This event was a few weeks ago, but I only posted this report on Facebook. so for the Seabreeze community here is what happened from my perspective.
Part 1
It had been five years since I was last in Penang, and Tammy and I decided it was time to go back and catch up with Leong Soon and his family, as well as our friends from other parts of Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. The 1st annual Penang PSA/CSC Windsurfing International seemed like the perfect excuse
Checking in at Sydney Airport with Formula windsurfing equipment is always interesting, however with the QANTAS pre-paid additional baggage, there was no hassles getting the gear on the plane. The easiest check in I've ever had, especially with Tammy as my Caddy : ) An uneventful flight and we landed in Singapore around 9:30 pm. Our baggage hadn't been checked through, so after collection we went through immigration and squeezed the equipment onto the sky train to terminal 2. Unfortunately we couldn't check in to our Penang flight until 4 am, so the gear went into luggage storage. Singapore airport is rated as the best transit lounge in the world, with restaurants, hotels, shops, gym's etc to keep you occupied. There is even a dedicated lounge sleeping area....BUT we were on the outside looking in. Only a pane of glass separated us from the luxury inside, while we slept on the most uncomfortable seats or the cold hard tiled floor until 4am.
Landing in Penang, we met up with PJ and Nick from Singapore, and Leong Soon's driver soon had us all packed into his van and on our way to the Chinese Swimming Club(CSC) where the regatta was to be based. Once the equipment was dropped off, and we were checked into the hotel, Leong Soon treated Tammy and I to Yum Cha. There was so much food coming out, I think Leong Soon was trying to fatten me up with the forecast light winds for race day.
Later down at the club we caught up with the old and new friends, as we unpacked and checked equipment. In the evening we all went out to Meng's favourite Hawker market for a huge Thai feast.
Marathon Day
We woke up to an easterly wind, the forecast didn't look fantastic. So after registration we ate Hainan spring rolls, drank copious amounts of water and sports drink(did I mention it's really hot and humid over here? 39 degrees), and chilled out to the awesome music and event atmosphere.
This event is stacked with contenders for the podium spots, any of these guys can win:
Leong Soon - The Wily Old Fox, always a danger on his home waters. He has been on the podium here for the last three years
Chris Newman - The in form sailor at the moment after his second place at the recent Singapore Open.
Meng - Always merciless against his opponents
Thye Hock - The Light Wind Weapon
PJ - Who Finz Wins.
Also a few of the dark horses:
Kit - The Burgerman, enough said
Levi - I drink with Billionaires
Mariano - Gonzalo's long lost twin brother
Stanley - The rapid improver, watch out for this guy next year
Around 3:30 pm the easterly wind faded, and a light westerly filtered through. The Bic Techno and Raceboards were called out onto the course. The formula fleet were on standby, so we all rigged our Big gear. I'd thought better of doing a Half Rick in a marathon race, so after a quick test of the new proto fin, I headed back to the beach to change back to my trusty M75. Little did I know that as I was heading back, the Formula fleet was already in a start sequence. When I hit the beach I suddenly realised we were inside 4 minutes to the start. The quickest fin change in history, and I was pumping like a mad man to try and get to the start.
By the time I crossed the start line, Chris Newman, Leong Soon and most of the fleet were long gone, it felt like they were already on the horizon. Feeling a little dejected I almost pulled out, but decided to continue on, as you never know what can happen. Going upwind out to port past the island, I had a little height on the guys out in front, and by the time I cleared the island I'd crossed half of the fleet, maybe this wasn't so bad. A long Starboard tack, and the upwind gate wasn't where I expected it to be, I could see Chris Newman out in front on my line, and Leong Soon somewhere to windward. Miraculously I was not far from the layline, and Leong Soon had overlaid. Chris Newman went though the gate first, with Leong Soon about 50 metres behind, and myself in third another 50 metres back.
Along the reach to the outside channel markers, this year there was to be a boat to round rather than the channel markers themselves. I was slowly eating into the gap to Leong Soon, while Chris Newman had good speed. I couldn't see the mark boat, and it was obvious the other two coudn't either. There was a small fishing boat, and a fire/rescue boat, but nothing else to be seen. I could see that Chris Newman decided to head for the channel markers, while Soon and I were staying a little higher, and just as I was about to bear away, the mark boat appeared as if from nowhere, 200m to windward of Chris. I think the rescue boat had been shielding it. Fortunate for Leong Soon and I, really bad luck for Chris Newman.
I gybed right on Leong Soon's tail, we headed downwind to the Rusty Bouy. I managed to get over the top of Leong Soon, but just as quickly Leong Soon was back over the top of me. As we approached the Rusty Bouy the wind got really light, and Leong Soon was struggling to get down to the bouy, so I put in a few pumps, and just managed to grovel around without gybing.
It took a minute to get into some wind and pump onto the plane, however the Wily Old Fox, Leong Soon tacked as soon as I was planing. Seeing this I quickly tacked over to cover. It was like this all the way back to the upwind gate, I didnt want to let Leong Soon use his local knowledge to gain an advantage, so I placed a tight cover on him. Coming into the upwind gate, the wind got really light again, and Leong Soon out pumped me and pulled out a 30m lead through the gate. Leong Soon gybed immediately, and I elected to continue to shore. Chris Newman had pulled back some of his lost ground, but was still some way back. At the next crossing I had come right back at Leong Soon as he now headed to shore, and I headed to the island. I gybed next and began looking for the last gybe mark. Leong Soon had run out of wind by the shore, and by sheer luck I was on the layline for the last mark. I just planed into the last mark, and out from it as well. One more gybe and I was headed for the finish. I crossed the finish line utterly exhausted, and turned to see Leong Soon, and Chris Newman stranded in no wind. Leong Soon later crossed in Second Place, and Chris Newman in Third.
What an epic race, and it just goes to prove the saying "Never Give Up".
That night we had dinner at the local Hawker market while exchanging stories. I celebrated with Fried Ice Cream (ais krim goreng), and then we all headed into town to the favourite bar, Slippery Senorita's. Later in the evening we were handed some very expensive champagne. We found out later the individual buying the champagne was actually a celebrity billionionaire, who usually parties with the very rich and famous. Unfortunately the power went out at this bar, so we left and had the Penang equivalent of a late night Kebab ... Congee.
A very long, but excellent day. I went to bed hoping the wind wouldn't come in too early.
Part 2
Day 2
A pretty slow start for all those that had been celebrating the previous night. The Easterly winds were much lighter this morning, so the forecast looked good for an earlier Westerly Seabreeze today.
Around 1:30pm the wind swung around to the west, and the Raceboards, Techno and RSX were called out onto the course. The wind still looked very light, but Formula was called out after the other classes had completed one race.
Race 1
I must have been feeling the effects of the previous night still, as I'd placed myself in a terrible position on the start line. In such light winds you need clear wind, and a good space to accelerate in, but I had neither of these, buried in the third row.
At the gun, Chris Newman, and Leong Soon pumped and shot of the line, While I was left floundering. Eventually I got planing, and was in dirty air from Levi, Kit and PJ, and just about everyone else in the fleet. Towards the port lay line I tacked before the guys in front of me to try and get some clear air, and was able to climb out of the some the guys around me. At the topmark for the first time, Leong Soon was out in front, followed by Chris Newman, and I'd managed to claw my way up to third.
It was really light downwind for the first time, and I think Chris Newman and I had closed the gap to Leong Soon a little. Going up the second work, Leong Soon had great height and speed, while I was able to climb away from Chris Newman on the long tack to the Starboard layline. On the Layline I'd closed in on Leong Soon a little, and Chris Newman had underlaid, allowing me to sneak through into second place. Chris Newman, then caught the bouy rope compounding his problem. Levi, "I only sail once a year", was following in fourth, and also caught the bouy rope.
The second lap was a trapezoid, so I was chasing Leong Soon down the reach. Leong Soon gybed immediately at the mark, and I followed, when Leong Soon gybed back, I thought I would continue on to gain a better angle. When I gybed back, "AAARRRRRGGGHHHH" I realised I'd been heading for the wrong mark. Leong Soon had realised earlier and was able to maintain his lead over Chris Newman, but I'd wasted so much ground, Chris Newman was now flying down to the last mark well in front of me. We finished in that order with 1st Leong Soon, 2nd Chris Newman, 3rd Chris Ting, 4th Thye Hock, 5th Meng, 6th Ker Wan, 7th PJ.
The wind had now filled in to around 10 - 12 knots, so they decided to run a slalom race. I think all of the formula fleet decided to head for the beach, rather then expend energy manhandling their formula equipment around a slalom course.
I was pretty annoyed with myself after making some very basic errors, so I sat on the beach, re-hydrated, and tried to get my head back in the game.
Race 2
After the Slalom had finished, all the classes were called back to the water. At the Techno start, I noticed that a class flag was flown immediately. Suspecting this maybe the Formula start, I headed toward the line. The tide had changed, and with the start boat facing the opposite direction, it was reallly hard to see the flags. Just in case I sync'ed my watch at the next signal, and Kit, and Ker Wan were also heading toward the boat. Once I got really close, I confirmed it was the Formula start, and pumped onto the plane with a few seconds to go. A full speed start, with Meng also on time coming in on port. I turned to see the rest of the fleet really late to the start. It's a little disconcerting when you're planing away from the start with nobody around you, never the less I didn't hear any extra sound signals, or see any flags raised, so I continued on.
Kit had some equipment failure earlier in the day, so he was really underpowered on an 11m sail. Meng was also struggling getting his sail working with the wrong mast.
I didn't see anyone during this race, so there's not much I can comment on. By the second upwind the wind was starting to get light, and once I got to the top mark the last time it looked like it was going to be a real struggle to finish the race. I had to pump and ooch all the way downwind to keep planing. At the finish line I was a tiny bit underlaid, so I'm little ashamed to admit I drifted across the line.
Leong Soon in 2nd place, and Chris Newman in 3rd were the only other finishers. With the wind completely gone now, we drifted back to the beach.
After the first day Leong Soon was leading with 3 points, I was in second with 4 points, and Chris Newman in third with 5 points. With the positions so close I was praying for wind on Sunday to give me a chance to catch up to Leong Soon.
Dinner that night was at the "Banana Leaf" Indian eatery. It pretty much ticked all the boxes for things you should steer clear of when travelling and eating. Tammy and I left there hoping we wouldn't be using the porcelain phone all night, fortunately there were no dramas.
The other important thing to report that night, is that Meng went on a blind Burger date, but late that night he was mistakenly messaging me!!! That's ok Meng, I think you're "Gorgeous" as well......LOL That's all I can say because as you know " What happens on Penang, stays on Penang"
Day 3
We woke to an Easterly wind, this didn't look good for racing. During the day I could almost feel my chances of wrestling the lead from Leong Soon fading away.
Finally around 3:30pm we were sent out, I have to say, I still didn't like our chances of completing a race, let alone two races, which is what I would need to over take Leong Soon.
While we were rigging up, Leong Soon was bitten by some fire ants, and was already feeling an allergic reaction before the race.
Race 3
The start line was very port biased, Chris Newman and Meng had recognised this, and came in from the pin full power. I had stayed with Leong Soon on starboard, and we slogged over the line. Chris Newman and Meng were powering away, it looked as though Meng had found a better tune on his sail today.
Leong Soon tacked over to port and I followed. The wind for this race was the lightest of all races so far, but to my surprise I was able to pump onto the plane. As my apparent wind built I was able able to start eeking out some height from the guys in front. Using all the tricks in the book like, front arm on the uphaul, back foot in front of the footstrap, and using the waves even upwind to keep the board moving. After a few minutes of sailing on port, Leong Soon and I had climbed away significantly from the rest of the fleet, and by the time we tacked onto starboard, there was a substanial gap back to third place. Leong Soon was able to pump onto the plane before me, and all I could do was watch as he sailed away from me. Fortuntely I got going, and ahead Leong Soon had stopped, I desperately worked every wave, and sceric of wind to keep planing and went past Leong Soon, I was able to work my way into some new wind on the left, and then tack back to port just below the port layline to the top mark. Leong Soon had sagged badly below me and when I tacked for the top mark, I had a good lead. From then on I pumped and ooched like my life depended on it. I had lost sight of Leong Soon, but in these conditions anything can happen.
On the second lap I was catching the raceboards and technos. Halfway up the upwind leg the wind had lightened so much, I was reaching just to keep on the plane. I was going down through the techno and raceboard fleet, ducking many boards so that I wouldn't interfere with them, this was my only option to keep planing. Fortunately by the time I got to the starboard layline, there was a little more pressure, and I was able to clear the raceboards and Technos before the topmark. Going down the reach and on the run, the wind was light again, and although I couldn't see anyone behind me, Tammy said from the beach it looked like I had the devil chasing me, because I was pumping so hard.
This time I planed across the finish line in first, and I had a fantastic view as Meng, Thye, and Chris Newman came down the run neck and neck for the finish. Meng crossed in second and was jubilant, but unfortunately Meng had missed the last mark, so Chris Newman was second, and Thye in third.
Leong Soon had super bad luck, the allergic reaction had become so severe, that his arms had become numb. Even two days later, his feet were still swollen.
We waited for another race, but the wind completely died and we drifted back to the beach for the last time.
That night a fantastic presentation dinner was held, all the organisers and sponsors were thanked, and finally the medals were presented.
I had won the 1st PSC/CSC Penang International Windsurfing Championship.
Overall
1.Chris Ting
2.Chris Newman
3.Leong Soon.
I'd like to thank my wife Tammy, for letting me go to yet another Windsurfing competition while on holidays, the event organisers and sponsors, all of our friends from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for making our time in Penang so great, and lastly my sponsors, WindSurfnSnow, Neil Pryde, StarBoard and VMG Blades.
Check the www.facebook.com/Windsurfing.At.Penang page for all the results and photos
Chris Ting
AUS-5
well done to you,, Chris Ting,, great story and winner of the Penang International!!!!!! I see you out at botany sometimes, you look like a great sailor, super fast and powerful through the chop, well done man, your a champion!!!!
!!!!!!!
