National sailor Mohamad Faizal Norizan’s return to match racing ended with a bang as his MSA Match Racing Team took the title of the third edition of Liga Layar Malaysia (LLM) 2015.
His triumph at the National Sailing Training Centre was made sweeter as he beat two-time LLM champion Hazwan Hazim Dermawan who skippered Hazone Racing Team 2-1 in the final.
“I was really surprised with the win, what with a new crew with no experience in match racing. But we managed to do our best and win,” an elated Faizal said.
The youngest skipper in the local match racing circuit notched a new record by being the youngest LLM stage champion to-date. Faizal, who won gold in International 420 at the Incheon Asian Games last year, is among the young national sailors who are making the transition from dinghies to keel boat racing and has shown great potential.
Meanwhile, luck was not on his opponent Hazwan’s side as sail problems saw Faizal clinching the decider.
“We had some problem with our jib and spinnaker in the last race, it was just not our luck this time,” said Hazwan.
Previous edition’s runner up Ishak Jab of RMN Match Racing Team took third place in windy Langkawi, where wind speed was up to 10 knots in the afternoon.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the third semifinal race, which cost us the spot in the final,” Ishak said.
As champions of this leg of LLM, Faizal and his team walked away with RM6,000 in prize money while Hazwan received RM4,000.
Third-placed Ishak won RM3,000. Prizes were given away by Nabil Fikkri Mohammed Fauzi, supervisor of Langkawi National Sports Council (Majlis Sukan Negara – MSN).
The LLM circuit will take a break in the next two months and head south to Port Dickson for the fourth stage in August.
Final standings
Champion: Hazwan Hazim Dermawan (Hazone Racing Team)
Runner-up: Mohamad Faizal Norizan (MSA Match Racing Team)
Third: Ishak Jab (RMN Match Racing Team)
Fourth: Mohd Karimi Bakar (Kedah Match Racing Team)
Fifth: Harisfabillah Muhamat (Navy Only One)
