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BMW Royal Langkawi International Regatta 2004 Race Report 1 - 3rd March This year 55 yachts have fronted up for the BMW RLIR which attempts to cater for all sailing yachts in the region whose owners wish to race against challenging competition in Langkawi – anything from 7m light racing sports yachts to the heavier 20m classics. They have been grouped into 8 racing classes and as each race is individually sponsored there are daily awards going towards 4 classes vying for the prestigious Prime Ministers Challenge Series Trophy and the other 4 the RLIR Commodores Cup. Making up for missing out on last years inaugural prize-giving ceremony, Malaysia's former Prime Minister and No 1 supporter of sailing Dr. Mahathir Mohamad will be awarding prizes this year to each class on the final night. More on the RLIR 2004 programming can be found at: http://www.langkawiregatta.com. Mr Wolfgang Schlimme, Managing Director of BMW (Malaysia) announced with great pleasure that sailing has globally become the third pillar of BMW's involvement in sports marketing after Formula 1 and golf. Although this is BMW's first foray into the arena of sports sponsorship in Malaysia, they made a memorable debut in the sport when they partnered Oracle to form the Oracle BMW Racing team in an impressive 2003 America's Cup campaign. After several discussions with competitors this years courses where designed to be a little different, a little challenging, a bit more fun and in particular more suitable to the different types of yachts competing. Although the best laid plans can go astray when Mother Nature decides not to co-operate in the wind department and the race committee has to do the best they can with what is being provided. On day 1 for the Racing, Premier Cruising and Sports Boats (Class 1 and 3) two Sheraton Perdana windward/leeward courses where planned, but after struggling through the first lap, the 5 to 6 knot breeze faded and the course was shortened. Plus the second race had to be postponed until another day. Last years racing class winners Peter Ahern's Yo! and Premier Cruising's Gotcha Lagi! skippered by Malaysia's Amir Zohri continued on their winning ways. Scott Duncanson's Phuket 8 Securicor Somtam Express managed a first and fastest by a mere 35 seconds from the Royal Malaysian Navy's Malik Sulaiman on KDP 1. As the Multihulls (Class 4), Cruising Class (Class 5 Division B and C) and Cruising Liveaboards prefer "off the wind" courses, a lengthy passage race around the cans was planned. The leading yachts completed the course within the time limit and a number of others decided to call it a day as the breeze faded to almost nothing. Mark Prescott's Summersalt led the way to claim another victory in the racing multi's and Brent McInnes No Fixed Address did similarly in the Cruising Multi's. Perhaps day 2 will produce better conditions and some exciting racing. Full results throughout the series can be found at: http://www.langkawiregatta.com/result/results.htm By Event Media, edited by phuket-marine-guide.com.
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