German in Langkawi Ironman
A German national with Malaysian permanent resident’s status will be among five athletes to represent Kedah in the Langkawi Ironman Malaysian Triathlon Championship 2007 starting 23rd February 2007.
Mohd Zharif Abdullah or Juergen Zimmerer (52) has been a tourist guide in Langkawi since he married a local 15 years ago. He will be taking part in the event for the first time.
The other four Ironman participants from Kedah are Ramli Nayan (42), Che Mansor Khamis (45), Bakar Wahid (32) and Musa Hassan (43).
Entry Date: 24/02/2007 12.16pm Posted by: Roszs
Langkawi New Golf Courses
Langkawi may soon host international golfing tournaments with the development of world-class golf courses on the island’s eastern coast. The plan is part of a RM2.8 billion township, 99 Degrees East, at Ulu Melaka.
The first phase includes two 18-hole golf courses and a championship golf course that would be operational within three years. The entire project spans four phases, covering 340ha and is expected to be completed by 2017.
Kedah Corporation Bhd has entrusted Singapore-based property developer Terra Monda Ltd to spearhead the project. The project would integrate a seaside residential area, hotels, shopping complexes, a school, hospital and berthing area for boats.
This golf project will further boost the Langkawi’s attractiveness as a tourist destination, as well as to provide jobs and homes for Langkawi folk.
Entry Date: 24/02/2007 12.16pm Posted by: Roszs
Fire Destroyed 250 Homes
A major blaze gutted more than 250 squatter houses at Kampung Bukit Malut, Langkawi on 21st February afternoon, leaving about 1,000 people homeless.
The blaze swept rapidly through squatter homes, forcing residents to flee to safety. No injuries or casualties were reported. 55 firefighters in two engines from Jalan Persiaran Putra and Jalan Air Hangat stations rushed to the scene after the fire was reported at 2.18 pm.
The flames spreaded quickly between closely packed houses. Langkawi police chief Supt Mohamad Ali Jamaluddin said fire fighting was hampered by low water pressure and firemen had difficulty reaching the scene due to the narrow paths between the houses.
This is the second major blaze at the village after a devastating fire which destroyed 120 houses there in 2005.
Mansor Ismail, Langkawi district chief said a local school has been converted as a relief centre to house the victims.
Entry Date: 16/02/2007 10.52pm Posted by: Roszs
Quantum Claims Langkawi Crown
Team Quantum Racing successfully defend the Prime Minister's Challenge Trophy at the Royal Langkawi International Regatta 2007. The Quantum crew did just enough to win their fifth victory in eight races, pushing Jelik to the runners-up spot.
Quantum Racing gained seven points from eight races while Jelik of Hong Kong had to be satisfied with second place after scoring nine points. Quantum had won the first four races before Jelik forced the contest down the wire by taking the next three races.
In the final race of the Royal Langkawi International Regatta 2007, Jelik again surged ahead of the field as Quantum almost collided with Matahari as both tried to squeeze their way across the start line. Jelik gradually increased the lead and even lapped the hapless Matahari before crossing the finish line in 1'25:38. Quantum endured nervy moments after crossing the finish line in 1'39:10.
But because of their bigger and longer yacht, Jelik's heroics were only good enough for a second place finish under the time-corrected handicap system. Under the system, Quantum's corrected finish time was 1'59:24 while Jelik's was 2'05:12.
The final race was held near the Langkawi coast and not out in the open sea where the stronger winds would have given the Jelik a bigger advantage.
There was a mishap at sea when Roger Kingdon, the skipper of the multihull category's Motor Inzi, lost part of a finger after getting his hand trapped in a winch. Although he had to be rushed to hospital and his yacht withdrew from the race, it was not all painful for Kingdon as Motor Inzi had already secured the Multihull Challenge Cup overall title a day earlier.
Meanwhile, three United Kingdom teams won the other three prizes at stake with Sail in Asia taking the Langkawi Sports Trophy, Motor Inzi (the Malaysia Multihull Challenge Cup) and Sofa So Good (the Commodores Challenge Cup
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Langkawi Regatta Begins
The Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) sailing team believe they are capable of challenging for top honours in the fifth edition of the Royal Langkawi International Regatta (RLIR), which began on Tuesday, 6th February 2007.
TLDM are now wiser to the demands of the racing class competition and will be utilising Zuhrah’s identical 52-foot sister boat Zuhal for this year’s challenge. TLDM's team skipper, Malik Sulaiman believes that his more experienced crew would once again give the big boys a run for their money.
Besides Zuhal, Malaysia will also have another racing boat in the competition. Matahari, skippered by Royal Selangor Yacht Club’s Vincent Chan. Matahari is making her debut in the big boat category.
Besides the racing and sports boat classes, the other categories contested in the five-day regatta are the multi-hull, IRC and club classes.
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Loddo Won Stage Four
The Le Tour de Langkawi race from the Malaysia's east coast town of Gua Musang in Kelantan state to Kota Bahru -- which attracted some 50,000 spectators along the route.
Loddo, from the Selle Italia-Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni team, completed the 178-kilometre stage, the longest this year, in 4 hours and 58 seconds. The first 10 riders who made it to the finish line were also awarded the same time after a bunched sprint finish.
Loddo out-sprinted second-stage winner Maximiliano Richeze, who came in second, while South African defending champion Daryl Impey was third.
Credit Agricole's Le Tour de Langkawi stage three winner, France's Anthony Charteau, remains the overall winner and holder of the yellow jersey after gaining four minutes on the climb up Cameron Highlands on Sunday.
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Charteau Won Stage Three
French outfit Credit Agricole's Anthony Chartaeu landed the overall yellow jersey after capturing Stage Three of the Le Tour De Langkawi cycling championship from Kuala Kangsar to Cameron Highlands on Sunday, 4th February 2007.
The 28-year-old rider showed amazing finishing power when he came in first among 135 riders in the gruelling climb to Brinchang here. Charteau started to breakaway from the peloton after 70 kilometres and maintained the lead until the finish line at Brinchang.
The Frenchman completed the 133km Le Tour de Langkawi race in 3 hours 40 minutes 51 seconds, is now also the new overall leader. Charteau, finished a clear 3:54s ahead of Walter Pedraza of Selle Italia Serramenti Diquigiovanni and now has a four-minute advantage over the Italian in the overall standings.
Charteau also took over the King of the Mountain's red polka dot jersey from Koji Fukushima (Nippo-Meitan) after collecting 30 points. His win also helped the pro tour Credit Agricole to lead the team classification, 4:12s ahead of the Giant Asia Racing Team and 4:43s in front of the SouthAustralia.com team.
Meanwhile, Koji Fukushima of Nippo-Meitan team maintained the King of Sprint title when he accumulated 29 points in the Le Tour de Langkawi Third stage.
Japan'a Yokihiro Doi of team Skil Shimano was crowned as the new best Asian rider and given the blue jersey ahead of the start tomorrow, with a 2-second advantage over Iranian Hossein Askari from Giant Asia Racing Team.
Giant Asia Racing Team lead the Asian team standings ahead of the Azad University Team and Nippo-Meitan, who were in second and third place respectively.
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Yong Li Missed Asian Jersey
Malaysia's first professional cyclist Ng Yong Li missed a chance to win the Best Asian jersey in the Third Stage of the Le Tour De Langkawi when he fell three kilometres from the finish.
Ng, who represents the Vitoria ASC team from Portugal, was among the leaders when he took the fall.While on the downhill stretch, he lost his balance and fell.
The 22-year-old rider, however, managed to complete the 133km- mountain stage from Kuala Kangsar to here in 41st position out of a field of 135 riders in a time of 3 hours 47 minutes 49 seconds.
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Le Tour de Langkawi Results
Le Tour de Langkawi 2007 Stage Two (166.2km from Kangar to Kulim) has been successfully completed last Saturday, 3rd February 2007. The results were as follows:
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Richeze Dominated Stage Two
Maximiliano Richeze, representing the team Ceramiche Panaria from Italy, dominated in stage two of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2007 on Saturday, 3rd February 2007.The Argentine, who also won the green jersey as the sprint king, ended the race in 3 hours 55 minutes 41 seconds, covering a distance of 166km which started in Kangar and ended in Kulim.
Finishing in a massed bunch in today's race, Richeze displayed his sprinting skills in the final 250 metres to cross the finishing line first.In the opening stage in the 82km race at Langkawi, Richeze was placed third behind Alberto Lodo (Selle Italia Serramenti Diquigiovanni) and his teammate, Ruben Bongiorno.
Japanese rider Koji Fukushima continued the Nippo-Meitan team's success by winning the Asian riders overall category.
He also won the mountain climbing category and wore the red polka dot jersey for the second consecutive day with a total of four points.
Malaysia's best finisher in the Second Stage's race was Ahmad Haidar Anuawar (LeTua) who ended in the 21st spot followed by Safwan Sawai (Malaysia) at 27th place, Loh Sea Keong (Discovery Channel Marco Polo) at 31st place, Mohd Zamri Salleh (MNCF Development Team) at 32nd place while Saiful Anuar Abd Aziz (MNCF Development Team) finished in 40th place.
In the general team classification, the most successful team in the Le Tour De Langkawi with a total of 30 stage wins, Ceramiche Panaria, maintained their lead followed by Credit Agricole and Unibet.com. In the Asian team classification, the LeTua cycling team from Malaysia retained the top spot with a total time of 17'15:12s, ahead of Hong Kong Pro Cycling and Korea national team.
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Le Tour de Langkawi Results
Le Tour de Langkawi 2007 Stage One (81.7km Langkawi round island) has been successfully completed last Friday, 2nd February 2007. The results were as follows:
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
Loddo Won First Stage
Defending champions Selle Italia Serramenti Diquigiovanni, won the opening stage of the Le Tour De Langkawi last Friday. The splendid win by 28-year old Alberto Loddo in the 82km race is a clear indication that the Venezuelan outfit is going all out to sweep the major categories this year.
The Italian-born rider clocked 1 hour 49 minutes 23 seconds in the race that began at Dataran Lang and ended at the Underwater World here.
Bongiorno and Maximiliano Richeze, both from Cermaiche Panaria, came in second and third respectively with the same time of 1'49:23s.
The victory also earned Loddo the yellow jersey as the overall leader for the second stage from Kangar to Kulim Saturday, which covers 166km. He was also awarded the green jersey after collecting 15 points in the sprint events.
For the Asian category, Japan's Koji Fukushima of the Nippo-Meitan team emerged as the best finisher when he clocked 1'49:23s that also placed him second overall. The 34-year-old rider also was best in the climbs and took the King of the Mountain jersey Friday.
Meanwhile, Cermiche Panaria are leading the field of 23 teams in the team general classification followed by SouthAustralia.com and Unibet.com with all the teams accumulating a total time of 5'28:09s.
The LeTua cycling team of Malaysia emerged as the best finisher among the Asian teams when it clocked a total time of 5'28:09s.
Entry Date: 10/02/2007 7.21pm Posted by: Roszs
LeTua in Ltdl
LeTua, the continental team making its debut in this 12th edition of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) cycling championship, has emerged as the best Asian team in Stage One of the race on Friday, 2nd February.
They came in fifth place overall in the team classification when the race over 82 kilometres around this famous resort island ended. Its rider Md Nor Rizuan Zainal, who is only 21-years-old, was classified fifth in the individual category while compatriot Ahmad Haidar Anuawar finished in sixth place out of a field of 136 riders.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian National Cycling Federation's developmental team finished a creditable 16th place while the national team finished last in 23rd position.
Entry Date: 04/02/2007 12.00pm Posted by: Roszs
Hong Kong's Wong Kam Po
After a four-year absence, Wong Kam Po will make a return to the Tour of Langkawi (LTdL) from Feb 2-11 this year. Wong Kam Po won the Asian Games gold medal in Doha last year. The 32-year-old also holds the record of being the only Asian to win a stage at the LTdL when he won the Cameron Highlands stage in 2000.
Kam Po makes his return with the new Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team for the 12th edition next month.
Entry Date: 04/02/2007 12.00pm Posted by: Roszs
Dugong In Langkawi?
A carcass of a two-metre dugong was found in Langkawi last week and has been sent to the Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tumec) in Terengganu for a post mortem. The carcass was transported by a 4WD from Kuala Kedah to Rantau Abang.
The dead dugong was found floating in the Lubok Cempedak mangrove swamp in Pulau Tuba, Langkawi. The sea cow, weighing 100kg, had scratch marks on its body.
Entry Date: 04/02/2007 12.00pm Posted by: Roszs
LTdL 2007 Convoy
Two hundred participants, including 30 competitors of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL 2007), have taken part in the Le Tour de Langkawi cycling convoy which covered a distance of 25 kilometres, on Tuesday 30th January, to mark the start of the prestigious cycling championship.
The Le Tour de Langkawi convoy passed through Jalan Pantai Cenang, Bukit Malut, Pekan Kuah and end at Dataran Lang in Kuah.
Entry Date: 04/02/2007 12.00pm Posted by: Roszs
LTdL 2007 Superb Race
The Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) that is hosting the prestigious Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) for the first time, is confident that the race will be the greatest event of the year.
It would also boost the country's name internationally with the support from the government and sponsors. Everything is running smoothly and 13 competing teams had already arrived in Langkawi for the race which started last Friday.
About 1,500 volunteers were involved throughout the 10 stages of the race. There are five Pro Tour teams taking part in this year's Le Tour de Langkawi and four of them are from France -- Bouygues Telecom, Credit Agricole, Francaise des Jeux, AG2R. The other is Unibet.com from Sweden. Malaysia would be represented by three teams - the Malaysian National Team, MNCF Development Team and LeTua.
Le Tour de Langkawi 2007 offers cash prizes totaling RM1.5 million and covers a 1,374km distance.
Entry Date: 04/02/2007 12.00pm Posted by: Roszs
LTdL Local Riders
18 Malaysians will be in action in the 12th edition of the Le Tour de Langkawi, marking the highest number of competitors from the host nation since it was granted hors categorie status in 2004.
Leading the bunch of locals will be none other than reigning SEA Games road race gold medallist Suhardi Hassan, 25, who will also be the second oldest Malaysian of the 18 riders, who form the next generation of cyclists in a country starving for success in the international peloton.
Team Malaysia will be led by Suhardi, and includes the oldest Malaysian in the race this time around, 27-year-old Yusof Nasir, riding in LTdL for only the third time in his career after replacing the promising 23-year old sprinter Sayuti Zahit, who had to pull out of the squad due to academic commitments. Also in the national team is 21-year old Fauzan Ahmad Lutfi, who has matured since riding the past two editions of the LTdL, first with the defunct Proton T-Bikes team in 2005 and with the national team last year.
Making their debuts are two 19-year-olds, Safwan Sawai and Rauf Nor Misbah, both of whom are climbers and capable of matching Suhardi's strength in the mountain stages of Cameron Highlands and Genting. Utility rider Ahmad Fallanie Ali, 23, can be expected to feature in breakaway attempts during the flat stages.
Suhardi's best finish in the LTdL came last year when he took fifth place in the seventh stage and ended 34th in the general classification, but is aiming to do better by making it into the top 20 this time around.
The Malaysian National Cycling Federation's Development Team will be led by 25-year old sprinter Jasmin Ruslan, who is the most experienced in the squad that is managed by former national cyclist and Kedah Cycling Association president Omar Saad. Jasmin will have to play a leading role in a squad that includes 20-year- olds Saiful Anuar Aziz, Amir Mustafa Rusli and Faris Abdul Razak.
Also in the squad is 24-year old former mountain biker Zamri Salleh who will ride for the first time in LTdL, along with Harnizam Basri, who finally gets his break after being a reserve for the past two editions.
This time around you will also see the country's first continental team in action on the biggest stage as the Le Tua Cycling Team prepares to make an impact after stealing the hearts of cycling followers with a sterling performance in the Jelajah Malaysia.
Le Tua are basically a sprinters' team, with Nor Umardi Rosdi, Nor Rizuan Zainal and Ahmad Haidar Anuawar playing the supporting cast to their hot sprinter Anuar Manan.
In addition, you will also get to see the country's first two exports on parade with Ng Yong Li making his professional debut for Portuguese continental team Vitoria-ASC and Loh Sea Keong riding for Chinese-registered continental team Discovery Channel-Marco Polo Cycling Team.
Both riders are good friends and at just 21-years of age, are looking like they are on the right track towards becoming the country's best riders in the future.
Entry Date: 04/02/2007 12.00pm Posted by: Roszs
MAS Offers RM9 Tickets
There is a price war between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia! Both airline companies are offering heavily discounted domestic tickets, so it's a good news for all of us.
MAS, for the first time, is offering tickets at less than RM10 each for two local routes, while AirAsia is pricing its flights from 99 sen. Both carriers have cited Visit Malaysia 2007 for their offers.
MAS's RM9 fare is for the Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan and Penang-Langkawi routes while the budget carrier’s 99 sen offer is for most routes between Kuala Lumpur and state capitals.
MAS is offering 250,000 tickets for 23 destinations and passengers have seven months to utilise their tickets from March 1.
AirAsia meanwhile has set aside 500,000 seats at discounted fares of up to 99% for all destinations departing from its four Malaysian hubs (Low Cost Carrier Terminal in KLIA, Johor Baru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching), with the travel period from April 1 to July 31 this year.
Entry Date: 04/02/2007 12.00pm Posted by: Roszs
National Tour Sprint King
The Tour of Malaysia 2007 sprint king, Anuar Manan, targets to win at least one stage of the 12th edition of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL).
Although it will be his maiden debut in the event, the LeTua team cyclist is not intimidated by the presence of other world cyclists in the Asian premier cycling race.
Anuar has won the green jersey (sprint king) in the Tour of Malaysia recently, and is hoping to win the flat terrain stage, particularly in the fifth stage where they will cycle through Kota Baharu to his hometown, Kuala Terengganu.
The LeTua team members include Ahmad Haidar Anuawar, Umardi Rosdi and Md Nor Rizuan Zainal who will be competing against 22 teams in this year Le Tour de Langkawi.
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