Sailing: Terengganu teams stall in home waters

2009/11/24

Zainuddin Muhammad

HOME venue proved to be of no advantage to three Terengganu teams on the first day of the Malaysian Match Racing Championships at Ri-Yaz Heritage Resort and Spa in Pulau Duyong yesterday. State-sponsored Taring Pelangi, skippered by Hazwan Hazim Dermawan who is touted to be one of the tournament favourites after finishing fifth in Asian Qualifiers, lost their only race in yesterday's round robin series to Asian Yachting Team, helmed by Nazreen Abdul Ghani.

Club Marina Terengganu helmsman Hamdan Yahya also had to admit defeat, first to Team View Point skipper Rolf Heemskerk and then to Malaysian Armed Forces One captain Mohamad Razali Mansor.

Mohd Rais Hashim, at the helm for Duyong Heritage Sailing Team, did no better when he went down to Keemskerk before losing his second race to Royal Selangor Yacht Club skipper Rizal Mahadi Sazali.

Mohd Rais and Hamdan, who claimed the current was too strong, admitted that the tide pattern on the course was too hard too read even for home-grown sailors like them.

Unbeaten on Day One, Rizal, who led the pool of 13 participants with three points, said shifting and sudden dwindling wind in addition to unpredictable under-currents made the basin on Pulau Duyong a very challenging course.

Mohamad, who won two of his three races was, however, disappointed to lose to 18-year-old Sail Putrajaya skipper Nurul Elia Anuar, who was making her debut and who to trained under him.

The Navy officer was, however, happy with his two victories over Hamdan and Malaysian Armed Forces Two skipper Mahsyuri Rahmat.

The day was also a good one for Koo Racing Team -- AC Law skipper Jeremy Koo Wui Ken who cruised past Putrajaya Five-O helmsman Nasser Abu Bakar.

Jeremy, who was part of the successful Selangor Gapurna Team who were twice champions under his sister Tiffany, said they had trained hard to challenge for honours in the four-day competition.

The winners of the Malaysian Qualifiers will earn a wildcard into the Monsoon Cup on Dec 2-6 at the same venue.