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1. Editorial

Ray Roberts recent success at the Koh Samui Regatta has elevated him to share second spot with Ray Ordoveza in the 2002/03 AY Skipper Rankings. Peter Ahern and YO!s 3 wins, 1 second and 1 third through out the season gives them a commanding lead in this years rankings to be crowned the AY Skipper and Yacht champions for 2002/03 . Although Hollywood Boulevard and Andres Soriano's Maligaya only made their debut at the final event they are firing off a warning signal to other competitors for the up and coming 2003/04 Asian Yachting Regatta Season. To view final skipper and yacht rankings for 2002/03 go to http://asianyachting.com/news/Rankings0203.htm

It was noted during my tour that many hotels and tour operators are suffering from the travel warnings issued and Sars scare that has led Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's cabinet to guarantee the health and safety of visitors, with a US$100,000 offer to any tourist who could prove they have been infected with (Sars) while staying in the kingdom. Although 1 billion baht expenditure has been approved for confidence-building roadshows it is expected to take many years to pull the region out of the tourism doldrums.

Yet, another regatta to promote regional marine and sporting tourism is joining the growing number of Asian events. The Borneo Cup Yachting Challenge is jointly organized by the State of Sarawak on Borneo and the Federal Territory Island of Labuan will take place from the 30^th Oct – 3^rd Nov.

The program includes a offshore race from Labuan to Miri and a number of day races in Miri. Pantai Bayu Indah the developer of the soon to be completed marina in Miri have offered free berthing for the duration of the event. The Sarawak Sailing Association together with the Piasau Boat Club will be managing the event and races. More can be found at www.borneorace.com

The 2003/04 Asian Yachting Regatta calendar is presently being prepared and can be browsed at http://asianyachting.com/asiancalendar.htm  Any new inclusions and updates should be returned along with website url's and race logo. The way things are shaping up it certainly puts sailing as a participatory sport in a good position to go to the forefront of marine and sporting tourism over the next few years. The numerous sponsors supporting yacht racing in the Asian region must be thanked and we look forward to your future support and assistance.
Happy Sailing
Capt Marty Rijkuris

"Unluckiest sailor of the month" Award

The Challenge Mondial Assistance lived up to its name when Alain Gautier's Foncia capsized 50 miles off the Portuguese coast. Alain's star studded crew of Ellen MacArthur, Nicolas Bérenger, Philippe Péché and Loïk Gallon where surprised by the sudden acceleration of the boat when the bows dug down and nose dived over. They sheltered in the central cockpit till the shore crew organised a rescue operation.

Later on in fourth place Belgacom contacted Race Headquarters to report that they had dismasted in the seas 35 miles from Cadiz. All where safe and sound.

Then during his last night at sea on the Around Alone Italian skipper Simone Bianchetti on Tiscali sailing in 45 - 50 knots of wind and just 30 miles from the finish of the 28,000 nm circumnavigation heard that fearful sound of carbon fibre cracking as he came out of the cabin to find his mast had snapped just above the 3rd spreader.

Amazingly the top of the spar was dangling by the threads of the halyards with the mainsail still attached, so he immediately secured the section, set his staysail and with the mainsail flapping in the wind nursed the crippled yacht across the finish line in Newport to take 2nd place on leg 5 and 3rd overall despite losing his mast earlier on the leg 2. See Nov 2002 unluckiest sailor award. Simone said latter that " In any case I knew I was going to make it even if I had to swim towing the boat". What a survivor.

ASIAN NEWS

1. The 2nd Koh Samui Int Regatta had it all - strong wind, wild downwind rides, ripped sails, dismastings, numerous capsizes, shredded spinnakers, close racing and finishes, just to mention a few. The wonderful relaxed location of Koh Samui mixed in with the pleasant Thai hospitality and top racing makes this venue one of the best in Asia. AY Race Reports can be browsed along with a daily selection of photos at: http://asianyachting.com/news/KoSamui03.htm

2. The Samui Regatta TV programs will be aired as follows:
1: Samui Regatta report: "Destination Thailand" UBC Series - Channel 36 Airing in Thailand only: Saturday June 21 at 1300 (1pm)  (Repeat will air two weeks later on Thursday July 3 at 11.30am)

2: Samui Regatta Special: "Travel Asia & Beyond" STAR World - via satellite Airing on STAR World (Asia Wide via satellite) Sunday July 20 4.30pm HK time Repeat - Saturday July 26 12 noon HK time NOTE: Please check local cable TV listings for STAR World program time schedules in the rest of the Asia/India region.

3. The Indonesian Marine Tourism Federation GAHAWISRI is arranging two sailing events to run concurrently this year. The first is the Darwin - Kupang Rally on the 26th of July and the second is part of the "Bali Recovery" program which is a race from Darwin to Bali departing Darwin on the 2nd August. The plan is that the yachts that have gone to Kupang will head to Bali after the presentation in Kupang is over, in order to participate in a combined finish celebrations in Bali.

4. The Sabah Sailing Association now has a official website where Notices of Race, Sailing Instructions and other bulletins for Sabah sailors are posted can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/sabahsailing/

11. Great American II sailed by Americans Rich Wilson and Rich du Moulin have set a new world record from Hong Kong to New York of 72d 21h 11m 38s beating the original "benchmark" time set by the extreme clipper ship Sea Witch (74d 14h) during the China tea trade back in 1849 was taken at the finish off the Statue of Liberty. The route has been established as a new WSSR World Record and allot of credit must go to to the amazing speeds the clippers have achieved.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. Around Alone in 2006 now called 5-Oceans
The 5-Oceans will start either in France or on the Eastern seaboard of the USA in 2006. The route will comprise 4 stopovers of no more than 3 weeks duration in South Africa, Australasia, South America and either USA or France. Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm finished the last leg in Newport RI, winning 4 of the 5 legs in Class 1. His overall elapsed time is 115 days, 18 hours, 27 minutes and 23 seconds, which is one day less than Soldini's time in 1998, although Stamm has raced a 13% longer course. His average boat speed is 10.36 knots. http://www.aroundalone.com

2. Looking for a VO60?
Sydney yachtsman Andrew Short has bought the two Norwegian VO60s Djuice Dragons, built for the last Volvo Ocean Race. He will campaign one in the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and other major races and is looking for offers to buy the second boat. There are a number of V 60s on the market, but we know for sure that you can pick up either of the 2 Assa Abloys or Illbruck the eventual winner of the Volvo Ocean Race. This includes an abundance of sails, sea containers full of equipment and masses of spares. More info at http://asianyachting.com/boats/yachtsforsale.htm

3. Daimler Chrysler North Atlantic Challenge 2003 starts on June 14
Over 60 of the world's most exotic racing yachts are expected to compete in this once-in-a-lifetime test of endurance and skill. The race will start on June 14 and 21, from Newport, R.I. USA and travel 3,600 nautical miles across the North Atlantic Ocean, north of the British Isles to Cuxhaven, GER, and on to Hamburg on the river Elbe. The DaimlerChrysler North Atlantic Challenge 2003 is an offshore sailing race to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Hamburgischer Verein Seefahrt, a long-standing sailing club based in Hamburg, GER.

4. Dont know what to get your papa on Farthers Day? Over 40,000 marine items can to be purchased online and delivered to your doorstep on time using the AsianYachting SailNet - Where Sailors Get It!

5. Alinghi set for IAAC Worlds
For Alinghi, the activity has been almost non-stop since the day they left New Zealand with the Cup. Russell Coutts, Bernard Labro and Rolf Vrolijk (and the America’s Cup) during a recent press conference outlined to journalists a series of America’s Cup Class regattas leading up to the America’s Cup in 2007 to help keep the Alinghi crewwork sharp and shed a little light on the Swiss Teams racing plans over the next few years.

AsianYachting HQ Phone: +6-06-6477701
Capt Marty Rijkuris Handphone: +6-016-2714134
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Yachting at http://AsianYachting.com

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