After our terrible performance in the 20th Raja Muda Regatta, we decided that we would try the Borneo International Yachting Challenge. This is a set of fun races from Miri up to Kota Kinabalu via Labuan, with a few harbor races thrown in just to make up the numbers. It had been reported to us that this was indeed a fun event similar to the original runnings of the Raja Muda Regatta and the Phuket King’s cup. It was mostly made up of cruising boats (our kind of racers) and a few real racing boats to keep us honest. Since arriving in Borneo it was the event that everyone was talking about, so we figured we were into a good thing. Besides it was free and they even paid us Malaysian Ringgit 688 as an added incentive to help with boat and crew expenses during the event. This was on the condition we took part in all of the races.
A week before the start of the race, as the boats started coming into the Miri Marina, we realized just what we were up against. There seemed to be a party every night. If we could withstand the social life we might be able to handle the racing!
There were 53 boats from 14 different countries, divided into four classes: IRC, Cruising A, Cruising B, and Multihull. There were 6 boats that didn’t make it but were kept on the registry all the same. We fell into Class B, which was the largest class with 23 boats, although 3 of the missing boats fell in our category. But even with 20 boats we had the other classes out numbered.
The first race was a harbor race just outside of Miri Marina. As usual Sari Timur had a terrible start. This was due to a technical malfunction rather than anything to do with crew or boat. However it did mean we were well and truly in the wrong place. But hey, we’re in this for fun. Since we were on the wrong side of everyone and did not want to tack across about 30 boats on a port tack we decided to continue off away from the main fleet and followed a couple of other boats who had similar handicaps as ours. As often happens in the tropics, there was a huge wind shift and somehow we paid off the wind gods correctly, because it was in our favor and we went from being on what from the start looked like the wrong side of the course to being in perfect location. We were able to pull the windward mark in with just one tack and passed a huge part of the fleet that was struggling with the wind shift. We kept up the good work and even passed a couple more boats before the finish line. We knew we had done well but later when the results posted us with a first we were over the moon. Due to the tides there was only one race which allowed everyone to get back early and prepare for the party, and what a party. Maybe even on par with the one the night before!
The next day was the passage race from Miri to Labuan, a 95 mile slog of what the weatherman predicted as a broad reach in 25-30 knots breeze. This time Sari Timur got a reasonable start but the weatherman had it all wrong. We were struggling with only 4 knot breezes trying just to keep Sari Timur moving. There was a provision in the sailing instructions to use the engine for the two long passages but we did not want to start putting hours on it within the first part of the race. We persisted and after about 2 hours the wind came up a little and we were able to fly our big spinnaker and reeled back some of the yachts whom we thought had had a better angle on the wind than us (we later learned they had turned on their engines earlier). Just after dark as we were struggling through some of the oil rigs in this part of the world, the wind died again so we then used the engine rule. At about 2 am, we realized there was some wind and it was off with the engine and we had a wonderful sail all the way to Labuan. What was even more exciting was that we got a second on this race (not running the engine those first few hours paid big dividends). That evening we again had a great party in Labuan although this one had no alcohol. This is a bit strange as Labuan is a duty free port and we had been into town earlier loading Sari Timur up with enough alcoholic provisions to further drop her waterline!
The race start for the next day was 11 am and it was an overnight race of about 65 miles to Kota Kinabalu. We awoke to a beautiful 12 knot breeze that was heading the right direction. However, when 11 am arrived there were only a few puffs left. Luckily what little there was came from the right direction and the current was with us so by teasing the spinnaker we were able to keep on racing. We were passing all kinds of boats and feeling really good about ourselves. That was until we suddenly discovered that the majority were heading inside of Pulau Tiga and we had opted for the clearer outside passage. After all the winds were coming from offshore right? Well this time the wind gods were not with us and once we got within about 3 miles of Pulau Tiga, they dropped out completely. We knew from what we experienced the previous night, when the wind came back it would be from the shore side and be blocked by Pulau Tiga. We were stuck and had to use the engine assist again. This dropped us down to 10th place for this race and indeed dampened our spirits. But hey another party and a great dinner with all the crew. There were two races on the last day of racing. A windward leeward triangle combination and then a passage race back to the marina rounding the islands outside of it. The crew did everything right for the first race and Sari Timur had the best start we have ever done. It paid off and we got a second on this race. The second race didn’t work out as well as we were struggling to make it in before the time limit. We also got dumped with a little rain (sorry make that a lot of rain) which made it difficult to keep the spinnaker up. Anyway an 8th was all we could get for this race. Was it enough? Yes, we came off with a best overall result and a very nice trophy, which is now displayed on Sari Timur’s “mantelpiece”.
That evening was the party of all parties, these Borneo guys know how to throw a party. And we were in a great mood, thanks to our crew. We also wish to thank Alex (Ferret) and Rina Voss who were sailing on Ulumulu. We contacted them a couple of days before the race to bring some spares for us from Singapore. This allowed us to compete in this event with a bit more confidence in our engine.
Final results are below.
IRC 1st place Selma Star (Philippines)
2nd place Ulumulu (Malaysia)
3rd place Miri Magic 1 (Malaysia)
Cruising A 1st place Remington (Canada)
2nd place Jaraman (Australia)
3rd place Shah (UK)
Cruising B 1st place Sari Timur (Singapore)
2nd place Destiny III (Australia)
3rd Place Petima (Germany)
MultiHull 1st place Out of the Bag (Australia)
2nd place Truest Passion (Australia)
3rd place This Way Up ((Australia)
congrates
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