Malaysian sailor has to settle for second place again

PETALING JAYA: Sailor Jeremy Koo has ended up as a runner-up again.

This time, 36-year-old came in second at the Detroit Cup – the final leg of the USA Grand Slam Series.

Jeremy, also second at the Oakliff International in New York two weeks ago, was pipped by Australia’s Harry Price to the title at the Bayview Yacht Club in Michigan on Sunday.

The sailors completed two rounds (of eight races each) in the three-round race in Michigan.

The third round was cut short due to poor wind conditions, with some completing two races and others three.

As a result, world No. 10 and reigning world youth match racing runner-up Price was declared the winner after garnering 17 wins and two defeats (17-2) to top the nine-team tournament.

Jeremy and his Sime Darby Foundation-Koo Racing Team finished second on 15-3 and American Nathan Hollerbach was third on 14-5.

“We were just unlucky. It’s disappointing, but there was nothing we could do to change the weather,” said Jeremy.

That cost Jeremy a chance to emerge as overall winner of the USA Grand Slam Series, which could have earned him a start in next year’s Congressional Cup.

Jeremy finished second overall with 200 points after races in Oakliff International (second, 80pts); Chicago Match Cup (fifth, 40pts); and Detroit Cup (second, 80pts).

Although Price failed to impress in the Oakliff meet, he bounced back to claim back-to-back victories in Chicago and Detroit to emerge as the overall winner with 230 points.