Borneo Intrnational Yachting Challenge - Miri 2010

The first race of this year challenge has just been completed in moderate winds and a large swell in Miri bay. A record entry of some 50 boats produced some exciting racing. Ulumulu a local boat took line honours in the IRC and also finished first on handicap ahead of defending champion Selma Star who appeared to have a problem with their spinnaker on the downwind leg of the second of three rounds. third place was picked up my Miri Magic II, who along with Ulumulu were sporting new sets of sails.

Th cruiser racers ofClass A were lead home by Remington, last years winner, however she wa dropped to second place on handicap to the larger Jaraman.

Some boats in cruising B class and Multihull class found the number of boats on the course a little daunting and retired early.

A second race had been planned but was cancelled as the there was not time to complete the race on a falling tide.

One protest took place in the Cruiser racing class involving a near collision port and starboard when Touche on Port failed to give with to Remington on starboard however the Jury threw out the protest as now protest flag was flown at the time by Remington.
Touche was warned however not to engage in close quarters confrontations in th future.

Full results will be published on the race website later today

Borneo International Yachting Challenge Press Release

The 2010 Borneo International Yachting Challenge (BIYC) will begin in Miri (Sarawak) on the 25^th of this month.

This annual event, now in its 7^th year takes a fleet of international yachts from Miri to Labuan - a distance of 105 miles, and then from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) which is another 65 miles. The regatta finishes in Kota Kinabalu with two races around the Tunku Abdul Rahman national Marine Park on Friday the 30^th July, followed by a lavish prize giving dinner at Sutera Harbour Marina Club hosted by Sabah Tourism.

The regatta is a joint effort between the Ministry Of Tourism And Heritage Sarawak, Labuan Corporation, and the Sabah Tourism Board. Other sponsors include Sutera Harbour Resort, Samling Global, Pelita and Park City Everly Hotel in Miri.

This year will see 55 entries representing 13 countries from as far afield as Sweden and the United States, and includes the overall winner from last year, Selmar Star from the Philippines back to defend their title.

The fleet is almost double the size of last year’s and will set a new record for the event. It will also make the regatta one of the largest of its kind in South East Asia.

One of the reasons for this dramatic increase in numbers is due to collaboration between the BIYC and the Sail Malaysia Rally – Passage to the East.

BIYC committee member Simon Farmer, who was instrumental in forging this partnership with the organizers of Sail Malaysia, said that given the current state of the global economy and the ever shrinking sponsorship dollar it made sense to combine the two events. He said the number of entries this year proved that this had been a popular strategy.

The Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board and co-chairman of the regatta, Dato Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin expressed his delight with the number of yachts taking part this year and said that Sabah is on target to achieving its goal in becoming the Caribbean of the East.

He said that ‘events such as this are putting Borneo and Kota Kinabalu on the map, and are the perfect vehicle for showcasing the state and its bio-diversity’.

Adlin commented further that over the past 12 months Sutera Harbour Marina and Kota Kinabalu had hosted at least 10 mega yachts of over thirty meters with a combined value of over US$350 million dollars. Among these visitors was the world’s largest privately owned sailing yacht, the 92 meter ‘Eos’ valued in excess of US$150 million.

“The fact that more and more of these types of yachts are visiting our shores means that the message is getting through to yacht owners and captains that Sabah and Borneo have as much to offer, if not more than the other major destinations around the world. These types of visitors provide a tremendous boost to the local economy and to the global perception of Sabah”, remarked Adlin

Tengku Adlin will take part in the regatta once again this year sailing aboard Farmers yacht in the final two races off Kota Kinabalu. This will be a little different from last year when he crewed on the 120’ luxury sailing yacht ‘Naos’ and was treated to a gourmet lunch. Farmer warned Adlin not to expect the same this year as the boat he is sailing on is a stripped out racing yacht with only the bare essentials. Adlin replied that he was ready for the challenge.

Borneo International Yachting Challenge Entries

This year's Borneo International Yachting Challenge is proving to be a popular event with just under two months to go before the Start in Miri on 24th July. The entry list is lead by Australia with 16 entries followed by the Uk with 5 Entries, New Zealand and the USA with 3 entries. France and the Hosts Malaysia have only two entries at the moment but a further 3 Malysian entires are expected. there a single Entries from Singapore, Germany, Vanuatu and the British Virgin Island.

At least twenty of of the entries are taking part in Sail Malaysia's Passage to the East Rally which finishes in Miri.

The exact race schedule still has to be confirmed as there may be tow inshore races at Miri is the entrance to Miri Marina has been dredged. The longest passage race will be from Miri to Labuan which should be completed in around 24 hours. Labuan Marina is now under new ownership and berths have electricity and running water. Maintenance work is now in progress to improve the floating pontoons. There is now a clubhouse with limited facilities.

The second passage race will see yachts racing from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu where berths are available on a first come first served basis. thereafter there will be two inshore races and Prize giving.

A forum is available at http://borneorace.com/forum which provides further details on weather and tide forecasts, accommodation, shopping and crewing opportunities.

David Ogden
Webmaster borneorace.com

Brunei Excluded From Borneo International Yachting Challenge

The 7th International Yachting Challenge will not include include Brunei as a destination this year as the authorities have been two slow in putting together a suitable package for competing yachts.

The first passage race from Miri will end at Labuan where yachts will overnight before competing in the second passage race to Kota Kinabalu. Inshore races will be held in Miri before the start of the passage races and at Kota Kinabalu at the end of the passage race.

for more details please Visit http://borneorace.com. this regatta is one of the few events which are free to enter, in fact early entries benefit from a bounty paid by the 0rganisers to yachts that compete each of the scheduled races.

David Ogden
Webmaster@borneorace.com

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

There is a lack of progress on the part of Brunei to raise funding to provide facilities for yachts taking part in this years Borneo International Yachting Challenge so it appears likely that Brunei will be dropped from Schedule.

If Brunei is dropped from the schedule the first passage race will end in Labuan not Brunei. Hopefully the matter will be resolved in the next couple of weeks.

Yachts who are shorthanded or looking for crew are reminded to place their requirements in the forum at http://borneorace.com/forum. where they will also find more information about the ports of call during the race.

David Ogden
Webmaster@borneorace.com

Borneo International Yachting Challenge -Entries

There is a growing entry list for this years Borneo International Yachting challenge which is held at the end July and includes The Borneo Cup for Class IRC rated Yachts.

The event is truly International and very popular as there is no entry fee and a bonus payment is made to the skipper of all yachts which take part in the complete series of races comprising of inshore and passage races along the coast of Borneo.

Australian yachts head the list of entries with nine yachts, The United Kingdom has three entries, Malaysia the host has two entries along with New Zealand and there are single entries from Singapore and Germany.

This year so far there are three multihulls entered and they will have a separate classification.

Race Partners for the Borneo International Yachting challenge include Tourism Malaysia,Minitry of Urban Developement,Sarawak tourism board, Labuan Corporation,Sabah Tourism, Sabah State and Minster of Tourism Malaysia

David Ogden
webmaster@borneorace.com

Borneo International Yachting Challenge - Route Map

A new Google route map has been created for this years Borneo International Yachting Challenge, which is the biggest sailing event of its kind in Borneo.

You can use the map to see the various ports of call, just click on the icons for details, if you zoom in to a particular section, you made need to reload the page to zoom out again.

More details of local place of interest will be added, such as recommended eating places where to buy stores, entertainment and local tourist attractions.

David Ogden - Webmaster@borneorace.com

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

Latest news from Brunei.
Brunei Tourism have confirmed the scope of their sponsorship etc. So prospect are high that there will be a stop over at Brunei. Details will be added to the website at a later date.



Other News.
Malaysian Marine police have confirmed they will provide and escort craft to accompany the race through Malaysian waters for security, they will also have a small medical team during the passage races. Yachts which which may have to anchor outside Sutera Harbour Marina will also be covered with a marine police presence.

A new links page has been added to the site which includes links to Radio weather forecast for Brunei bay and Tidal information for North Borneo, together with other sailing links.

Borneo International Yachting Challenge - Sabah

Yesterday a joint meeting was held at Sabah Tourism Board to confirm formation of sub committees in Kota Kinabalu to both support and Publicize the 2010 Borneo International Yachting Challenge. The co-chairman YB Datuk Lee Kim Shin Minister of Communications and Minister of Sports, Sarawak and YBhg. Dato’ Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board, both expressed their Goal was to take the sailing event to the next level by attracting more International racers and cruising to visit Borneo and spend some time visiting the tourist attraction such as the Mulu caves in Sarawak and Mount Kinabalu in Sabah.

The current website is going to be updated to provide more information on past race results, together with information on recommended places to visit, stay and eat at each of the ports of call.

The Question of involving Brunei in the program is still outstanding and it is subject to diplomatic agreement. The local yacht club is keen to be included but suitable access to berths, customs and immigration matters need to be arranged. In the meantime the race schedule will omit Brunei.

It is also hoped that free accommodation can be added to the participants package in both Labuan and Kota Kinabalu.

Some new promotion material such as flyers and posters are going to be prepared and invitations are to be sent out to to yacht clubs in SE Asia.

David Ogden
Webmaster
webmaster@borneorace.com

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

At least three cruising yachts who are taking part in Sail Malaysia - Passage to the East sailing rally have so far signed up for the this years Borneo International Yachting Challenge which start in Miri on 24th July.

The sailing challenge provides an excellent chance to pit your yacht against other rally participants and thanks to a special handicap system, which has proved its worth over the past six years, its generally the best skippers and crews who come out on top rather than a particular boat design. If winds are light you can always motor sail.

Each port of call provides free entertainment at receptions/prize giving and good fun is had by all.

Serious racers with IRC class 3 certificates are also invited to take part, and challenge the winning entry for the past three years from the Philippines.

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

Three yachts, one each from the UK, Singapore and Australia have so far entered the BIYC 2010, which provided a week of racing and fun off the coast of Borneo. This is one of the few races that pay you take part added to which you are pampered with lavish entertainment at the receptions/ prize giving in each port of Call.

The IRC class 3 racers compete for the Borneo Cup and a number of boats are expected from Singapore and The Philippines, to take on the local boats from Miri and Kota Kinabalu.

There is a local handicap system for cruising boats, which even provides for the use of engines if the winds are light and prizes for the first 3 in each division. This years race fits in with the schedule of the Sail Malaysia Passage to the East Rally .

Borneo International Yachting Challenge 2010 -Update

The Borneo International Challenge website has been updated to include the result from the 2009 race, plus selected photos from the 2009 race.

The first online entry has been received from Singapore SY Sari Timur in the Cruising division.

Borneo International Yachting Challenge 2010

The Borneo International Yachting Challenge Website has just been updated for the 2010 race which starts in Miri Sarawak on 24th July, finishing in Kota Kinabalu Sabah on 31st July.

This year it is hoped to include Brunei as a port of call but this has still to be confirmed. New innovations this year include online race entry, together with a forum which provides crew finding information, accommodation information and questions and answers about the forthcoming race.

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

An early morning start was required on the morning of the passage race to Labuan in the Borneo International Yachting Challenge, due to the depth of water in the channel to Miri Marina.

We motored out into the dawn and once clear of the channel hoisted the sails for the first time to findout how Sarawak Seahorse perfomed. Our scratch crew cosisted of two experienced sailors plus three others with little or no experience, so it was going to be short but sharp learning curve. We did a few tacks and gybes so that everyone had an idea as to what to do.

The wind was fairly light and I misjudged the time to reach the start line, so that we missed the class start and narrowly avoided being classified as DNS as we dipped back acroos the line with seconds to spare, just ahead of the next class.

The wind gods did not favour the race and a few miles from the start the fleet was becalmed. One by one the cruising boats started their engines leaving us in their wake. Gradually the wind filled in and we reached down the coast heasing for the oil fields, where we decided to take the inshore route. we had some good sailing catching and passing a few of the cruising boats. we divided into two watches putting the novice sailors on the helm as the night wore on.

Dawn saw us of the coast of Brunei with a fair breeze and sails on the horizon infront of us, we slowwly closed the gap and then approaching Labaun fell into a wind hole and began to be pushed backwards by the current. We crept close to some rocky outcrops to avoid the current until the wind filled in allowing us to romp home to Labuan.

Unfortuantly we were classified as DNF due to time limit and were too late to protest ene, althuogh in previuos years are position would have counted.

David Ogden
Pirates Of Borneo

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

As the days drew closer to the race, there was some confusion as to which which yacht we would be sailing for the race, and it was only on the day before we traveled to Miri that we learnt we were to sail Sarawak Seahorse.

Sarawak Seahorse is a First 32.5, however the boat had been lying ashore for a year awaiting a keel replacement, so when we arrived it still had to be painted and was missing a propeller. We set about making it seaworthy, checking sails and equipment and fitting an outboard motor to the transom in case the propeller did not arrive in time.

We befriended a local taxi driver who became our drive for a couple of days as we searched for bits and pieces and supplies for the race.

24 hours before the start of the Borneo International Yacht Race and Sarawak Seahorse was still high and dry although a crane had been ordered. Then just as a wind squall approached the yacht was launched. We had a few nervous moments as the outboard fought the wind and we turned into the marina to find a berth and prepare for the start the following day.

David Ogden
Pirates Of Borneo