Unstoppable Koo is champion for the fourth time in a row

Koo's team took home RM8,000 in prize money, while Masyuri's and Hazwan's team took home RM5,000 and RM2,000 respectively.

November 26, 2013

Unstoppable Koo is champion for the fourth time in a row

Koo’s team took home RM8,000 in prize money, while Masyuri’s and Hazwan’s team took home RM5,000 and RM2,000 respectively.

PULAU DUYONG, KUALA TERENGGANU: Jeremy Koo and his Koo Racing Team proved unstoppable as they sailed his way to victory in the Liga Layar Malaysia 2013 final. Koo’s win meant that he will represent Malaysia in the Monsoon Cup for the fourth consecutive time, when it is held at the Ri-Yaz Heritage Resort & Spa here from Nov 25 till Nov 30. The 32-year-old skipper defeated Masyuri Rahmat’s Royal Malaysian Navy Match Racing Team 1 2-0 in a best-of-two match on Monday.

“I have won four times in a row here but this has to be the toughest competition of all. I felt more pressured and on top of that, competitors like Masyuri have gotten better.

“For the Monsoon Cup this year, I will try to win one or two races. We hope will do better than our previous outings and minimise our mistakes,” said Koo at a press conference here.

Koo is the final wild card entry and will represent Malaysia in the Monsoon Cup. Considered as one of the most prestigious events on the tour, the Monsoon Cup is the season finale of the 2013 Alpari World Match Racing Tour (AWMRT) series.

For Masyuri, defeat in the final is a bitter pill to take, but the skipper is optimistic about his chances in future competitions.

“It is disappointing to lose in the final. But we did our best this year, but to Jeremy’s credit, he did very well and he saved his best performance for last and unleashed it in the final.

“The slow winds today also somewhat hindered my team’s performance,” said Masyuri.

Hazwan Dermawan of Permai Hotel Match Racing Team salvaged some pride as he cruised his way into third place of the competition by winning 2-0 in a best-of-two against Mohd Saifullah Mohd Esa in the petit-finals, also held on Monday.

“I knew that a minimum third place was achievable and I am still gutted that we failed to make the final. For next year, I will take a break and allow the team to find another skipper, but I hope to come back in the future and beat Jeremy and Masyuri,” said Hazwan.

In the fifth to seventh placing matches, Shaiful Bathiar of SPA Yacht Club manage to overcome competition from Ng Ai Li’s Team Let’s Go SaiLiNg and Abdul Rahim Mohd Zain’s Ri-Yaz Sailing Team to take fifth place.

Ng, the sole female skipper of the competition, won against Abdul Rahim’s team to take sixth place.

As champions, Koo’s team took home RM8,000 in prize money, while Masyuri’s and Hazwan’s team took home RM5,000 and RM2,000 respectively.

The prize giving ceremony was graced by the Tunku Laksamana of Johor, Tunku Abdul Jalil ibni Sultan Ibrahim, who is the chairman of Innovatige Sdn Bhd, the rights holder of the Monsoon Cup competition.

Final standings:
Champion: Jeremy Koo (Koo Racing Team)
Second: Masyuri Rahmat (Royal Malaysian Navy Match Racing Team 1)
Third: Hazwan Dermawan (Permai Hotel Match Racing Team)
Fourth: Mohd Saifullah Mohd Esa (MSNT Sailing Team)
Fifth: Shaiful Bathiar (SPA Yacht Club)
Sixth: Ng Ai Li (Team Let’s Go SAiLiNg)
Seventh: Abdul Rahim Mohd Zain (Ri-Yaz Sailing Team)