Sibling Rivalry Pushing Jeremy To The Edge

12:49 PM Thu 2 Dec 2010 GMT
'Jeremy Koo during the press conference.' Subzero Images -Monsoon Cup © Click Here to view large photo Jeremy Koo (Mas) Koo Racing Team-Evernew has only three matches left to salvage his pride after suffering five further defeats in the Monsoon Cup at the five-star Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort and Spa today.

The Selangor lad has now lost eight matches with three more flights before the end of the round robin classifications but all that matters to him is to get two wins from his remaining matches.

“My sister managed to win one match in 2006 and it will be terrible for me not to beat her,” joked Jeremy, who could still see the lighter side after a hard day in the office. “After I beat her in the Malaysian Match Racing Championship last month, it was always my goal to get more than one win in the Monsoon Cup. My initial target was not to finish last, but right now, I’ll settle for beating her record!”

Koo Racing Team-Evernew crea in action. - Subzero Images -Monsoon Cup_© Click Here to view large photo

As the only Malaysian sailor in the season-ending World Match Racing Tour (WMRT), Jeremy has his fair share of support, including a cheering leading squad lead by Permai Inn’s General Manager Azman Ali.

The 29-year-old said: “I hope I can spring an upset or two tomorrow as I really don’t want to disappoint my fans. It feels funny to think I have fans, but I guess being the only Malaysian in the field, means I’ll get everyone’s support and I really appreciate it.”

Jeremy faces a daunting task in his last three matches as he faces defending World and Monsoon Cup Champion Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ BlackMatch Racing, Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN and four-time World Champion Dato Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing.

Regardless of how he does, Jeremy promised we haven’t heard the last of him.

Meanwhile, two-time World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar leads the way with a perfect record after winning all seven of his matches, including wins over three of his four rivals ahead of him in the leaderboard.

After eight of the nine legs in the 2010 WMRT season, Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team (105 Points), Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing (90 Points), Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN (88 Points), Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team (76 Points) and Williams (72 Points), all have a mathematical chance of being crowned World Champion.

Williams did his chances a world of good by laying down the marker when he defeated Richard, Minoprio and Mirsky and will face Ainslie tomorrow.

“The real racing starts in the knock-out stages when we have the quarter-finals. I won two world titles entering the knockout stage in eighth place so it doesn’t really matter but it feels good to be leading,” said Williams.

For Williams to win the world title, he needs to win the Monsoon Cup and hope neither Ainslie nor Minoprio finish on the podium and Richard finishes outside the top eight. Richard, who has led the tour from the very first regatta in April, recovered from a poor start to be placed seventh with a 3-5 record.

Round Robin Results
1. Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 7-0
2. Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN 5-1
3. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 5-2
4. Jesper Radich (DEN) Gaastra Racing Team 5-2
5. Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra 4-2
6. Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Global 3-3
7. Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 3-5
8. Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 2-4
9. Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 2-4
10. Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 2-4
11. Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 2-5
12. Jeremy Koo (MAS) Koo Racing Team-Evernew

by Monsoon Cup Media 2010