Sail-World.com : Monsoon Cup opens doors of opportunities for all
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Monsoon Cup opens doors of opportunities for all |
The 2009 Monsoon Cup, the final leg of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT2009), promises to open more doors of opportunities to a wide range of society with the staging of its fifth premier sailing event this year.
The event, which will be held from 1-6 December 2009 in Pulau Duyong (Terengganu), will boost the tourism industry and bring in businesses for locals in the state particularly during the current difficult economic environment.
Dato’ Peter Gilmour, Race Advisor of the Monsoon Cup said: 'We have held the Monsoon Cup in Terengganu for the past 4 years and it has gained wide popularity and following amongst sailing enthusiasts and the public globally. It is an event that has put Malaysia on the world map for sailing sports. It was a thrilling and exciting race last year, an apt way to close the season for WMRT2008 which was won by Bahrain Team Pindar.'
Gilmour said he is expecting a higher number of spectators attending the event this year. With world wide exposure through different channels of media, conventional TV, internet (played out as real time, news and new media delivery formats), as well as through traditional newspapers and magazines the public are now well aware of the Monsoon Cup. With international visitors finding it a more cost-effective event to attend and holiday simultaneously.
Despite the economic challenges, the International Tourism Board is still confident that Terengganu will be able to achieve its targeted increased influx of tourists for the year.
Gilmour added that the Monsoon Cup provided an excellent opportunity to discover young talented sailors and last few years the following three youths showed their mettle at sailing: 24 –year old Adam Minoprio (NZL); with local champions Nurul Ain Md Isa, 23 (MAS); and Tiffany Khoo, 25 (MAS) following close in his footsteps.
'Both of these winning teams in the Malaysian Match Racing Championship and Asian Match Racing Championship proved that they have the capability to clinch the World Champions title in the future. Victories at such a level can only enhance the significance of sailing both locally and internationally, thus sending the message that the sport is gaining popularity amongst people of all ages if they have the right opportunity and platform.
'And that is the aim of the staging of the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia. We are committed to honing the skills of these young talents to represent the country at various international races including the Asean region, World Championships and ultimately towards the Olympic Games and try to win Malaysia’s first medal. This is realistically achievable over a ten year period.' stressed Gilmour.
He added that Monsoon Cup is the first step for the young talents to gain abundant opportunities for international exposure and go under the tutelage and mentoring of some of the world’s renowned sailors and coaches, encouraging them to compete in world championships like the SEA Games, Olympics, World Match Racing, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race, amongst others. The sailing industry is wide open at all levels.
by Audrey Lakai, Rurrum Communications
10:48 PM Fri 8 May 2009 GMT
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