Prime Minister To Give Away The Prizes – Monsoon Cup

by Rurrum, K. Terengganu on 4 Dec 2009 The Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will attend the finals of the Monsoon Cup 2009, the final leg of the World Match Racing Tour, this Sunday (6th December) and also present the top prizes for the World Championship and the winner of the fifth edition of the Monsoon Cup, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) announced today.

Apart from being one of the most thrilling and challenging regattas on the tour, the Monsoon Cup is offering the biggest prize money purse in sailing.

'We are very excited that the Most Honourable Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has agreed to visit the event to watch the finals and also present the trophies and medals. It is a great honour for us,' said Craig Mitchell, who is the WMRT Tour Director. Datuk Seri Najib became Malaysia's sixth prime minister on April 3, 2009.

Twelve teams are taking part in the Monsoon Cup held between Dec 1 and 6 in at the Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina and Spa in Pulau Duyong, Terengganu. The winner takes home RM360,000 (US$104,000) from the RM1.57 (US$454,000) million total prize money.

The Monsoon Cup offers 1.5 times more points than the other legs on the Tour and has six teams fighting for the World Championship title.
The Monsoon Cup is a project of the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports and it is proudly hosted by the State of Terengganu and is supported by key sponsors Richard Mille, TM, Cartrade Group (CTG), Astro, Firefly Airline, and Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort & Spa.

The Monsoon Cup will be streamed live to the Internet throughout the day at www.sail.tv and www.wmrt.org/sailtv. Daily half hour highlights shows will be broadcast worldwide along with short news highlights and key matches. The action will be broadcast Live on Saturday and Sunday between 3-5pm local time. Key networks include Eurosport, Eurosport Asia Pacific, Fox Sports Australia, Fox Sports US, SKY NZ, ESPN Star, Showtime Middle East, America One, SKY UK, Sport Max Caribbean, CNBC Asia Pacific, BT Vision.

For more information or media registration to access high resolution images go to www.monsooncup.com.my

WMRT 2009 Tour Standings (after 8 of 9 events)

Tour Standings - (After 8 of 9 events)
1. Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 100 Points
2. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 88 Points
3. Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar 75 Points
4. Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team Racing 74 Points
5. Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR 71 Points
6. Ben Ainslie, (GBR) Team Origin 65 Points
7. Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 48 Points
8. Sebastien Col, (FRA) French Match Racing Team 41 Points

About the World Match Racing Tour:
• The World Match Racing Tour is the leading professional sailing series featuring 9 World
Championship events across the globe
• The World Tour is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with 'Special
Event' status
• The World Tour awards over US$1.5million in prize money
• Points are awarded at each event culminating in the crowning of the ‘ISAF Match Racing
World Champion’
• Events utilize the same 'match race' format used in the America’s Cup with racing taking
place in identically supplied racing yachts which places a focuses on team work and skill.
Racing takes place close to the shore for the general public to follow the races as virtual on-
the -water stadiums.
• Media and television highlights coverage reaches over 600 million households in excess of
90 countries around the world

About The Monsoon Cup
The Monsoon Cup 2005 celebrated its debut as the 50th official event of the Swedish Match Tour (now known as the World Match Racing Tour), and serves as the Malaysian leg for the international sailing event. This professional sailing series was formed in 2000 to unite the world's best match-race regattas under one banner.

The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) comprises nine events in nine specially selected locations around the world. As the leading professional sailing series in the world, the Tour events are recognized as must-attend regattas on the match-race circuit.

The Monsoon Cup 2009 will be held at Pulau Duyong, Terengganu, from the 1st to 6th December 2009. Website : www.monsooncup.com.my

For information on the World Match Racing Tour:
Yvonne Reid
Tel: +44 (0) 1590 679613
Mob: +44 (0) 7809 149268
E-mail: yreid@f10marketing.com
Website: www.worldmatchracingtour.com

For more information on the Monsoon Cup :
RURRUM Communications Sdn Bhd
Name : Audrey Lakai
Mobile : 012 309 4377
Email: audrey.lakai@rurrum.com