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SMOOTH SAILING … The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin making his address at the launch of the Monsoon Cup 2008 which is a World Match Racing (WMRT) circuit held for the fourth time at Pulau Duyong.
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4th December, 2008
KUALA TERENGGANU: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, yesterday opened the Monsoon Cup Yachting Race 2008, the last circuit of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT), held at Pulau Duyong here.
The five-day race which commenced yesterday, is the fourth to be held at Pulau Duyong since 2005. It will see 12 teams from all over the world competing for the Monsoon Cup and for placing in the WMRT 2007/2008.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, accompanied by Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah, was greeted on arrival at the Club House arena of the Ri-Yaz Heritage Resort and Spa at about 2.45 pm by the Head of the Terengganu Regency Advisory Council, Tengku Sri Panglima Raja Tengku Baderulzaman and other members of the Council.
Before the opening ceremony, all the 12 participating teams were taken in a convoy to the Dataran Shahbandar together with the trophy for the Monsoon Cup WMRT Crystal Cup for a special session to meet the local residents.
The Monsoon Cup Trophy and the WMRT Crystal Cup trophy were then taken in a boat procession from Taman Shahbandar to the Marina Club House jetty, escorted by a team from the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
Shortly after the opening ceremony, two rounds of the race were scheduled to be held in fine weather since this morning although the state had been experiencing heavy rains over the past three days which resulted in floods occurring in several areas.
Among the top yachtsmen competing in the race this afternoon were Ian Willams from the Bahrain Team Pindar (Britain), Sebastien Col-K Challenge (France), Mathieu Richard-French Spirit (France), Adam Minorprio-Black Match Racing (New Zealand), and Torvar Mirsky-Mirsky Racing Team (Australia).
The other teams were Magnus Holmberg-Victory Challenge, (Sweden), Paolo Cian-Team Shosholoza (Italy), Johnie Berntsson-Berntsson Sailing Team (Sweden), Ben Ainslie -Team Origin (Britain), Peter Gilmour-PST (Australia), and Keith Swinton-Black Swan Racing (Australia).
The country’s sole representative in the race, who is also the only woman participant, is Nurul Ain Md Isa from the Perak Sailing Team.
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