Dewi Bayu (All Girls) Team on Gotcha Lagi! for RMIR and Kings Cup 2003

The all girl crew on Dewi Bayu, last year, where so disappointed with their performance on the water during the 2002 Raja Muda Int Regatta that, this year, they have decided to charter Amir Zohri's 4 time RMIR winner Gotcha Lagi! for the racing class, to make up for it.

The Dewi Bayu Team was bourne as a result of several bold moves taken by Tengku Soraya Abdullah and Joan Foo Mahony whilst serving on the RMIR organising committee in a all out effort to attract Asian women to participate in water sports.

RMIR 2002

Eleven keen women crew were mustered from all over the world (including 4 Malaysians) to meet the qualified Aussie skipper, Natasha Smith at the Royal Selangor Yacht Club in Port Klang and take on the other 12 Cruising Class entrants in a kindly donated Sunsail 46, renamed Dewi Bayu on this occasion.

Although they garnered up the most media coverage for their sponsors during the event, a mid-fleet finish as their first outing together is considered a respectable placing given the light weather conditions and the charter yacht nature of the vessel.

RLIR 2003

Another brave venture quickly followed, this time fielding 3 x Platu 25 (all girl) Dewi Bayu Teams in the Sportsboat Class at the inaugural Royal Langkawi Int Regatta during March this year.

The best of the all the ladies teams happened to come from Dewi Bayu skipper'ed by Malaysia's own, dinghy sailing champion Tiffany Koo who finally pulled off a remarkable last race victory in front of the faster male opponents who had dominated all week in the Sports boat Class.

RMIR 2003

The decision to charter Gotcha Lagi! for the RMIR 2003 puts the Dewi Bayu Team smack bang into the middle of the Racing Class for the 2003 event. Last year Gotcha Lagi! took out 2nd place overall and over the years in the hands of Datuk Mokhzani Abdul Rahim and his brothers Amir Zohri and Dr Izham along with other family members this racer has become Malaysia's sentimental favourite with local sailing enthusiasts.

Datuk Mokhzani unfortunately passed away on June 15th this year and in respect of 'abang's wishes the family members have decided not to participate this year and are helping the girls with preparations to compete in the racing class. Last year after 8 days of grueling racing conditions the Hong Kong based Stella just piped Gotcha Lagi! for the prestigious RMIR trophy.

Tengku Soraya Abdullah and Joan Foo Mahony upon hearing of Gotcha Lagi!'s availability for the RMIR and Kings Cup where quick to grab at the opportunity to display their sailing prowess and decided to take on the faster boats in the racing class this year. The team have decided to dedicate their performance to Dato' who was a good friend and respected doyen of the Asian sailing fraternity. They also hope to emulate Gotcha's 1999 overall victory and become the first ever, all women team to win the cup for Malaysia, again!

The 11 member crew (including 2 reserves) will be putting the yacht through her paces in all kinds of weather conditions having experienced strong winds and several thunderstorms during last years event. Other than Soraya and Joan the other crew members of the team are Juanita Spencer (Australia), Saskia Van Rijt (Holland), Carolyn Bush (Australia), Elaine Chua San-san (Singapore), and Malaysian's Tiffany Koo, Ai Wee-Lau, Joanne Poo. Cindy Chong and Didi Abdullah will all be making an appearance.

They have come back in force this time, with a new sponsor EADS Malaysia S/B and their parent company EADS was founded in July 2000 with the merger of Aeroospatiale Matra France, CASA and Daimler Chrysler Aerospace (Germany) who are committed towards encouraging sporting activities in the community so they have decided to sponsor the Dewi Bayu Team this year. On the cards for the girls are new sailing outfits designed by 'Tommy' Tengku Mansor in the EADS colours - blue, grey and white with the company logo and name displayed on the boat and new spinnaker sails.

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