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

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

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