Despite lesser participants, the challenge for the five-day Royal Langkawi International Regatta (RLIR 2009) which begins today, promises to be interesting and smooth sailing.

Working in its favour are the 14-knots per hour winds which have been forecast throughout the tournament.

Principal Race Officer Mike Pryke recalled that in last year's tournament, the wind on an average day was measured at between eight and nine knots per hour, with the strongest at 16 knots.

"(This time) The wind could reach up to 20 knots per hour and it will be interesting to see how the yacht assimilates to this condition," he told Bernama today.

However, he said teams participating in the racing class event would benefit from this condition.

Three-time champion Quantum Racing (Australia), Hi Fi (New Zealand), Jelik (Hong Kong) Yo!2 (Australia) and Malaysian Zuhrah are among the teams participating in this year's racing class event.

The regatta will see participants competing in 11 categories from four main classes, namely racing class, racing class (IRC) 1, multi-hull racing class and club class.

Zurah, a team from the Malaysian navy, will lead Malaysia's challenge of 10 teams, including Mata Hari and a junior team from the Malaysian Yachting Association.