BORACAY—Subic Bay to Boracay Race winner Centennial III did it again.
Skippered by sail master Judes Echauz again defeated Hong Kong’s Jelik manned by Frank Pong in the first race of IRC Racing Class I of the eighth Standard Insurance Boracay Cup Regatta 2017.
Powerhouse Centennial III, a TP 52 Davidson, won on Tuesday morning with 4:14:57 corrected time in the regatta. The four-day boat race is a combination of point-to-point and windward/leeward courses and is part of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix season.
Centennial III arrived with its all Filipino crew in this pristine island paradise with 11:33:14, nosing out Jelik with 11:50:02, a difference of 16:48 in the Subic Bay to Boracay Race last Sunday.
Pong’s Jelik, a Reichel/Pugh 75, placed second with 4:18:16 corrected time and receiving line honors in the racing day one. The annual regatta grand prix sanctioned by the Philippine Sailing Association and fully backed by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Watercraft Venture Corp., Seawind Boracay Resort, the Lighthouse Marina Resort and Subic Sailing Club.
Coming third is Great Britain’s Antipode’s captained by Geoff Hill with 4:19:51. Karakoa, skippered by veteran Filipino sailor Ray Ordoveza, followed in 4:26:55.
“Today, we had an exciting 28-nautical mile race around Carabao Island through Tablas Strait in Romblon and back to Boracay Island with winds blowing 20 knots from the North East,” said Jun Avecilla, chairman of the organizing committee.
For the IRC Racing Class II, Steve Manning and Anthony Root’s Black Baza grabbed the first place. Second place went to Martin Tanco and Ronald Tanco’s Centennial II, while Bobby Benares’s Sabad settled for third place.
For the Cruising Class, Michael Brinkers’s Bella Uno bagged the first place finish, while Xiong Ting’s Mermaid followed in second place.
The Boracay Regatta Cup also offers precious points for the coveted Asian Yachting Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards.
Overall winners in each three class of the combined Subic Bay to Boracay Race and the Boracay Cup Regatta series will bring home the impressive hand-crafted solid brass trophy replicas by multiawarded Filipino visual artist Fernando Cacnio.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes