Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta 2015 - ready to go

by Guy Nowell, Asia Editor on 22 Nov 2015 Mid-November, so once again it’s time for the annual Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta, Asia’s unique event that combines coastal passage races and cans racing in a movable feast of sailing. From the welcoming environs of the Royal Selangor Yacht Club at Port Klang to Pulau Pangkor, and then on to Penang and finally Langkawi, with a refreshment stop at Pangkor’s full-of-character Seaview Resort, and inshore racing in Penang and Langkawi. Indeed, is there any regatta in the world that runs this sort of mixed format? Answers by email please, to asiaeditor@sail-world.com

The characteristics of this travelling fleet fiesta include not quite enough wind for the opening leg to Pangkor, a good blow into Langkawi, rickshaw racing in Penang, the best lion dance in Asia at the Khoo Kongsi (also Penang, and probably the most spectacular prizegiving party venue anywhere in the world), an unforgettable inter-crew karaoke competition at Pangkor and racing among the karst crags of the UNESCO Geopark surrounding Bass Harbour in Langkawi.

At last night’s Opening Dinner, YB Elizabeth Wong, Selangor State ExCo, and RSYC Commodore Tan It Beng rang the bell to officially get things started, RMSIR Chairman Jeff Harris handed out the regatta plaques to participating skippers, and a live band and a troupe of belly dancers helped to get the party going.

In a fleet of 31 entries there are some new faces among the crowd, notably Philip Turner’s RP66 Alive, fresh from a fast run in the recent Audi Hong Kong-Vietnam Race, and the new Ker 42 Black Baza (Steve Manning/Anthony Root), overall winner of the same race. Sarab Jeet Singh’s Windsikher has been here before - and won before – as HiFi, and Troy Yaw’s palindromic TP52 Ulumulu with Jeremy Koo at the helm makes a welcome return. Ray Roberts’ TP52 changes name every time Ray changes sails – Evolution Sails became One Sails and is now Millennium sails – and will be chasing hard after yet another Raja Muda Trophy.

Fujin, Gordon Ketelby’s Beneteau 44.7 swept the board in Div 3 in the last two runs at the Raja Muda so can be assumed to be chasing a hat trick, and ‘the noisy people’ from veteran competitor Skybird are now keeping John Kara company on Insanity, a Beneteau First 45. The boat formerly known as Sailplane has become Popeye (Beneteau 47, Craig Douglas), and Simon Piff’s Rekering Dream (Ker 32) has been here before as Kukukerchu.

Racing starts tomorrow with the Port Klang-Pangkor Race, 68 miles (almost) straight up the coast. Stand by for the news.