Wong wins overall Optimist title in 20th City Day Regatta
KOTA KINABALU: Wong Xiang of Kinabalu Yacht Club (KYC) clinched the overall Optimist title at the 20th City Day Open Regatta that ended in Tanjung Aru near on Sunday.
Wong accumulated the least penalty points of seven to beat Sabah Sailing Association (Saila) sailors, Muhd Asnawi Iqbal Adam (13) and Mohd Syahieradham Raiman (20).
It was also Wong’s second win in the Regatta following his win in the Optimist Division A category, where he edged Asnawi and Nurf Awatif Safri of Saila.
The host club also added six more titles in two-day event.
The other KYC winners were Bibi Qeesha Mohd Faizal in the Optimist Novice final, Muhd Zahimulhakim Zainal (Laser Overall and Laser STD Classs), Michael Hastie and Dr Ho Saiang Boon (Int. 470 Veteran Class) and Prof. Dr Jason Teo Tze Wi (Standard Phantom overall) as well as Abidin Aliakhbar representing Oxbolds Sports and KYC (Windsurf Race Boat Open).
Saila registered five wins, namely, in the Optimist Division B (Syahieradham), Optimist Division C (Nur Hafizanah Zailan), Laser 4.7 (Mohd Shahieran Raiman), Windsurf Novice (Ronisa Sufieqah Ronnie) and Windsurf Techno (Mohamad Azmi Mohd Kahmis).
Navy Yacht Club Kota Kinabalu (NYCKK) two wins included the overall title in the International 470 Open through Mohd Zaidey Bahadun and Nur Daniea Delwie. The same pair also won the International 470 Class event.
Brunei Darussalam Yachting Association (BDYA) settled for victory in the Laser Radial class event through Nasiruddin Harun.
Meanwhile, KYC Commodore, Albert Shim, said the City Day Regatta, along with the Harvest Festival and Merdeka Day regattas that they annually organised, was important for the development of the sport in the state.
He said the regattas, which consistently attract sailors including from within and outside of Sabah, were ideal platform to identify young talents and to groom them to eventually represent Sabah or Malaysia at national and international races.
A total of 84 sailors from seven teams took part in the just concluded City Day Regatta.
Shim, KYC Vice Commodore, Ronald Cooke, and NYCKK Commodore, Laksamana Pertama Syed Ahmad Hilmi Syed Abdullah, presented the prizes to the winners.