KOTA KINABALU: New comer, One Sail, from Australia sunk last year’s champion Utarid from Lumut-based Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) in the Borneo International Yachting Challenge (BIYC). Skippered and owned by Ray Roberts, One Sail edged the navy boat into second place and claimed the overall championship of the race which concluded in Kota Kinabalu yesterday. Another TLDM boat Uranus went into third placing. Although Utarid lost the overall title, the navy boys did win the 95-nautical-mile Miri to Labuan and the 71-nautical-mile Labuan to Kota Kinabalu passage races. Uranus came in second placing in both passage races followed by One Sail in third place. Roberts remarked that the BIYC was extremely challenging despite the fact that his crew were mostly professional sailors. “This my first Borneo International Yachting Regatta and I enjoyed the race from Miri to Labuan and then from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu. It has been an exciting challenge and not a simple race to sail,” said Roberts after accepting the challenge trophy from Sabah’s Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Kamarlin Ombi. “I was amazed that some less experienced sailors can handle these conditions,” he added. Roberts also commended Malaysia for their youth sailing programme. The Sabah youth development programme was officially launched during the prize giving ceremony held at Sutera Harbour here. Twenty youth from the age of 16 to 36 are receiving coaching under local sailor Leonard Chin and utilising the Ulumulu keel boat for training. “The future is not in the older guys but the future is with the youth of Malaysia. Malaysia has a long coastline such as wonderful Strait of Malacca. It would be left to the youth of Malaysia to carry on,” Roberts said. He also saluted Utarid and Uranus for their effort, saying, “It has been a great honour to race with them. They gave us a tough challenge as this is their second year in the race and knew the route and what to expect along the way. They are worthy opponents.” Roberts pledged to come back next year to defend the title. Also present at the closing ceremony were Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bongkeli, Sri Pelancongan Sabah general manager Sitti Damsal, Sabah Park chairman Dato Sri Tengku Zainal Adlin, Miri working committee chairman Troy Yaw and Amizan Morshidi representing Ministry of Tourism Sarawak. Source: Borneo Post

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah bagged two awards in the Putrajaya Magic of the Night which was held at Putrajaya Lake in Kuala Lumpur on June 22-30. The state won the Most Creative Boat and emerged as first runner-up for the Best Overall Boat in the flotillas decked competition. Fourteen flotillas cruised through the 3km stretch of the Putrajaya Lake. They were decked to represent the prominent tourism elements of each participating Malaysian state. Sabah’s flotilla featured the endemic Proboscis Monkey and the top seven Unduk Ngadau finalists were also part of the parade. Suzhou, China also presented a float as well as the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Perbadanan Putrajaya and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA). Beyond parading the distinct tourism features of each state, the floats were in running for four awards: Best Overall, Most Creative, Most Popular and Best Lighted. This premier event of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia was launched by Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia. Source: Borneo Post