"International Yacht Race 2011" Promotes RI's Marine Tourism

Pewarta :

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - The  "Visit Indonesia Fremantle-Bali International Yacht Race 2011" was an event to promote marine tourism in Indonesia, an official said.

"The race was participated in by 23 yachts which started from  Fremantle harbor in  Australia on April 23, and reached the finish line at Benoa harbor in Bali on Mei 7, 2011," the tourism and culture ministry's marketing director general, Sapta Nirwandar, said at Hotel Sanur Beach, Bali, Tuesday.

The objectives of the Race were among other things to promote the country's marine tourism, to improve the tourism image internationally and to strengthen the bilateral ties between Indonesia and Australia, he said.

"In addition to make the bilateral ties between Indonesia and Australia closer, we also want to foster relations with countries of the race's participants," he said.

He hoped that the race would attract more sailors to come to Indonesia.

"We have more than 17,500 islands, and not many countries could offer such an event to sailing lovers," Sapta Nirwandar said.

The Visit Indonesia Fremantle-Bali International Yacht Race 2011 had attracted around 200 foreigners, including yacht racers and their crew as well as relatives,  to visit Indonesia, he said.

"We are optimistic that the yacht race in 2012 will attract more participatns. Thre area more than 1,000 yachts have joined memberships in yacht organizations," he said.

One participant of the race 2011 had made a speed record from that in 2010.

"The speed record was achieved by 'Limit''s Alan Brierty," he said. 'Limit' added yet another trophy to Alan Brierty's cabinet when she claimed line honours in the Visit Indonesia Fremantle Bali 2011 international yacht race.

In the process, she shattered Rolly Tasker's 30 year old record for the race, finishing in a little over six days and five hours.

In the second to seventh places were  respectively 'Audeamus', 'Australian Maid', 'Phoenix', 'Sue Sea', 'Libertine', 'Walk on the Wild Side', and 'Bird of the Morning' yachts.(*)
Editor: Masuki
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