LADA Race Day 1

LANGKAWI, 10 January 2023 – The 19th Royal Langkawi International Regatta was finally back in full swing after a 2 year break due to the COVID 19 Pandemic. 25 registered boats – with one newcomer amongst them – from 6 countries (Malaysia, Thailand, UK, Australia, Denmark and Austria) with 177 participants will compete in 5 classes in a maximum of 10 races over a period of 5 days from January 10-14, 2023. Two boats are competing in Racing Class, seven in IRC1, five in Sportsboats, six in Multihull and five in Club Class.

The first racing day, the ‘LADA Race Day 1’, started with very flakey wind between 3 and 5 knots resulting in the Principal Race Officer Simon James’ decision to postpone the first start. Finally the flag came down at 11.59am for the first race to take off.

After the wind slowed down again after the first race when a second race was in doubt wind eventually picked up and all classes except Club Class were able to compete in a second race with up to 10 knots of wind which brought the first racing day to an enjoyable finish.

Today’s winner in the racing class was regular participant THA72 skippered by Nappakao Poonpat and Kevin Whitcraft. Another regular in the IRC1 class, Mata Hari, skippered by Vincent Chan, won both races followed by Phoenix skippered by Niels Degenkolw.

Rizal Mahadi bin Sazili topped the table for the RSYC Team in the Sportsboat class winning both races and John Newnham secured first place with Twin Sharks in the Multihall class.

Marikh skippered by Jamil bin Ahmad Uruya took the honours in Club Class in only once race.

All in all a good start for this year’s RLIR, the first international event on the annual Malaysian Tourism Calendar.

Race Day 2

LANGKAWI, 11 January 2023 – A beautiful sunny day dawned on Langkawi for the second day of the RLIR but the ‘wind- Gods’ chose not to play giving us only light and variable winds of 3-5 knots all day.

All boats were on standby and waiting for better sailing conditions and at about midday the wind picked up sufficiently for the PRO to decide that all classes except cruising class may be able to race in the afternoon. The AP flag finally came down at 13.25.

Race Day 3

LANGKAWI, 12 January 2023 – The day started again with a disappointing wind forecast of zero-to-two knots. Bass Harbour was as flat as a pancake and we wonder if there is something we can do to appease the wind Gods. As expected the AP flag was up at 7.30am in the morning.

Since there is so much talk about wind which is the most essential part of a regatta, we thought we would juice up our report with a little history of some of the various gods of wind.

Every event relying on nature rests in the “lap of the Gods!” The ancient Greco-Romans had four wind gods, Boreus, the North wind, Zephyros, the West wind, Notus, the South wind and Euros, the East. The Hindu God of wind is Vayu, who is also the divine messenger of the gods. The Norse god of wind, the sea and all its riches is Njord. And finally for today, Fujin was the fierce Japanese god of wind. Let’s hope that giving these guys some publicity will turn them in our favour.

But never say never, suddenly there was a glimmer of hope. The pin boat dropped the leeward mark at 12.30pm and at 13.33 the AP flag came down. Racing Class, followed by IRC1 and Multihulls, then Sportboats started on a short course to suit the conditions.

The wind was light and variable resulting in a further shortened race for IRC1 and Club Class.

The days’ results:

THA72 topped the racing class again winning all three races so far.

No change in IRC1 class either. Mata Hari with skipper Vincent Chan took first place today as well as first place overall in this class followed by Phoenix helmed by Niels Degenkolw.

The RSYC team in the Sportsboats class also took honours again in today’s race, second place went to team UMT2.
Team Trident gained top spot in the multihull class followed by Team Twin Sharks and Team Fetz Ma in the third podium spot!

Start pin and rounding marks were all set and ready to go but a big cumulo-nimbus rain cloud was killing what little wind there was. We all remained hopeful and in good spirits but unfortunately at 14.30 the AP flag was raised and all races were cancelled so no racing on day 2.

All hoping for a better more favourable winds on day 4.

Race Day 4

LANGKAWI, 13 January 2023 – Day 4 of the RLIR was another roller coaster day, the Gods of Winds still have not been in our favour today. The day started again ‘windless’ and the AP flag was up at 7.41am.

The PRO ordered the committee boats to depart to check out the east coast options. At 10.15 the AP flag came down and boats were asked to proceed to the east coast where a course was to be set. Unfortunately, before the boats arrived the wind had died again, AP flag went up, the race was postponed and boats were asked to head back towards the marina and wait further instructions.

Finally at 14.40 a windward/leeward course was set for all classes at Bass Harbour, 1.7 miles from the Marina. All boats were asked to proceed to the start vessel. AP was down at 15.29 with wind speed at 10-12 knots, all classes finally started the first race of day 4.

It is also well worth to mention that the Chairman of the Jury for this year’s RLIR is Richard Slater, a high profile international judge involved in events such as the Volvo Ocean Race and Tokyo Olympic games. He was also the chief umpire for the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland in 2021 and has again been appointed for the 37th America’s cup in Barcelona. Richard is one of the architects of many of the rules governing high-performance foiling and will be a key figure making the sporting calls in real-time and co-ordinating the Umpire Team and International Jury for the 37th America’s Cup’s start in September 2024. The role also requires Richard to continue the development of the America’s Cup edition of the Racing Rules of Sailing, including the World Sailing approval processes (source: www.americascup.com/news).

I think it is a great honour for us to have Richard as the Chairman of the RLIR jury this year. And here are the results of day 4:
Racing class was the only one racing twice today with the same result as in all previous races. Unbeatable THA72 came in as number one and Uranus as number two in both races and overall.

Mata Hari topped again the IRC1 class as in all previous three races, but today followed by team ‘79th Endeavour of Whitby’ skippered by Stuart Williamson, their best race so far.

RSYC team in the Sportsboat class also seems unbeatable, they took the top spot in every race so far. Team UMT2 came second and Navy2 third.

Multihull class showed more mixed results, John Newnham’s Team Twin Sharks topped the table today (second yesterday) followed by Dan Fidock’s Team Saffron (fourth yesterday) and Andrew Mcdermott’s Trident (winner yesterday).

And finally the winner in Club Class – who only had one race every day – is Team Marikh skippered by Jamil bin Ahmad Urayah.

Race Day 5

LANGKAWI, 13 January 2023 – Day 5 : The last day of the RLIR started the same way as all the other days this week, with the APflag up at 7.45am. Although all committee boats led by the police start boat headed intoBass Harbor at about 8.30am. Since all flags were flying at the marina, there was some hopethat there could be some wind in the bay.

But despite of all the effort from the Principal Race Officer, Simon James, to find some wind, it was an unsuccessful exercise. A beautiful sunny day in Langkawi, a dream day for all the tourists visiting Langkawi, but a sad and disappointing day for the regatta participants with another windless last day.
In total we had three racing days with five races for the Racing class, three races for Club
Class and all other classes raced four times.
Although we missed out on some exciting racing due to the fickle wind conditions this week, the mood in general was surprisingly good as the RLIR is one of yachties favourite events. The joy in renewing old acquaintances, meeting new ones and the anticipation of better weather next year for the 20th RLIR has everyone looking forward to the final dinner, prize giving and rewards on Saturday 14th January (tonight).
To finish the final race report news release for the 2023 RLIR it may be appropriate to quote a classic poem by Samuel Coleridge~

“The Ancient Mariner”.
Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,
Twas sad as sad could be;
And we did speak only to break
The silence of the sea!
All in a hot and copper sky,
The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Overall results of the 19th Royal Langkawi International Regatta
Racing Class:
1. THA72 Nappakao Poonpat/Kevin Whitcraft
2. Uranus Mohd Zaidey bin Bahadun
IRC1:
1. Mata Hari Vincent Chan
2. Phoenix Niels Degenkolw
3. 79th Endeavour of Whitby Stuart Williamson
4. Uminoko Bratan Andrey
5. Prime Factor Max Palleschi
6. The Blue Angel Jeremy Camps
7. RMP/DSA Muhd Izzad Bin Samdin
Sportsboats:
1. RSYC Team Rizal Mahadi bin Sazili
2. Navy 1 Mohd Akiyuddin bin Mat Zaki
3. UMT 2 Nor Naeilah Binti Nor Hassan
4. Navy 2 Muhammad Mustakim bin Rossaidi
5. UMT 1 Ku Anas bin Ku Zamil
Multihulls:
1. Twin Sharks John Newnham
2. Saffron Dan Fidock
3. Trident Andrew Mcdermott
4. Fetz Ma Gerhard Pils
5. Mojo Rick Fielding
6. Allegro Bob McIntyre
Club Cruising:
1. Marikh Jamil bin Ahmad Urayah
2. Dash Asri Azman
3. VG Offshore Rama Menon
4. RECAA Mj Logaa S
5. Eveline Christopher Willbourne
Accredited to: Gudrun Nienaber
RLIR Race Committee
13 January 2023