Raja Muda Regatta - Ichi Ban, Aussie Maid, Sea Bass, Rascal, Lady Bubbly & MoJo take the honours
By AsianYachting MultiMedia
24 Nov 2012: Drizzling rain and light shifty winds greeted sailors as they arrived for the last day of competition at the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club. Some classes relied on these races to determine the overall results. Disconsolate crews made their way onto the water as the race officers went about setting the courses. Although a huge wind shift came through at start time the Premier Cruisers, Cruising 5 & 6 got away on their harbour passage race but the IRC racers were held back for the wind direction to steady and the windward/leeward course to be relayed several times. Once again a rain cell descended over the course reducing viability to less than 100 meters. Eventually the yachts appeared back through the mist and completed the race. As the miserable conditions persisted no further racing was signaled and everyone adjourned to the yacht club to pack up the boats and the final prize presentation and dinner. Goto AY Race Report 5 & Summary and refresh the memories in the AY Photo Gallery

With five wins in a row David Fuller's chartered Beneteau 44.7 Ichi Ban is the run away winner in the IRC 1 class and takes home the prestigious Raja Muda Cup and Tiger Cup for best performance. David Ross' Kerr 40 KukuKERchu finally broke through to score the daily double today and hold onto second overall. After an up and down regatta the defending champions Nick Burns/Fred Kinmonth's Mills 40 EFG Bank Mandrake had to settle on third place. The Malaysian Armed Forces DK 47 Utarid skippered by Mohamad Razali Mansor put up a good showing throughout the event and ended up in fourth place.

The battle of the Premier Cruising came to a head today. After yesterdays harbour race, Jon Wardill's Cassidy 55 Australian Maid held a one point advantage over Geoff Hill's Smith 72 Antipodes and all to play for. Despite an incident at the top mark were Aussie Maid had some penalty turns to make and watched Antipodes sail off into the distance, they set off in pursuit and in the ensuing rain storm managed to claw back the deficit to win the race and the series. By defending the title Wardill's Australian Maid once again takes home to Darwin the Jugra Challenge Cup. Dominic Liddell's chartered Beneteau F53 Baby Tonga hung on for third overall after hitting the bricks and surrendering to the jury the engine use for consideration.

First and fastest for Jon Cray's Swan 42 Sea Bass sealed them victory in the IRC 4 class and take home the RSYC Cruising Challenge Trophy. A dip in form for two races left Jeff Harris' J 92S Nijinski in second overall with no comeback. John Kara's Dehler 34 Skybird made a spirited effort to win two races but a Did Not Finish (DNF) left them in third place in front of Simon Piff's luck less Rainbow Dream.

After leading the way in the early races Rolf Heemskerk's chartered Stealth 11.8 Hurricane was rolled over by Peter Wilcox's Schionning Gforce 1500 Mojo in the last two races to triumph in the Multihull Class. Two third places for Heemskerk's Hurricane leaves them in second overall and handing the title over. Andrew Stransky's Seven Seas 50 Fantasia recovered from a slump mid regatta to score two second places and elevate themselves to third overall.

Gavin Welman's Hallberg-Rassy 53 Rascal could only manage fourth place today but did enough in the earlier races to win the overall stakes in Cruising Class 5. The four way tie for second place was broken when Nick Smith's Ericson 38 Free Wind leap frogged them all by winning yesterday and third today to slot into second overall. Steadily improving all regatta and second place today is enough for Adale's Oyster 55 Chantique skippered by Hakim A. Klunker to take third overall. A magnificent win today for Japan's Fuda Yasuto's Dehler 38 Fortissimo 8 makes up for some bad results and will restore confidence to the team.

Chris Mitchell's Naut 40 Lady Bubbly cemented their place at the top of Cruising Class 6 by winning the final race and take home the Eveline Trophy. Second overall for Barry Wickett's Slipper 42 Kay Sira ends the class winning run and time to hand the title on. Two third places for Jerry Lau Bavaria 37 WYSIWYG II leaves them in third overall and wondering what could have been if they didn't miss the start in Pangkor. Datuk Richard Curtis' 100 year old Eveline skippered by Trevor Richards made a spirited effort to win two races and today's second place lifts them from the bottom of the table to fourth overall.

Summary
Wow! It seems ages since we were in Pt Klang or even Pangkor. Someone mentioned a good slogan for the regatta would be "What day is it?" How appropriate as day after day we have been on the move and the race schedule soon takes over and dictates the week long activities. If at the end of the regatta you are not suffering from headaches, many hangovers, possible flu symptoms, tiredness, body aches and pains you have not had the full experience. Unfortunately the wind gods have not been kind this year but none the less the camaraderie and regatta spirit is present more than ever. The huge logistical program of moving the race secretariat each day and transporting all the boat and crew luggage to Pangkor, Penang and Langkawi is a mammoth task undertaken by the organisers. All in all, everyone has their own story to tell and remember the regatta by. Perhaps it is this feeling and memories that keeps bringing sailors back for more... Hik Cheers!

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