Raja Muda 2016 – defending champions are back

by RMSIR Media on 31 Oct 2016 Sarab Jeet Singh’s Windsikher and Geoff Hill’s Antipodes are signed on to defend their titles in next month’s 2016 edition of the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, and there are plenty more regatta regulars on the entry list too. Windsikher put on a strong show last year to sail away with the Raja Muda Cup, and Antipodes held on to the Jugra Challenge Cup for the second year running.

This year’s regatta has 30 boats registered to date. Class 1 includes Mandrake III (Kinmonth/Burns) and Millennium Racing (Ray Roberts) who had to settle for second and third last year, but who will both be aiming to snatch the title away from ‘Windsikher’. Fujin (Gordon Ketelby) is also back, and the 2015 Class 3 champ will be mixing it with the big boys in Class 1 this time.

The 2016 RMSIR also sees the addition of a new TP52 division with its own RMSIR TP52 Challenge Cup to boot. TP52 owners can opt to compete solely in the very competitive four-day TP52 Division event, or participate in both the full IRC Class 1 racing and the TP52 Cup.

The 2016 RMSIR will start from Port Klang on 19 November and end with races and the awards ceremony in Langkawi on 26 November. The regatta is organised annually by the RSYC in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Malaysia Sailing Association; assisted by the Royal Malaysia Police and Royal Malaysian Navy.

Known for its unpredictable winds, weather and tide, the RMSIR provides excitement for even the most experienced of sailors, along with an interesting challenge. Add to that a little bit of sightseeing and fun social events at every stop (Port Klank, Pangkor, Penang, Langkawi) and you have a regatta with everything.

Race management for this year’s RMSIR has once again been placed in the capable and hugely experienced hands of Race Officer Jerry Rollin, with Bryan Willis back to head the International Jury.

The RSYC will set up RMSIR race offices at the Straits Quay marina – which is managed by former RMSIR alumnus, John Ferguson – and the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club (RLYC). Berths are available at the recently refurbished RLYC, which now has a new 44-room boutique hotel.

Race Schedule:
19 November 2016 Race 1, Port Klang to Pangkor
21 November 2016 Race 2, Pangkor to Penang
22 November 2016 Rickshaw races at Straits Quay, Penang
23 November 2016 Inshore races (3, 4) in Penang Harbour
24 November 2016 Race 5 from Penang to Langkawi
25 November 2016 Inshore races (5,6) in Langkawi
26 November 2016 Inshore races (7,8) in Langkawi

The RMSIR was established in 1990 by the RSYC’s Royal Patron, the Sultan of Selangor HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (who was then Raja Muda Selangor) together with Dato’ Johan Ariff and Jonathon Muhiudeen.

Yachts competing in the regatta range from top class IRC1 racers to beautiful classic cruisers more than 100 years old. Skippers and crew will have to cope with unpredictable weather, string tides and shipping traffic in the Straits of Malacca, all of which make the regatta a challenging experience.

The month of November typically marks the height of the northeast monsoon on Peninsular Malaysia where sailors can expect anything from glassy waters and light breeze to a sea heaving with two metres of swell or higher and 30 knot squalls blowing off the coast. In other words, these northeast monsoon months bring conditions that are challenging enough even for seasoned sailors.

The main sponsors for the RMSIR 2016 are Selangor Tourism and the State of Selangor, Tourism Malaysia, the Port Klang Authority, the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), container port Westports Malaysia and Scottish whisky brand Old Pulteney. The event is also supported by the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club.

For more information on the RMSIR 2016, log on to www.rmsir.com or www.facebook.com/rmsir.