National yachtsmen must maintain momentum to grab two gold medals tomorrow

LANGKAWI: National yachtsmen in the Men's 420 International and Men's 470 International categories must maintain their wins in the last two races today at the National Yachting Sports Complex in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (KL2017) to ensure that the two gold medals belonged to them in the medal races tomorrow.
However, the eight consecutive victories in eight races through the partnership of Muhammad Uzair Amin Mohd Yusof and Naquib Eiman Shahrin in the Men's 420 International category was actually sufficient for them to ensure that the gold belonged to them.
This was because the pair had left the Singapore yachtsmen, Koh Yi Nian/Wong Riji far behind with 22 penalty points, and the Thai yachtsmen Suthon Yampinid/Nopphorn Booncherd with 25 penalty points yesterday.
If they succeed in going through the ninth and 10th races in style today, they would certainly have a bright chance of repeating their success to win in the category during the 28th SEA Games in Singapore, two years ago.
Similarly with the partnership of Mohamamad Faizal Norizan and Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz who are now leading another five pairs of yachtsmen in the Men's 470 International category when they had collected 14 penalty points so far.
The pair had left behind the Thai yachtsmen, Navee Thamsoontorm/Nut Butmarasri who now had 22 penalty points and yachtsmen Emerson Villena/Lester Troy Tayong from the Philippines with 26 penalty points.
The fifth and sixth races today involved the Women's Optimist and Men's Optimist categories, Laser Standard, Men's Laser Radial and Women's Laser Radial while the seventh and eighth races involved the Men's Windsurfing RS One and Women's Windsurfing RS One.
Tomorrow, the medal races will involve the Men's 420 International, Women's 420 International, Men's International 470 and Women's International 470.
So far, the first gold for the event was contributed by the Optimist team category while the team's Laser Standard category contributed the silver and the team's Laser Radial won the bronze medal.
Twenty-two national yachtsmen took part in the 14 categories contested in the event which was scheduled to be held until Aug 29. — Bernama