Pulau Duyung stays as WMRT venue
PULAU DUYONG: The Monsoon Cup is here to stay. Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said, in all likelihood, Pulau Duyong will continue to be the venue for one of the World Match Racing Tour legs.
Speaking to reporters after opening the seventh edition of the Monsoon Cup yesterday, Ahmad Shabery said there is no other suitable place in the country to host a premier sailing event where a world tour champion is crowned every year.
"We have world class sailing facilities here and the Monsoon Cup is already recognised as the best tour event by the world sailing governing body," said Ahmad Shabery.
"We also know that the Monsoon Cup organisers are doing what they can to develop the sport at grassroots level and now that the Monsoon Cup is attracting private sponsorship, we should be able to continue our support of the event after its four-year contract with WMRT expires next year."
Shabery also applauded the efforts of Monsoon Cup organisers T-Best Events Sdn Bhd and the Malaysian Yachting Association (MYA) to start the Malaysian Match Racing Tour (MMRT) next year.
"This will do our national sailors a world of good as competing in such a circuit will harness the potential of local sailors and prepare them for international events," the minister added.
"Four venues - Langkawi, Lumut, Klang and Kuala Terengganu - have been identified as MMRT venues but the organisers will still consider other locations if there is interest from other states."
Ahmad Shabery later joined Yanmar Racing, skippered by four-time world champion Datuk Peter Gilmour, in the Pro-Am race against other Monsoon Cup competing teams and the event sponsors.
But Ahmad Shabery and Gilmour had to be satisfied with a runner-up position after The Wave Muscat, with Torvar Mirsky at the helm, proved to be too strong under a cloudy sky punctuated by intermittent rain.
Third place went to Berntsson Sailing Team, skippered by Johnie Berntsson while tour leader Ian Williams and his Team GAC Pindar finished fourth.
The Monsoon Cup round-robin series will begin today.
The other competing skippers are Francesco Bruni of Bruni Sailing, Bjorn Hansen of Mekonomen Sailing Team, Damien Ielh of French Match Racing Team, Danish Jesper Radich of Adrian Lee & Partners Racing Team, Mathieu Richard of French Match Racing Team, Phil Robertson of Waka Racing Team, William Tiller of Full Metal Jacket Racing and Jeremy Koo of Abdullah Chan-Koo Racing Team.
Speaking to reporters after opening the seventh edition of the Monsoon Cup yesterday, Ahmad Shabery said there is no other suitable place in the country to host a premier sailing event where a world tour champion is crowned every year.
"We have world class sailing facilities here and the Monsoon Cup is already recognised as the best tour event by the world sailing governing body," said Ahmad Shabery.
"We also know that the Monsoon Cup organisers are doing what they can to develop the sport at grassroots level and now that the Monsoon Cup is attracting private sponsorship, we should be able to continue our support of the event after its four-year contract with WMRT expires next year."
Shabery also applauded the efforts of Monsoon Cup organisers T-Best Events Sdn Bhd and the Malaysian Yachting Association (MYA) to start the Malaysian Match Racing Tour (MMRT) next year.
"This will do our national sailors a world of good as competing in such a circuit will harness the potential of local sailors and prepare them for international events," the minister added.
"Four venues - Langkawi, Lumut, Klang and Kuala Terengganu - have been identified as MMRT venues but the organisers will still consider other locations if there is interest from other states."
Ahmad Shabery later joined Yanmar Racing, skippered by four-time world champion Datuk Peter Gilmour, in the Pro-Am race against other Monsoon Cup competing teams and the event sponsors.
But Ahmad Shabery and Gilmour had to be satisfied with a runner-up position after The Wave Muscat, with Torvar Mirsky at the helm, proved to be too strong under a cloudy sky punctuated by intermittent rain.
Third place went to Berntsson Sailing Team, skippered by Johnie Berntsson while tour leader Ian Williams and his Team GAC Pindar finished fourth.
The Monsoon Cup round-robin series will begin today.
The other competing skippers are Francesco Bruni of Bruni Sailing, Bjorn Hansen of Mekonomen Sailing Team, Damien Ielh of French Match Racing Team, Danish Jesper Radich of Adrian Lee & Partners Racing Team, Mathieu Richard of French Match Racing Team, Phil Robertson of Waka Racing Team, William Tiller of Full Metal Jacket Racing and Jeremy Koo of Abdullah Chan-Koo Racing Team.
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