Early bird Raja Muda Regatta entry extended
Skippers and owners who are rushing to get their online registration done, before the early bird discount cut-off date of 1st October, will be pleased to know that they have extended the discount period to 4th October to cover this weekend. So, save money, and time at registration, by going online to the Skippers Page and registering your entry. You can amend boat details and/or crew names online later… just get your boat registered and main crew numbers registered and paid for by 4th October. For anyone who entered last year it’s even easier.. your boat details and last year’s crew are already on file for you to update and submit. Hotel and stopover details are online and extra information added daily so get the hotel bookings in before everyone else. There are important NOR amendments regarding recent IRC rule changes which the IRC class boats should check out, and the Sailing Instructions and Skippers Pack are due out middle of October. The http://www.rmsir.com site has been optimised for use on iPads & Android tabs as well as PCs so you can register anywhere, anytime.

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CONTENTS

1. EDITORIAL - Match Racing & AYGP return this month
2. AUSTRAL - ASIAN NEWS - Thai Platu Champs down to the wire - Malaysian Match Racing Circuit endorsed by WMRT - Sneak preview at the DK 47 - Minoru Saito returns home to hero's welcome - RYA Manifesto good for all MNA's - Mike Sanderson has appendicitis operation - ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards: Nominees Announced - ISAF Annual Conference papers published online
Up next in Asia - Malaysian & Asian Match Racing Championships - China Coast Regatta - Hong Kong Vietnam Race - China Cup Int. Regatta
3. INTERNATIONAL NEWS - Audi TP52 World Championship - Sir Peter Blake Trophy for Volvo Ocean Race Legends - More AC World Series venues announced - Transat Jacques Vabre - IRC Congress to discuss rule changes
Follow the: AC World Series - Extreme Sailing Series - World Match Racing Tour - Volvo Ocean Race - Global Ocean Race - RC44 - Clipper Round the World Yacht Race
4. World Speed records - Fastnet Race Records ratified
5. "Unluckiest sailors of the month" - Rush to join the AC45 capsize club – Maxi’s join the crash & bash club

1. EDITORIAL

Sunday 2nd October is the last chance for sailors in Asia to attend the North U Seminar on Sail Trim and Racing Tactics at Changi Sailing Club in Singapore. You can spend a lifetime learning to be a better sailor. The North U. Asia Tour will accelerate the process and guaranteed to take you to the next level. The program is delivered by North U. Director Bill Gladstone who successfully unraveled the mysteries on match racing at the Monsoon Sailing School a few years ago. Don't miss out on getting an edge on your competitors.

If you missed out on the Inaugural Sabang Int Regatta, all the action in Langkawi and Sebang including snaps of the Banda Aceh Tsunami Tour have been compiled into the AY Photo Gallery.

First up this month is the Malaysian Match Racing Championship (MMRC) October 7-10 and the Asian Match Racing Championship (AMRC) October 12-15 at the purpose-built match racing venue, Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort & Spa in Terengganu. These qualifying races determine which team deserves the honour of representing Malaysia and the Asian region at the Monsoon Cup, the final and deciding leg of the World Match Racing Tour. An intensive match racing clinic is taking place prior to the MMRC on 4th – 6th October and is a good opportunity for pre event training for all participants, as it includes on the water as well as classroom sessions. The winners of the qualifiers will race against the best international match racing teams at the Monsoon Cup and also stand a chance to win almost RM1.5 million in prize money. More details at: http://www.monsooncup.com.my/

After a couple months break the 2011-12 AYGP Championship gets back on track with the China Coast Regatta from October 14-16 and is quickly followed by the Hong Kong Vietnam Race starting on October 19th. This season the pointscore has been completely revamped and all the Skippers and Yachts competing at the 12 five star events will score points towards becoming the AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year. After each event the points are awarded based on the results and Now! Can be found Online.

On the International scene the Extreme Sailing Series - World Match Racing Tour - RC44 continue on unabated plus the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race and the Global Ocean Race are on their circumnavigation. The holly grail of round the world races the Volvo Ocean Race starts late this month with the In-Port Race on 29 October in Alicante, Spain. The latest news from these organisations and much much more can be found below.
Enjoy!
Capt Marty Rijkuris

2. AUSTRAL - ASIAN NEWS

2.1 Thai Platu Championship going down to the wire
After a very intensive racing program throughout the year, the International Platu 25 class is facing further challenges, especially in Thailand where the “Thailand One Design Championship 2011” carries on and is coming to an annual climax. The Thailand Platu Nationals was a good success with 10 crews. Two crews traveled from New Zealand to take part. After very competitive races, the new Thailand Platu Nationals Champion is “The Ferret” skippered by the Australian Scott Duncanson. The 4th and last Championship event will be the 8th and 9th of October. At the moment “The Fox” skippered by last years OPEN Champion Rolf Heemskerk from the Netherlands is leading the Championship overall but with one drop score to come it is close at the top. NOR and Platu info can be found on the OMYC site at: http://www.omycsailing.com/platunews.shtml and Race Reports from the earlier regattas and more details can be found at http://www.yachtsinthailand.com

2.2 Malaysian Match Racing Circuit endorsed by WMRT
KUALA LUMPUR (6 September 2011): The Malaysian Yachting Association (MYA) has been successful in its bid to gain endorsement for the Malaysian Match Racing Circuit from the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) after a series of meetings with The WMRT Development Council. The MYA, represented by Hj. Lukman B. Abu Bakar, Deputy President and Dato’ Wan Hisham Wan Salleh, Vice President, had two days of intensive meetings with The WMRT Development Council over two days at the St. Moritz Match Race, Switzerland. During this time, they presented Malaysia’s proposal for the sanctioning of a Malaysian Match Racing Circuit by The WMRT Development Council. “We are very excited to have received this endorsement for the Malaysian Match Racing Circuit from the WMRT. We are at the start of a journey that will see the Malaysian sailors elevated beyond a point not previously possible,” said Hj. Lukman. The Circuit will be incorporated within the already successful KFC Regatta in Langkawi, Lumut Perak and Selangor, culminating in the Malaysian Match Racing Championship, the qualifiers for the Monsoon Cup, in Pulau Duyong, Terengganu. Hj. Lukman added: “We have our work cut out between now and February 2012 when we plan to launch the first event of the Malaysian Match Racing Circuit. We are hopeful of garnering the support of our partners KFC, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and T-Best Events to ensure the success of this Circuit.” Full story Here...

2.3 Sneak preview at the DK 47
On a recent visit to Admiral Marina in Port Dickson we came across the all new carbon fibre DK 47 taking shape on the hardstand. The Royal Malaysian Navy have commissioned DK Yachts to build two new yachts for the sailing team and after sea trials expect to compete on the Raja Muda Regatta in November. If your serious about forming a racing team and joining the racing class at major regattas in the region, this could be the boat to do it for you. DK is one of the most technologically advanced composite manufacturing facility in the SE Asian region. The design office works on high performance IBM CAD/CAM systems which are data supply linked to production and directly command the five-axis milling machine that accurately cuts hull plugs and moulds. Contained within the 110,000 sq ft facility is a multi-cycle computerized temperature oven (25m x 5m x 3.5m), a spray chamber (18m x 6m x 5.5m), an engineering workshop and a dedicated laminating room. In addition, DK also has an in-house 40m long autoclave to cure carbon fibre and kevlar finished products. So what are you waiting for? Serious Yachts for Serious Sailors can be found at http://www.dkyachts.com

2.4 Minoru Saito returns home to hero's welcome
An earthquake, two tsunamis, giant icebergs, towering waves and five typhoons: these may sound like typical challenges for anyone sailing around the world on their own. But Japanese sailor Minoru Saito also had to contend with back pain, a hernia, a knee operation and organising delivery of his heart tablets - perhaps unsurprisingly, bearing in mind that he is 77-years-old. Mr Saito yesterday broke a series of records - and defied all pensioner stereotypes - as he sailed into Yokohama port to a hero's welcome after an epic 1,080-day journey sailing single-handed around the world. Stepping onto the floating pier and accepting bouquets of flowers, he told the Sunday Telegraph: "I'm very, very happy to be back but it was difficult. It was my longest trip. It went on for months and months and years and years, I had so many problems. But it's great to be back." He added: "I missed a lot of things, mostly cherry blossoms and Japanese food. But I feel very young in both mind and body and I feel I'm in great shape." The word "retirement" not featuring in his vocabulary, he went on with a laugh: "I'm already thinking about my next trip. I'd like to head to Greenland and Alaska next. I just need to raise the money and then I'll go off again." It was in October 2008 that Mr Saito set off from Yokohama on a trip that he initially hoped would last only 287 days on board his prized 56-foot sailing boat, Nicole BMW Shuten-dohji III. Not only did he his arrival confirm his status as the oldest person to sail around the world, he is also the oldest to do so the "wrong way" - from west to east – as well as the only person to have circumnavigated the globe alone eight times. -- Danielle Demetriou in The Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk

2.5 Come enjoy Sunsail's super discounts
IT'S TIME! Take advantage of Sunsail's fantastic end of year specials and book yourself a well deserved holiday! Push through those winter worries and let Sunsail customize the sailing vacation of a lifetime. The world is 70% water…make it 100% fun! Sunsail's South-East Asia bases are easily accessed by direct flights from all major Asian cities. The main base in Phuket is conveniently located at the Ao Po Marina, just a few miles away from Paradise Island and some of the most stunning beaches you can find. With 3 other great destinations including duty-free Langkawi, Koh Chang and Koh Samui, plus all your berthing, insurance and maintenance taken care off, by a team of Sunsail professionals, you can enjoy access to year-round, worry-free cruising. Check out the huge discounts each month on high-performance cruising yachts built for comfort and designed especially for the great sailing in Asia! Visit Sunsail Asia www.sunsailasia.com and pick up a copy of the 2011 Yacht Charter brochure and receive regular updates on Sunsail's activities in the Asian region contact Tel: +66 (0)76 239057 Email: sales@sunsailasia.com

2.6 RYA Manifesto good for all national authorities
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA), the UK's national body for representing the interests of all boating activities, has for the first time found it necessary to publish a manifesto, with the following statement: The RYA’s purpose is to promote enjoyable, safe and successful UK sailing and motorboating. A central aspect of this is to represent recreational boating to government and other agencies in order to ensure that they understand, and take account of, recreational boating activity. We have a clear set of principles which have guided our work in this area for many years which we have embodied in our newly published RYA Manifesto. Defending boaters ‘public right of navigation’ is paramount and fundamental to our principles. 'What we have written in the manifesto is not new. They have been our guiding principles for a long time' says Gus Lewis, Head of Government Affairs. 'We have published the manifesto now because feedback from affiliated clubs and members showed a need for us to articulate these principles more publicly. 'In addition, the RYA is dealing with a broader range of politicians, officials from departments that we have not traditionally had to have a strong relationship with. We want to be able to make sure that they understand what it is that we stand for and what it is that we are doing on your behalf'. Recreational boating continues to enjoy relative freedom to pursue its boating activities, but we cannot take this freedom for granted. Our coastal waters and inland waterways face increasing pressure from competing commercial, environmental and leisure interests. The RYA therefore will continue to provide a robust, articulate and intelligent voice to represent recreational boating and to ensure that its interests are taken into account by government and other agencies. To read the RYA Manifesto in full go to http://www.rya.org.uk/go/manifesto

2.7 Mike Sanderson has an emergency appendicitis operation
ALICANTE, September 28 – Volvo Ocean Race skipper Mike Sanderson was rushed to hospital yesterday evening for an emergency appendicitis operation and now looks set to miss the qualifying leg in just over a week. The skipper of Team Sanya said from his hospital bed in Alicante that his chances of participation in next Friday’s (October 7) Volvo Ocean Race qualifying leg from the southern Spanish port are “marginal”. “The doctors and the hospital here in Alicante have been amazing and everything happened very quickly. I'm allowed home tomorrow and so won't be out of action for too long. The first In-Port Race for the Volvo Ocean Race will be held in Alicante on October 29 before the fleet heads for Cape Town on November 5. “There is no chance of him missing the start of the racing at the end of the month,” said a spokesman for Team Sanya, the first ever Chinese entry in the Volvo Ocean Race.For more information on the Volvo Ocean Race please visit http://www.volvooceanrace.com

2.8 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards: Nominees Announced
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) received nominations for the 2011 Awards from across the world for sailors representing all aspects of the sport. In deciding the nominees, the achievements of sailors made during the qualifying period of 1 September 2010 and 31 August 2011 are taken into consideration. There can be only one winner in each of the two categories, male and female, and the names of those sailors now vying for the coveted and prestigious 2011 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award are announced today.
The 2011 nominees are:
Female
Dee Caffari (GBR) - Record Breaking Round The World Yachtswoman
Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU) - Double Professional Windsurfing Association World Champion
Alexandra Rickham (GBR) - ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion and IFDS World Champion
Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) - ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion
Male
Ben Ainslie (GBR) - Match Racing World Champion & ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion
Lorenzo Bressani (ITA) - Melges 24 and 32 World Champion
Rob Douglas (USA) - Outright World Speed Record Holder
Iker Martinez & Xabier Fernandez (ESP) - IMOCA60 and 49er Success Nathan Outteridge (AUS) - International Moth World Champion and 49er Champion
The winners will be selected by the ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs), the national governing bodies for sailing around the world, who are now invited to vote for the one male and one female nominee who they believe most deserves the Award. The winners will be announced at the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards presentation and dinner, which will take place on Tuesday 8 November 2011. The venue for the event is the Barrio Ballaja in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. More details on nominees visit the ISAF microsite at http://www.sailing.org/worldsailor

2.9 ISAF Annual Conference papers published online
The Agendas, Supporting Papers and Submissions which will be discussed at the 2011 ISAF Annual Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico from 3-13 November have been published online on the ISAF Meetings microsite. The conference will bring together the ISAF Council, Committees and Commissions along with other leading figures from the sailing world to debate, discuss and decide upon the key issues in the sailing world. Over 200 Submissions - proposals to either change an existing ISAF policy or introduce a new policy in the sport - have been received from ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs), ISAF Classes, Committee Chairmen and the Executive Committee covering many aspects of the sport. These will be debated alongside the other items addressed on each Committee's Agenda and published online to give sailors all over the world an advanced preview of the issues up for debate this November. Check them out Click Here...

2.10 QUANTUM Shift Continues...
A new chapter of the green revolution was completed at the 2011 Audi MedCup Circuit. Engaging in fierce battles up and down the order, often in 25-30 knots and surfing seas, Ed Baird skippered Quantum Racing to victory in a series that went down to the wire in the last race in Barcelona. After a thrilling final two days of an incredible season Quantum Racing won their second Audi MedCup title by an overall margin of 15 points. In the Soto 40 class Iberdrola skippered by Jose Maria Torcida comfortably won the inaugural series. Not for the first time on the Audi MedCup Circuit and likely not for the last time the common hue of the leading teams is green, and the complexion of those who are chasing in pursuit might already be a similar shade. Some sail makers save their best stuff for only the big boat programs. Not Quantum. Their iQ Technology is evident on every sail from the smallest dinghy one design classes right through to the TP52 and beyond. No matter what your boat size or sailing venue, find your speed at: http://www.quantumsails.com

3. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

3.1 Audi TP52 World Championship
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Sardinia: Racing starts for the 2011 Audi TP52 World Championships from the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda on Tuesday October 4th and finishes on Saturday 8th October. A full diet of windward-leeward races is planned with the coastal race scheduled on Thursday October 6th. Quantum Racing make one significant crew change losing navigator Kevin Hall to previously scheduled (USA) personal commitments. In his place will be young Italian navigator Francesco Mongelli who served for three years as navigator on Synergy. Among Quantum Racing's toughest rivals will be the home team on Audi Azzurra Sailing Team (ITA), Alberto Roemmers' crew which flies the burgee of the event hosts, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Britain's Gladiator, owned and steered by Tony Langley (GBR) return to challenge for the world title again having added a number of sails to their inventory and expect to race with American Chris Larson as tactician. Larson will be bidding for a second world title in three weeks after recently winning the Melges 32 Worlds in Palma Mallorca. Spain will be represented by ESP 7552 which will be skippered and steered by Gonzalo Araujo and project managed by Ignacio Triay (ESP) sailing under the colours of a sponsorship which will be unveiled at the start of the championship. -- Andi Robertson http://www.tp52worldchampionship.org

3.2 Sir Peter Blake Trophy for the Volvo Ocean Race Legends 2011
The winner of the Volvo Ocean Race Legends Regatta in Alicante from November 1-5 will be presented with the Sir Peter Blake Trophy, a re-named antique trophy made in 1926 by Atkins Brothers of Sheffield, England. "I am truly delighted that Peter should be honoured in this way and I shall be thrilled to present it to the deserving winner of the Volvo Ocean Race Legends Regatta." Lady Blake. The 33.5 cm hallmarked silver trophy will be presented to the overall winner by Legends Ambassador Lady Blake as a tribute to her late husband, Sir Peter Blake, who competed in the first five Whitbread Races (the forerunner to the Volvo Ocean Race) and won all five legs of the 1989-90 edition aboard Steinlager 2. In addition to the Sir Peter Blake Trophy, on both race days special trophies and awards will be presented including a memorial naval ceremonial sword trophy in honour of Ian Bailey-Wilmot's long and valuable involvement with the race. Commander Ian Bailey-Willmot was co-skipper of the Royal Naval Sailing Association's Nicholson 55 Adventure on the Auckland to Rio leg of the Whitbread in 1977-78. When he left the Navy, the Whitbread became Ian's life and much of the development of the race thereafter was due to his drive and entrepreneurial spirit. More at http://www.volvooceanrace.com

3.3 More AC World Series venues announced
It was announced Wednesday that Naples, Italy will be hosting two stops on the America's Cup World Series. The AC World Series format includes a mix of speed trials, match racing, and fleet racing, and provide an opportunity to heighten the awareness of the America's Cup prior to the 2013 match. The following 2011/12 schedule has thus far been announced for the AC45:
November 12-20; San Diego, USA
January/February; to be confirmed
April (tba); Naples, Italy
May 12-20; Venice, Italy
June 23-July 1; Newport, USA

3.4 Transat Jacques Vabre 2011
Can Marc Guillemot and Yann Eliès defend the title. At the end of the month in Le Havre the Transat Jacques Vabre is due to start on Sunday 30th October – everyone will be watching Marc Guillemot and Yann Eliès and their monohull Safran, the title-holder of the Transat Jacques Vabre. Second in 2007 and the winner in 2009… How much more can Safran add to her list of achievements in the Transat Jacques Vabre? This time, it is not going to be a matter of “doing better than finishing second,” but doing as well as last time or in other words winning the race. Charles Caudrelier Benac, co-skipper in 2009, has now moved on to other projects (with the Groupama team to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race), so Marc Guillemot has now called upon Yann Eliès to accompany him in this ambitious venture. The two men have already met up before: who can forget Yann Eliès’s accident off the coast of Australia in the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe, when Marc Guillemot came alongside him to offer his support and friendship during the incident? Today, it is together that the two men will be competing in the major race of the 2011 IMOCA calendar. Follow the race at: http://www.jacques-vabre.com/en/s01_home/s01p01_home.php

3.5 IRC Congress to discuss rule changes
Over 40 delegates from IRC countries worldwide will meet in Paris in mid-October for the international IRC Congress. Delegates will discuss proposed rule changes submitted by IRC Rule Authorities and the IRC Technical Committee. Details of the meeting will be published on the IRC website once the Minutes have been finalised. -- http://ircrating.org/

4. WORLD SPEED RECORDS

4.1 Fastnet Race Records ratified
The World Sailing Speed Record Council has ratified two new world records that occurred during the 2011 Fastnet Race (Aug 14-15). Ian Walker (GBR) and his crew on the Volvo 70 "Abu Dhabi" set a new monohull record when they completed the 595 nm route in 1 day, 18 hours, and 38 minutes (14 kt avg). Additionally, Loick Peyron (FRA) and his crew on the 131-foot trimaran "Banque Populaire 5" set a new outright record for the course of 1 day, 8 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds (18.1 kt avg). -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/WSSRC-092011

5. "Unluckiest sailors of the month"

5.1 Rush to join the AC45 capsize club
11th Sept: First came the drama filled Race 4 on Day 2 with three capsizes and more teams were inducted to the capsize club in 25+ knot gusts. Aleph was the first to capsize, nose-diving right in front of the crowds gathered along Plymouth seafront, early in the race. Then, at the top of the course Team Korea speared their bows into the waves and flipped over. And tantalizingly close to the finish, Green Comm Racing was toppled by a gust on the final leg of the race. The attrition was compounded when Artemis Racing damaged their wing when the runner hit the trailing edge and were forced to retire after leading the race. Check out the video on Capt Marty YouTube Channel
13 Sept: Then China Team capsized during a training sail. All crew are safe, although their wing was damaged almost beyond repair “Our technical team and ACRM worked together to repair the boat,” said skipper Charlie Ogletree. Our neighbors – Artemis Racing, ORACLE Racing, have all offered help, which is very nice.” “Unfortunately the way the boat landed, the wind got under the wing and caused more damage. The boat then flipped over and over going downwind, from stern to bow” said Will Howden, a crew member on China Team. “A pretty nasty one but everyone’s OK and that’s the main thing.
18th Sept: Super Sunday - The promises of big wrecks and boat-breaking action were delivered on, with Energy Team capsizing before the start in a desperate effort to avoid Team Korea although Loïck Peyron's crew managed to get the boat upright very quickly and re-join the race. Moments later there was a dramatic collision with Artemis Racing riding up over the back of Green Comm Racing, with the skipper Vasilij Zbogar falling off the back of the Spanish boat and suffering a minor injury to his hand. With their boat damaged in the collision, Green Comm retired without crossing the start line. At the first mark China Team capsized but got up and running again. In fact when Artemis capsized later in the race, Charlie Ogletree’s Chinese team moved past and managed to cross the finish line 9 minutes and 54 seconds after the winner, just six seconds inside the finishing time limit. Super Sunday video on Capt Marty YouTube Channel

5.2 Maxi’s join the crash & bash club
9th Sept 2011: From Ingrid Abery: "Coming into the start at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Racing/Cruising division this afternoon, the thirty metre Illusion misjudged the distance and ploughed right into Swan 90 Kora. The crew were thrown across the deck with a few damaged ribs counted, one person in the water and plenty of damage to both boats."

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