Taring Pelangi scored their first top podium finish when they won the Malaysian Match Racing Championship to gain entry to the main draw of the Monsoon Cup.
Hazwan ended the monopoly of women skippers who have won the first three editions of the Malaysian Match Racing Championship since the inaugural event in 2006.
There were already tell-tail signs of Hazwan winning the Malaysian Match racing Championship when he ousted pre-tournament favourites Jeremy Koo and his Koo Racing Team AC Law 3-0 in the semi-final.
The other semi-final was won by Nurul Elia's Sail Putrajaya team who defeated Malaysian Armed Forces 1 skippered by Mohammad Razali Mansor, who also doubles up as Elia's coach. It was the second time within a week that Nurul Elia has beaten her coach.
In today's final, the 'Made-in-Terengganu' Taring Pelangi defeated another pre-tournament favourite - Team Sail Putrajaya skippered by Nurul Elia Anuar 3-1 in the best of five races.
'Obliviously, I'm happy to have won and happier still that I've qualified for the Monsoon Cup. A little bit of team discussion last night did wonders and I told my crew to go for zero-free mistakes. This we did excellently today and won,' said Hazwan.
When asked if he was ready to ride the storm in the big test - the Monsoon Cup, Hazwan said: I have no fear. I have nothing to lose but everything to gain by competing against the cream of the world's best sailors.'
Hazwan also said he was very happy to have broken the monopoly of women skippers who had won the event consecutively the last three years.
'Losing to a female skipper in the fourth year would have been a further embarrassment to the men, but I guess I saved the embarrassment,' he said in a jest, adding that Nurul Elia sailed really well.
However, Nurul Elia, who had the opportunity to stretch the women's stranglehold in the final failed to achieve this and said she will live to fight another day. 'I hope I'll be back again next year and perhaps prevent the men skippers from winning again,' she said.
Meanwhile, in the Petit final Jeremy showed his prowess that was missing in the semi-final by beating Razali Mansor 2-0 in the best-of-three race.
Hazwan further received a boost when Yanmar Racing Team, one of the 12 teams for the Monsoon Cup offered his team Taring Pelangi to train with them during the run-up to the event which starts on Dec 2.The offer was made by Yanmar Racing Team skipper Datuk Peter Gilmour, who is also the Race Advisor for the just concluded Malaysian Match Racing Championship.
'I thank Datuk Peter (Gilmour) for his good offer, we'll take it up and discuss with him about our scheduling to train together,' said Hazwan.
Tengku Laksamana of Terengganu gave away the prizes to the winners.
FINAL:
Taring Pelangi bt Sail Putrajaya - 3-1
PETIT FINAL:
Koo Racing Team - AC Law bt Malaysian Armed Forces 1 - 2-0
SEMI-FINAL
Taring Pelangi bt Koo Racing Team AC-Law - 3-0
Sail Putrajaya Team bt Malaysian Armed Forces 1 - 3-1
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