2011 Malaysian Match Racing Championship
AY
Pre-Regatta Report
Terengganu comes alive with on the water action...
By
AsianYachting
MultiMedia
PULAU DUYONG (OCT 6th): The normally tranquil waters of the Terengganu River comes alive over October and November with one-on-one match racing combat. Calls of starboard, windward boat, keep clear, buoy room, protest and jury decisions will echo across the purpose built racing stadium in front of the Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort and Spa. While most sailing disciplines rely on boat speed and the fastest time around the course, match racing is more a game of strategy and tactics between two dueling racing teams. There is only one winner in a knock out competition and second place does not count. Classic maneuvers include dial-ups, circling, lead/push, the hook and shift left/right, which transform match racing into a captivating form of sailboat racing – fully engaging, relentlessly exciting and great fun for the participants and spectators.
First
up is the Malaysian Match Racing Championship (MMRC) October 7-10 and
the Asian Match Racing Championship (AMRC) October 12-15. The
MMRC is designed to encourage the participation of young, upcoming Malaysian
sailors on the professional match race scene. These
qualifying events determine which team has the honour of representing
Malaysia and the Asian region at the Monsoon
Cup on November 22-27, the final and deciding leg of the
World Match Racing
Tour (WMRT).
An
intensive match racing clinic took place prior to the MMRC and as these
championships only come around once a year, it is a good opportunity to
hone the crews skills before the main event. 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 a share of the RM1.5 million prize
money.
Defending champion Jeremy Koo and the Koo Racing Team have been training in earnest at the Royal Selangor Yacht Club and as they have prepared better than ever, will pose the biggest threat to the eight competing teams. They are also aiming to be the first Malaysian team to join other WMRT events
Perak's
Hazwan Hazim Dermawan (Permai Hotel Match Racing Team) won the 2009 MMRC
and ended up third last year, are back with a new sponsor, which has kept
the team together and full of fighting spirit to overcome last years defeat.
The 26 year old Perak lass Nurul Ain Md. Isa, was the 2008 national champion and has been enticed back into service by Mr. Abdul Shaheed Yusof, General Manager of Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort & Spa to thank for. “He was very enthusiastic and urged me to return to this Championship. He felt that being the only female skipper in this regatta added a new dimension to the Ri-Yaz Heritage Sailing Team” enthused Nurul. She makes it a total of 3 past champions competing at this years event.
Two
teams representing the Malaysian Armed Forces drawn from the Royal Malaysian
Navy Yacht Club skippered respectively by M.Zaidi Pardi and Masyuri Rahmat
have competed with distinction in all five championships held to date
and are overdue for a win. The two teams have taken to sparring with each
other to rack up practice hours and boost their confidence.
The cruel nature of sudden death match racing, means the top ranked teams do not always win their races and if they are not on form could make an early exit from the competition. Young aspiring teams are eager to earn some recognition and improve their ranking by taking some big names down.
This
years debutantes are Mohd Romzi (Putra Sailing Team) from the Universiti
Putra Malaysia has excelled in Laser dinghy sailing at the Asian and SEA
Games. Ahmad Khairulhafiz (Melaka Negeriku Sayang) representing the Persatuan
Perahu Layar Melaka has crewed before in the championships and raced on
major big boat regattas in Asia.
Making history is Mohd Afendy Abdullah (Team Afendy) is crewed entirely by family members that make up the backbone of the Kedah Sailing Association. Individually they have preformed well on the international scene and hope the family bonding will produce the necessary results to go onto the Monsoon Cup.
Each participating team will feature five crew members who will sail the Foundation 36 (F-36) boats, the same used in the Monsoon Cup.
The
first two days are made up of Round Robin racing between the 8 teams,
then losers are knocked out and winners progress onto sudden death quarter,
semi and grand finals.
Go to
AY
Photo
Gallery
MMRC - AY Race
Report 4
MMRC - AY Race
Report 3
MMRC - AY Race
Report 2
MMRC - AY Race
Report 1
Go to archived Malaysian
Match Racing Championship Race
Reports: 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
Asian
Match Racing Championship Race Reports
2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
AY
Monsoon Cup Race Reports:
2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
Go
directly to ISAF - World
Match Racing Tour and season-ending Monsoon
Cup website's
Image credits
to Subzero Images/Monsoon Cup
All the 2011-12 AY News, Views and Race Reports can be accessed Here...
This MMRC 2011 Pre-Regatta Report is kindly bought to you by the following supporters.
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