have decided to fast track the AY Franchising Program by marketing a range of specially designed and trailable 8m fiberglass offshore, sports, keelboats that are suitable and safe to train local novices in becoming qualified sailors and certificated Asian Yachtmasters. Check them out.....

Sailing Speed Records
Due to the recent spate at which World Sailing Speed Records are being broken a Roundup page is available with great photos including all the Jules Verne attempts. Check it out...

ACE Etchells World Championship 2004
Lake Macquarie yachtsman Peter McNeill became the 7th Aussie to win the prestigious Etchells World Championship when he out-sailed a international star-studded 85 boat fleet assembled at Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Goto AY Race Reports with incredible photos here...

Phuket Race Week 2004 Race Reports here....
The excitement and tension was tangible as the last day of racing got underway at the inaugural Phuket Race Week, held at Evason Phuket Resort from 10-17 July. With almost nothing separating the leaders in three classes, several boats saw an opportunity to clinch the series on the final day.

At last! QUANTUM NAGA CUP report...
Rarely does the situation arise where yacht racers are faced with the dilemma of having to deal with to much breeze. However this was the case recently where four of the regions top Phuket Sports 8 crews gathered for the inaugural Quantum Naga Cup. read on...

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