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The recently held 12th Royal Langkawi International Regatta was a resounding success. Editor Chad Merchant was there to watch the exhilarating displays of seamanship and teamwork in one of Malaysia’s most picturesque maritime settings.

Speeding away from the sheltered harbour at the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club courtesy of a pair of 200-hp outboards, it took us less than 15 minutes to reach our destination: just outside the race course for the thrilling action of the 12th Royal Langkawi International Regatta (RLIR). Drawing some 350 sailors crewing 44 yachts from 16 countries, this year’s regatta saw terrific weather and race-friendly winds on virtually all five racing days during the competition. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the cluster of Langkawi’s many islands and the emerald waters of the Andaman Sea, these nautical speedsters harnessed the brisk winds and put their considerable sailing skills on display. The spectacle of a small fleet of sleek yachts listing precipitously into the wind, with their crews deftly manoeuvring the sails and unfurling billowing spinnakers to harness the power of the wind was an adrenaline-charged sight to behold. The race was on!

The RLIR, held from January 13 to 18, also served to kick off the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign under the guidance of Tourism and Culture Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Tan Sri Abdul Aziz, who was on hand during the course of the regatta. The RLIR also marks the first race of the 2014 calendar year of Asian regattas, three of which are held in Malaysia. The Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta and Teregganu’s Monsoon Cup join the RLIR to comprise Malaysia’s trio of annual regattas.

In this year’s RLIR, the Australian yacht Oi! took the regatta’s top honours, winning the Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy in the Racing Class category, besting Hong Kong-based Jelik by two points overall. Jelik, the largest yacht in the regatta at 77 ft, won both race 9 and race 10 on the regatta’s final day, but their late surge just wasn’t enough to overcome the early lead built by Oi!, which won races 1, 2, and 3, and finished second five consecutive times after that. The Malaysian Armed Forces had two yachts in the race, and one of them, Uranus, finished the regatta in third place.

The final day of races saw some of the most challenging conditions, with winds topping out at 24-25 knots. Oi! skipper Peter Ahern and his crew were forced to skip the final race, but had built enough of a lead to still secure the trophy. “Very happy with the result,” Mr Ahern exclaimed at the trophy presentation. “It was very windy today, so it was good just to get around the course and complete the first race [Race 9] in a reasonable position. Then after we tore the mainsail, we had a look at trying to fix it, but after having chalked up enough points to win, we decided to give the last race a miss.” It was Mr Ahern’s fourth Prime Minister Challenge Trophy win in the RLIR, with three consecutive victories in 2003-2005, and he plans to return next year to defend his title, citing the great sailing conditions off Langkawi’s coast and the enjoyment of competing in the RLIR as reasons.

In the RLIR’s other categories, and indeed showing the international flavour of the regatta, Singapore’s Foxy Lady VI, skippered by Bill Bremner, won the LADA-IRC Challenge Trophy (IRC 1 Class), Thailand’s After Burner, skippered by Daniel Renno, took home the Malaysian Multihull Challenge Cup (Multihull Racing class), and the RLYC Commodore’s Challenge Cup (Club Cruising Class) went to Elena of Russia, skippered by Vaycheslav Somov. Additionally, MYA (Malaysian Yachting Association), skippered by Olympian Khairul Nizam Mohd Afendy, clinched the Langkawi Sports Trophy (Sportsboat Class).

Surely, the exhilaration of competing in the waters surrounding Langkawi – apart from its eponymous main island, the archipelago actually includes dozens of smaller islands – must ascribe some of its pleasures to the sheer beauty of the area. With the blue-green waters of the Andaman Sea and northern extreme of the Straits of Malacca punctuated by a host of densely forested islands and dramatic limestone karsts, with sea eagles and Brahminy kites circling lazily overhead, the scenery here is certainly a visual feast. Langkawi rightly receives much praise for its laid-back island vibe, luxurious resorts, and fine beaches, but stepping off the land and going out to sea here adds an entirely new dimension to the enjoyment of this island, and unquestionably showcases Malaysia’s appeal for sailors and yachtsmen. The tropical seas, stunning scenery, and excellent port facilities from Langkawi to Penang to Port Dickson all contribute to a location tailor-made for those with a love of nautical adventures.

The 13th Royal Langkawi International Regatta is scheduled for next year, January 12-17, 2015. For more information, please visit www.langkawiregatta.com or their Facebook page.

 Source: Senses of Malaysia March/April 2014

Read more:

• The Joys of Sailing in Malaysia
• The Secrets Behind Good Sailing
• 8 Awesome Water Sports you can do in Malaysia

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