The flight to Kuala Terengganu via Kuala Lumpur was quick and pleasant. A new airport at Kuala Terenganu welcomed us and we were whisked off by Zukhairy, our driver and guide.

It was a bright and sunny day when we arrived at the Ri-Yaz Resort on Pulau Duyong where the Monsoon Cup would be held and for us the beginnings of a great adventure. The race village was humming with life and excitement as a lady champion was to represent Malaysia in the upcoming match races.  A friend from Singapore mentioned that it had been raining for days. We were lucky to have fair weather.

A short tour of facilities at Ri-Yaz Marina ensued and it was wonderful to feel the atmosphere in the racing village. There were grandstands and hospitality suites and many vantage points to watch the races that begin the next day. A café selling teh-tarik, a local tea drink was a refreshing stop for Paul and I, as we sat down and soaked in the buzz around the café. As I sat with teh-tarik in hand, I tried to recollect visions of the America’s Cup and the slightly different rules to fleet racing which I was more familiar with. Not too confident with my memory, I took out my ISAF copy of racing rules and turned to the match racing section. As the sun set beyond distant hills, we left for our hotel. Dinner was at Kampong Cina(Chinatown) where we had delicious seafood among the many restaurants situated there. A stroll along the main road after dinner to capture the lights and sounds of the small Chinese shops here is a must for proper digestion after our feast. Anticipating all the action for the next day, we walked the 500m or so to our hotel, Felda Residence, where I was impressed by the service and hospitality of the staff.

A bright sunny day brought us to the Ri-Yaz to capture the first rounds of the match races. Where was the monsoon? I had my sunblock and shades out as I watched the races in wind of 6 to 8 knots. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Sultan of Terenganu had earlier amidst the sound of Kompang drums and sounding sirens launched the start of Monsoon Cup races with a sail past by participating teams. Commentators were hyping every move the boats were making and they did a good job in upping the anxiety level in what was actually monotonous sailing. It must be said however that watching the spectacle live was better than watching the many screens that surrounded the marina. One could also take all this in at the Shahbandar town square acrosss the river, where a large screen showed the same action. And if you ever got tired of the sailing you could go shopping for souvenirs and all kinds of clothes and foodstuffs at the makeshift markets set up for this event.

Coming to Terenganu for the Monsoon Cup Week would not be complete unless we took in some other sights. We decided on Lake Kenyir to see the famous lake and the hydroelectric dam. This lake is enormous and would be worth a longer visit of at least 2 to 3 days. Tranquil, relaxing and picturesque, don’t forget your camera. Unfortunately, time did not permit us to stay longer. For eco-friendly travelers, there are many eco-tourism sanctuaries and places to discover.  An invitation to witness the 4X4 Rainforest Challenge in Chukai saw us heading there the following day. What a colourful opening, in glorious sunshine and the thunderous roar of the huge 4X4 trucks ringing in my years. We attended the prologue after lunch along the road to Kuala Terenganu and watched some exciting action just off the highway. On the way back to our hotel, I could see that dark clouds were gathering. Rain poured on us as we headed back to Kuala Terenganu. The Monsoon has arrived!!

As expected, most of the favourites qualified for the quarter-finals.  Nurul Ain the Malaysian girl and obvious crowd favourite was not among them. But you could sense that Dato' Peter Gilmour who was instrumental in bringing this race to Terenganu was the hot favourite among the locals. We got off to an early start not wanting to miss the final 8. The wind was blowing 10-15knots and that usually sets the heart pumping when sailing in close quarters. The races began and I could feel the tension in the air with all the teams hoping to make the next round. As the wind piped up, you could almost feel as if an accident would happen and what was “synchronized” sailing earlier in the week was now wild gyrations during the pre-start as teams jostle and try to outwit each other, forcing  penalties or to get to a favourable position for the start. I wished I was sailing. If there was a place where you could get sailing action right in your face, with the tension in the air akin to motor racing and with the blow by blow calls by the enthusiastic commentators, this is it. The sailing was close and thrilling and when it started raining heavily, everyone ran to the shelters to watch the race on big screens. The enjoyment does not seem to end! Collisions seem to be the order for the day as numerous times boats hit each other and penalties were given. An incident earlier in the week had badly damaged one of the boats. These races are definitely not for the faint hearted. Tomorrow will be the finals and not to be missed.

There is much to see in Terengganu. One can take in the museum, the crystal mosque and it’s adjoining park as well as the numerous cottage industries making local handicrafts, clothes and food. There is a heritage bus service from the major hotels in the city that would take you to these sites. It is a hop-on hop-off type similar to those found in many cities in the world. Food lovers are not forgotten and the Keropok Lekor is a must for everyone. It is a special type of fish sausage – available mainly in Terengganu. There is a great diversity of cuisines from local Malay to Chinese, Indian and authentic southern Thai style cooking to suit all tastes. The beaches are fantastic and stretch for miles. Even in the monsoon season some shops along the beaches are open. You can sample the slow and rustic atmosphere prevalent here, munch on goreng pisang (banana fritters) and drink drom fresh young coconuts. The Redang and Perhentian Islands off the coast are a great attraction with the diving fraternity and I hear from some keen divers that this is another 'dive-dive must try' place to go.

The finals!

What all of us came to see.  The crowds have increased with children running all over hanging onto colourful balloons. Commentators’ voices rose in pitch and excitement as the Monsoon Cup race finals was flagged off by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia.

The wind was now blowing15 to 20 knots, it’s strongest since we arrived 6 days ago, Excitement and anticipation was in the air. Every movement on the boat was recorded by the cameraman and we could hear the shouting of instructions by the skippers above the roar of the wind and feel the edginess that comes when 2 boats match race each other in difficult conditions. What an adrenaline rush, as the first race went to Gilmour and the second to Minoprio.  Gilmour made it look easy and eventually triumphed in the best of 5 series and was without doubt a popular winner of this event. In contrast to the previous day’s excitement, the final was less intense.

Without doubt, the Monsoon Cup at Pulau Duyong must be the best place to watch a sailing race, by yourself or with friends. Everything is set up right and with the monsoon providing the strong winds that make sailing exciting nothing beats this.

More at http://www.monsooncup.com.my/

Story: Leslie Fung – Sailor.

Photos: Paul Chern - Journalist