Third win at Raja Muda for Neil Pryde

by Event Media / edited by Sail-World.com on 30 Nov 2005 Neil Pryde’s newly-refurbished Farr 52 OD, Hi-Fi Team Pryde, took home the coveted Raja Muda Cup for the third time in five years by winning the top position in Racing Class in the recently-completed week-long 16th Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta.

Regatta Chairman, Dato’ Richard Curtis said fair winds in the last two races in Langkawi’s Kuah Harbour, coupled with good tactical and navigational skills in the three passage races last week, enabled H-Fi to gain enough overall points to edge ahead of the other competitors in the class.

Bill Bremners' Foxy Lady came in a good third, with Frank Pong’s Hong Kong-based Boracay in sixth overall, due to the handicap calculations, despite taking line honours in all but one race.

In Premier Cruising, Shahtoosh was first, helmed by Pierre Cremers, followed by Impiana, with a jubilant Andrew Findlay skippering, and Strewth third.

Ao Chalong Yacht Club’s entry, David Lindhal's 'mature' Swan 40, La Samudra, was the winner of Club Cruising division, and also took home the Kra Challenge Trophy. Graham Lind’s RSYC entry Sumatra was second. Malaysian favourite and past winner, Janji, with Fatimi Afendi and his able family of sailors on board was third, demonstrating that familiarity with local waters is always an advantage.

Youth boats Gapurna Mas Ayu and Gapurna Vela were placed seventh and ninth overall, and all eleven crew received a special award from RSYC Patron HRH Sultan of Selangor in recognition of their maiden keelboat racing efforts.

The Royal Malaysian Navy’s two Contessa 52s, Marikh and Musytari, were first and second in Classic Class respectively, and were no match for the other entries, having entered in four previous regattas. Morten Ringvold’s Haffiman was third, and his 5-year old son, Iman Ringvold went on stage to collect his prize, being the youngest sailor to complete the whole regatta. Crowd favourite, Eveline, owned by Regatta Chairman Dato’ Richard Curtis and also Asia’s oldest yacht, built in 1911, earned fifth placing overall, beating Aussie-build Sirius 1935, helmed by owner/former pilot, Simon Morris into sixth.

This regatta is often billed as one of Asia’s most gruelling due to its seven-race format – this is a real test for yachts and crew. It began in Port Klang on November 19th with an 80 nm overnight race to Pangkor. From there they raced to Penang (where lack of wind caused two planned harbour races to be abandoned). After two nights, all 33 yachts completed the 60 nautical mile run to Langkawi amid looming dark clouds and threats of thunderstorms, where most arrived by dawn in Kuah. Two more round-the-cans races were finished late on Saturday.

This year’s regatta saw an overall 30% increase in participation, and also the presence of Geoff Ross, Rear Commodore of the UK’s Royal Ocean Racing Club, inspecting, with the intention of including the regatta as part of its Asian keelboat race circuit from next year.

The prizes were presented by HRH Sultan of Selangor to winning yachtsmen in Langkawi over the weekend.

16th RAJA MUDA INTERNATIONAL REGATTA 2005

OVERALL RESULTS – FINAL

RACING CLASS 1

Yacht Skipper Overall Score
Hi-Fi Team Pryde Neil Pryde 6
Happy Endings Jonathan Mahony 16
Foxy Lady Bill Bremners 24

PREMIER CRUISING CLASS 2

Yacht Skipper Overall Score
Shahtoosh Pierre Cremers 5
Impiana Andrew FIndlay 8
Strewth Geoff Hill 13

CRUISING CLASS (overall)

Yacht Skipper Overall Score
La Samudra David Lindahl 8
Sumatra Graham Lind 13
Janji Fatimi Afendi 17

CLASSIC CLASS 5

Yacht Skipper Overall Score
Musytari Isnomazim bin Ishak 6
Marikh Mohd Hanif Husain 9