Welcome to the AsianYachting NEWSLETTER
August 2001
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1. Editorial
2. Asian News
3. International
Editorial
Well after watching the young Asian Optimist sailors for many years skilfully manoeuvre their boats in strong currents with only light to moderate winds (below 10 knots) to play with, it came as no surprise that Asian sailors had filled the top places at the light and variable 2001 Optimist World Championship held last month in Qingdao, China the sailing venue for the 2008 Olympics.
The unpredictable breezes, light weather with fog and strong currents saw the race committee struggle to get the races started for the waiting 200 plus International competitors representing 45 countries. After 5 races had finally been completed, the minimum to constitute a championship with lengthy postponements resulting in complete abandonment's the leader board read Abdul Rahim (Malaysia) first, Lucas Calabrese (Argentina) second, Zhu Ye (China) third. Even more of a delight to the Asian sailors the seeding for the Team Racing saw China seeded number 1 and a totally unprecedented four Asian teams had qualified for the 16-team event: China, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Wow! What an a achievement! - Good Golly! Never before!!!! How come?
| With the complaints ranging from unreliable weather forecasts to the available wind being killed by the neighbouring high-rise city (See Photo) and some even finding slightly favourable conditions up the coast surely the ISAF and newly elected IOC President, Dr Jacques Rogge should be looking at ways to keep the 200+ sailors interested in the sport and hopefully return to China for the 2008 Olympic Games to become the sailing stars of the future. |  |
The Optimist Dinghy is sailed in over 100 countries by more than 150,000 young sailors. More than 50% of the dinghy skippers at the Sydney Olympics were former Optimist sailors. In Asia the more active member nations with National Authorities and a group of interested parents have for years single mindedly promoted a very successful Optimist program. This move has achieved its aims of introducing local children into sailing and developed a national pride of competing in the sport as a representative team. More is needed to be done if these countries expect to field any sort of Olympic sailing team by 2008.
Perhaps while Dr Jacques Rogge ponders over moving the dates of the Olympic Games in China from the now scheduled end of July proposal to the end of September to avoid the present Monsoon/Typhoon season being experienced. He should make a firm commitment with the ISAF President, Paul Henderson to spend some of the Olympic sailing funds over the next few years producing sailing programs aimed at bringing all the 23 member nations representing Asia (some are dormant) up to speed.
Perhaps a target should be set if sailing is to have any chance of going to the forefront of sports during the next millennium. Say - That by the 2008 Olympics all National Authorities will be able to at least manage the simultaneous development program of two or more affordable Olympic classes and administrate a National sail training program to the required levels for these classes. This should produce the desired effect of developing a solid core of sailors and coaches who are able to keep the sailing program going on a continual basis in these countries.
Lucas Calabrese from Argentina eventually won the event with two more races eventually completed but the Asian sailors proved they are very good in light airs with Zhu Ye (China) second and Abdul Rahim (Malaysia) finishing third overall.
 |
The
next time some of these little titans clash again will be at
the SEA Games in Port Dickson
during September when teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore,
Myanmar and the Philippines are expected to do battle in 11 different
classes. AsianYachting will be there with daily Race
Reports and the Program of Events is now available at http://AsianYachting.com/news/S.E.A.Games.htm The official website for the South East Asian Games |
An excellent proposal to include a sports keelboat class like the Mumm 30 into the sailing events at future S.E.A. Games and Asian Games is presently under consideration and may see many former dinghy sailors and racers make a return to competition on the International stage.
ASIAN NEWS
1. 25 July - Helsal
II took line honours in the Darwin-Bali Race
at 19:30 hrs.
26 July - Australian Maid crossed the finish line in Benoa shortly after
midnight at 00:17 hrs to win the Darwin-Bali Race on handicap. Good conditions
made for very exciting and close racing with only a few hours separating
the two yachts at the finish after 4 days of racing. John Wardill's popular
Australian Maid is said to have been reaching speeds of close to 20 knots
while surfing the large swells into Bali. Even better hear the latest
interview with Simon Dryden and all the news from Helsal
11, in the Darwin to Bali race, go to: http://www.helsal.com
2. July 17 - Jacques Rogge, the International Olympic Committee member for Belgium, has been elected IOC President. Dr Rogge competed in sailing in the Finn class at the Mexico, Munich and Montreal Games. By profession, Rogge is an orthopaedic surgeon and a former sports medicine lecturer. Read about his remarkable win at the elections and his comments about the sport of sailing.
3. Once again, it is time for the 4th Western Circuit Sailing Regatta organised by Raffles Marina in Singapore. The ever popular drink, Mount Gay Rum, is the sponsor and sailors are expected to have a good time on and off the water. For the Notice of Race and Race Reports during the regatta go to http://AsianYachting.com/news/Westernseries.htm
4. The 2001 China
Coast Race Week conducted by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
will consist of 3 days of racing with windward / leewards and Island courses
on the 19th, 20th & 21st October. Followed by an offshore race
to Hainan Island in China on Wednesday 24th October. The week will
be completed with an inshore series in Sanya Bay on Saturday 27th October.
The Notice of Race and Info on the China Coast Race Week is available
at http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/chinacoastraceweek.html and from
the RHKYC sailing manager Ailsa Angus by emailing aangus@rhkyc.org.hk
5. For those people looking to either race or spectate during the forthcoming
Asian Regatta Circuit we can
organise some places and presently have boats available for charter. Contact
CaptMarty@AsianYachting.com to discuss
your requirements. To view a colourful variety of Yachts for Sale
including a house and property in Western Australia with a fish and
crab processing business. Check it out http://asianyachting.com/boats/yachtsforsale.htm
|
6. The AsianYachting award for the "Unluckiest sailor of the month" must go to Ray Roberts and his crew on 'Luna Nouva' for spending a few hours aground nearby a reclamation area in Singapore last month during the RSYC regatta. Photo courtesy of the RSYC website of Ray and the boys with nothing else to do but hang around while they are in Singapore. |
 |
7. Details of the 8th Singapore Straits Regatta to be held from 16 to 20 January 2002 have been released.
8. What's Your Catch ???
)----'>
Pancing Dot Com is a Malaysian fishing website that you may be interested
in contributing some fishy stories to. Its founder is Mohammad Azizuddin
Shahrudin and with the help from PEMM (Angling
association
of Malaysia) are looking
for help to make PDC really valuable to the angling and boating industry
here.
-------------------------- SPONSORS OF THIS ISSUE --------------------------
4. The Nautor Group formally announced on the 23rd July, the acquisition of the historic Camper & Nicholsons yard in Gosport, England. Nautor will continue to operate the yard, founded in 1782, as Camper & Nicholsons, with business initiatives designed to turn the yard into a centre of excellence with the main objective to build and refit superyachts at the yard, which will also act as a service yard for Nautor's Swans in England.
Become a primary sponsor at the top of this popular newsletter or one of the 3 Secondary sponsors by composing a 2 line advert with a hyper link to your website and by return email to CaptMarty@AsianYachting.com find out the attractive rates presently being offered.
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Once again, I hope you have found this issue of AsianYachting News & Views useful and interesting please forward it to your sailing friends.
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Kindest Regards
Capt Marty Rijkuris
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