Penang Regatta 2010

Brief n boring report from the another successful Penang Regatta 26-28 Feb 2010.
Always been 1 of my favourite place for wind, food and great hospitality.

I arrived on the 23 Feb, Tuesday, early for training to tune my borrowed trusty starboard 160 formula and EvoII 10.7m².
I had managed to bring up my gear alone on the tigerairways flight at a steal of $30 (for all the formula gear = 55kgs).
I was fetched my Acai, who works for Penang Regatta's organising Chairman cum windsurfing freak, Leong Soon, sometimes as his driver but most of the time as his windsurfing sparring partner.

Checked into Copthorne hotel which was kind enough to give me the 2nd best seaview room next to the Suite !
Another Penang resident sailor and S'pore team's good friend, Levi, turned up at the hotel to bring me out to Gurney drive for Char Kway Toey !!!
We waited for my roommate, another top competitor from JB to arrive on the late flight.
Kit a.k.a. 'Burgerman' or 'walking disaster' arrived, checked into my room and wasted no time to check out some nightouts in Penang altogether.

On Wed, Levi, Acai, Kit and myself went to mainland Butterworth train station to collect the rest of the team gear, it was a smooth collection and always enjoyed the famous Penang car/passenger ferry service.

Over the next 2 days of training on Wed and Thurs, the wind came on time as before, started from 10 kts till 18+kts.
Leong Soon and Acai were smoking me on the upwind and downwind, their preparations were superb and fast.
Leong Soon was on his 11.8m² RS racing and Acai, who is an accomplished RSX sailor, joined the Formula event on 9.5m² and 162.
As I was out of sailing for almost half a year, I sprained my neck during training with them. Kit was enjoying much on his Leong Soon's loaned Vapor 12m² and 160. As usual, we sailed big course till my legs got crampy.
Wed nite dinner was treated to a nice Thai dinner in town.

PJ, Adeline, Thye came on early Thurs to join us for some training.
Harold came in the evening in time for some nice Nonya dinner with the rest.
Hee Yong came on Fri morning, in time for afternoon Marathon race.

Fri, the 1st event which was the infamous Marathon (clocked 19.8km on GPS in 2008) started at 3pm sharp as the wind was filling in from 8 kts onwards.
Most of us started late as we caught in the shadow created by the near wall. Leong Soon, Acai and Harold started on time for a long 2 km upwind leg. We started managed to start about 4 mins late.
I was starting to make loss ground by chasing Harold 1st, caught him after 2 long tacks and then to Acai.
I couldn't see Leong Soon and guessed he was probably too far away with his great speed.
I managed to catch Acai on the upwind mark but was overtaken on the downwind mark before heading to the 3km long reach to channel mark and back.
As I was chasing Acai, i got catapulted full speed by a big jellyfish. Acai was probably relieved and went too far away, Harold later came and overtook me as well.
I was again doing catch up and by now the wind was over 16kts and increasing, the long return reach claimed 1st victim as Acai suffered leg cramps thus losing speed, Harold and I caught with him before 2nd last mark and I made it thru among us.
It was a torturing long 2nd upwind to the last mark which our legs were too painful to sail properly.
I managed to cover Acai and Harold and concentrate on the 2nd position behind runaway leader, Leong Soon.
In the end, I managed to pip Acai who caught up with on the last leg.

Later , we found out that Leong Soon actually sailed to a wrong mark and that's why he finished 3 legs ahead.
In the end, Leong Soon got jibed as a joke for sailing the wrong course for the 3rd time on home ground.
Final results, Meng, Acai, Harold, Thye.

Sat started the same as Fri, sunny skies and wind filled in from 10kts onewards, 4 races were run on trapezoid inner loop.
1st race, I (10.m7m²/160/VMG) started on Port, the rest on starboard. course was really huge with difficulty locating each mark.
1st mark, Leong Soon (10.7m²/HWR/Kashy) pipped me and I had to chase him hard on the downwind. Managed to take him on the 2nd upwind and held on to get my 1st win over him in many races !!! Levi who truly sails 1 year 1 time took a commendable 4th position before boom problems forced him to quit the series.

2nd race started in 16kts, I got an OCS and rounded the boat again and was last out. I was able to slowly gain ground the last group of sailors before catching on Harold (10m²/LWR/R20), Thye (9m²/LWR/Vector) and Acai (9.5m²/162/C3). on the 2nd upwind, I managed to catch Leong Soon and held him off to claim another 1st.

3rd race in 18kts was lucky and unlucky as my main sail panel got ripped, sailing in a like-9.5m² condition. Managed to stay close to the pack and maintained 2nd while Leong Soon was pulling away. Somehow, I was in luck as Leong Soon fell before the finishing line due to strong current and I finished 1st from fast closing Thye n Acai.

4th race was at its peak, I had to retire as my sail was ripped too much, sailing from a 10.7m² to a 8m². Leong Soon, Thye and Acai finished respectively.

Walking Disaster, Kit, didn't manage to complete the races as he somehow magically ripped the revert outhaul of the Vapor.

Sun started on lighter 8kts in strong currents, Walking disaster, Kit, decided to test his another sail, went out early and planed to the starting line causing the race officer to start early before the wind actually filled in, we went out in panick as Leong Soon rushed to the course too. I borrowed an old RS4 from Levi to continue my race.
Race 5 started in fluky barely planing condition. Only Acai, Harold and myself started as the rest couldn't reach the starting line in time due to strong tide.
Acai was flying in lightwind and finished his maiden 1st, myself 2nd and Harold 3rd while the rest scored DNS.
Race 6 started in 12-15kts, I managed to get a good start and was sitting on Leong Soon and the fleet, managed to stay ahead on Leong Soon from 1st mark to end.
There was it, great 6 races plus Marathon to earn a nice massage.

Prize giving and dinner was served with Lion dance on the Chap Goh Mei occasion.

Many thanks to Leong Soon, organising chairman, James, Penang Sailing Commodore, Levi and Rocky for their logistic supports and after races social programmes.

I'm sure PJ, Harold, Thye, Adeline, Hee Yong, Hsin Ee will get more people to join 2011 event.

Thanks for reading my 'composition' and I shall be sailing as much again from hiatus.